R.I.P.: Iconic Top 40 Programmer Paul Drew Dies At 78

Paul Drew

The radio industry is mourning the passing of one of the all-time legendary Top 40 programmers.  Paul Drew died of natural causes Thursday in Glendale, CA.

He was 78.  

Drew was one of radio's most colorful programmers perhaps best known as VP of Programming for RKO Radio.  He supervised stations in New, York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Memphis and Fort Lauderdale. 

He was PD and made several station legendary in their markets and beyond. His programming stops included WQXI 790 AM  (“Quixie In Dixie”), CKLW 800 AM in Windsor/Detroit, WIBG 990 AM in Philadelphia. KFRC 610 AM in San Francisco and KHJ 930 AM in LA.  The stations Drew programmed defined Top 40 radio.

Drew not only programmed these stations, he also influenced scores of other programmers and personalities across the country.  He was the epitome of a Top 40 programmer in the 60s and 70s.

Drew was originally from Detroit. While attending Wayne State University, he worked at WHLS in Port Huron, Michigan. In 1957, on the advice from his uncle he went to Atlanta and the day he arrived was hired as an announcer at WGST. Drew moved to WAKE in 1961 where he cultivated a large teen audience by visiting high schools gathering names to use on his nightly show. 

In 1963, Paul moved to WQXI, hosting 7p-12m. He introduced Atlanta to and later toured with the Beatles. He eventually became program director of WQXI a position he held until 1967, when he left to program CKLW in Detroit, KFRC in San Francisco, and  KHJ in Los Angeles.  Paul then became Vice President of Programming for RKO Radio.

FLASHBACK:  In 2001 Drew was interviewed about his association with legendary morning host Dr. Doctor Rose, best known for his work at WFIL 560 AM in Philly and KFRC.  Don Rose was a radio star in the 60s through the 80s and passed away in 2005.

A life-long Democrat, Drew in ’76 was a Brown delegate to the Democratic National Convention in NYC.   President Jimmy Carter appointed Paul to head the White House Youth Energy program, dealing with the  long lines at gas stations.   Governor Jerry  Brown appointed him a  commissioner on the  CA Motion Picture Council; serving for  more than 6 years.

In '83, President Ronald Reagan  appointed Paul the first Director of Radio Marti,  broadcasting to Cuba from U.S. soil.  Drew was the only Democrat President Reagan appointed in his 8 years in the White House.

Media writer Jerry Del Colliano worked for Drew at WIBG in Philadelphia and writes he lived in fear of making a mistake. He also writes that today's PDs live in an alien world compared to the days of Drew. Click Here.


Del Colliano says among the qualities he admired most was how determined Drew was to stick to the format.

Del Colliano relates this example from the late 60s:

When he was going to launch the “All Time Top 300” Friday at 3pm running until midnight Sunday night, he secretly bought an ad in an afternoon newspaper with the “Top 300” printed in time for Friday afternoon so listeners could follow along 

Unfortunately, Jimmy Hilliard who was running WFIL (and with whom I was also privileged to work for) picked up a copy of the newspaper before 3pm and launched “WFIL’s All Time Top 300” at five minutes before three using our playlist. 

WIBG’s 300 playlist, five minutes ahead of Paul full well knowing Paul would rather die than skip a record or two to catch up.  As a result, WIBG ran five minutes behind WFIL with WIBG’s exact Top 300 hit playlist all weekend. 

Paul refused to skip a number and catch up. 

The night before as we were auditioning Bill Drake’s top of the hour station break cut for the occasion, I noted that it said, “You’re listening to the All Time Top 300 counted down in order from” – and then an a cappella singing station ID “WIBG, Philadelphia”. 

I said, Paul “Why is Drake saying counted down in order?” 

Paul answered, “That’s the magic of a countdown”. 

I knew he would never interrupt the magic to one up his able competitor. 

Paul could be tough, very tough.