R.I.P.: LA Radio Personality Johnny Darin Dies

John Darin (Miller)

Johnny Darin (Miller), an L.A. radio veteran both in front of the mic as well as pd duties across the dial, has died from pancreatic cancer.

He was 74.

Darin was a veteran of KRLA, KDAY, KROQ, KNAC, KGOE, KNX, KGIL, KJOI, and KBLA had just been diagnosed last month with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

Born John Christian Miller in Rapid City, South Dakota, he grew up in Ventura. When he was a youth John watched a broadcast, which led him to tell the dj, “when I grow up, I want to be a disc jockey.” In response, the dj said, “you can't do both!”

According to LA Radio, Johnny Darin arrived at KRLA in December of 1968 from KGB-San Diego via earlier stops at KACY-Oxnard and KMEN-San Bernardino, serving as music director at the latter.

John began to make a transition into the world of business reporting on Channel 22 while doing business reports on KNX and playing music on KGIL. In the mid-1980s, John was an anchor on KCOP/Channel 13, field reporter on KHJ/Channel 9 and did reports for cable news.