The son of a court judge, WRKO's Johnny (there are lots of imitators) confessed to me that when he came up with the name, he had no idea there were others. As a youth living in South Florida, he'd hang out at the studio of a pirate broadcaster, where every jock was known as "Johnny-Something." It seems as if the Johnny whose shift was ready to start hadn't shown up, so the Program Director looked over to Johnny and said, "Hey, kid, you wanna do this?" Dark had precious few seconds to come up with a good last name, but that he did, and he became a member of the Johnny Dark Alumnus Society way back when.

After his short-lived "pirate days," Dark was PD, Music Director and jocks in Sarasota on the old WYND in 1966. "WYND...was my very favorite radio station....had total control over the programming and the music...had an awesome staff of announcers and had the time of my life doing what I love...playing radio!"

But Johnny wanted to get a little closer to his hometown, so in 1968, he went east, and down the dial to 1580, to which was then Top-40 station WSRF/1580 in Fort Lauderdale.  "WSRF...what a battle with WQAM and WFUN! The station was owned by Gene Milner and Van Patrick (of sportscasting fame)...the station was a family affair...with Gene and his wife and his son all working in the place...had a great time but what a zoo...I'll never work for a family operation again..too many problems!!!"  While at WSRF, Johnny made up the music tapes for what was then its sister station, Easy-Listening/AC station WSHE. In 1972, Dark moved down the dial to 96.3/WMYQ (now WPOW/96.5) as on-air Music Director. In 1974, the Bartel chain moved him up to Milwaukee at legendary WOKY (The Mighty 92) as combo Music Director and Afternoon Drive jock.

Then, he hit the big time in Boston at WRKO in 1975. "WRKO was my second-favorite station..I was in one of the greatest cities on one of the greatest stations in America..working with the best staff I've EVER worked with...what an amazing experience!! I actually survived 5 different PDs in 3 and a half years! Thanks to Gerry Cagle (Peterson) for hiring me! The listeners were so into the station that when I left to go to New York City...they were calling the station crying....now that's loyal fans!!  While at The Big 68' Johnny received an offer from KHJ in Los Angeles.  "Oh yeah, I had a chance to go to LA and work for KHJ and the amazing Charlie Van Dyke...but I just couldn't tear myself away from WRKO...I was having too much fun in Boston at the time! It's funny how things work out in life because it wasn't long after that I got a phone call from Bob Pittman offering me a job at WNBC in NYC....I've often wondered how my life would be had I chosen to go to work at KHJ in Boss Angeles."  So in the fall of '77, Johnny made a (literally) choked-up farewell on the air, and left WRKO for New York's WNBC/660.

"WNBC...had the pleasure of working for Bob Pittman (now the CEO of AOL and one of the richest people in America...way to go Bob!) and thanks for giving me my break in New York! And John Lund...a great programmer who finally took us from the next 1...to number one in New York!"  But when WNBC changed to Sports Radio WFAN (Dark whimsically did his last show on WNBC as "Dennis the Menace"), it was back to Beantown in 1985, as Dark segued to Boston's WHTT/103.3, playing the hot hits at the former CBS-owned FM (now WODS).

In 1988, he realized the dream of so many of us in owning a station, WHQO Your Headquarters for Oldies Oldies 108 in Skowhegan, Maine. But the sun and fun capitol of the world, South Florida, once again beckoned in 1989, where he took to the airwaves as the second jock hired on the new on WFLC, where he's been for almost 10 years, likely a longevity record for any disk jockey at the same station. Hardly any jock stays at the same station for more than a few years these days, but as Johnny topped ten, he wouldn't have minded staying another ten years. "I respect what the station is doing and what they're playing. WFLC...the South Florida's Coast...great station...very misunderstood by the industry...we don't talk over the intros of the songs ...we have great respect for the music we play..and for the listeners!. I have utmost respect for the company...COX is by far the most professionally run company I've had the pleasure to work for...it's the only company that's run like the big boys in the big cities...you feel like you're in New York or LA when you work for these guys!"

Until early 2001, you could hear Dark doing his highly-rated afternoon-drive show on Fort Lauderdale. Dark stayed at Florida's WFLC/Coast 97.3 for almost 11 years, until the station changed format and with it, all of its air personalities. From his WRKO days in the mid-seventies, neither his captivating voice or on-air personality have changed. So on he went to "Kiss Country."

Johnny Dark operates in the Amateur Radio Service with his ham radio extra class license. After his show on the Coast, he hangs out at 39.32.50 on 75 meters. And yes, he does QSL. He'll try to answer all his e-mail as well, at jdradio97@aol.com. 73s and good DX!
Like his friend, WRKO's Jack O'Brien, Johnny Dark began his Radio days in Florida. His impressive resume is as follows: