I had several e-mail exchanges with Mr. Hall over the past decade, but especially when I was working on John Landecker's book. He was always very cordial and inquisitive. Big loss. From this mnrning's RAMP Newsletter...
Our industry has lost another legend -- Claude Hall, the iconic former Radio Editor of Billboard magazine, whose Vox Jox column was required reading for any aspiring radio pro, died at 12:02am on Friday, July 7 at Sunrise Medical Center in Las Vegas after complications from a fall earlier last week. That sad news was delivered by Claude's son Andy, who added, "His family was with him and loved him dearly. He loved his friends, students, and colleagues. He remained proud of radio and music stemming from his days listening to radio as a kid. He sent out his obit by accident in February of 2016... But this time... He has joined the radio waves he so treasured."
Radio legend Joey Reynolds said of Hall, "Claude was my hero and a stranger in the middle of the radio and records revolution, a cultural giant who created the idea of bringing radio people together in a forum commonly known as a convention." He added, "Claude loved radio and was truly a friend to the undiscovered talents or someone who needed a jump start... maybe you were unjustly fired or terribly forgotten, Claude was there with a pat on the back and offered the hope that kept you coming back to the greatest entertainment industry since motion pictures. Radio was king and Claude Hall made you feel like a prince." A memorial luncheon to honor Hall's memory is being planned.
