Hunter Hancock

Who was Hunter Hancock?

Hunter Hancock was a white American disc jockey regarded as the first in the Western United States to play rhythm and blues records on the radio, and among the first to broadcast rock and roll.

He was born in Uvalde, Texas, and raised 90 miles away in San Antonio. After school, he took on many jobs, including singing in a vaudeville troupe and a stint at a Massachusetts burlesque club. After moving to Los Angeles in the early 1940s he entered radio and was heard on the following stations there: KFVD, KFOX, KFVD/KPOP and KGFJ. Inspired by a local black record store owner he called himself "Ol' H.H." He hosted several shows on different stations, often at the same time, including Harlem Holiday, Harlematinee, Huntin' With Hunter and the gospel show Songs of Soul and Spirit.

Hancock also appeared briefly on the L.A. CBS TV station, KNXT in 1955 with the Friday night show "Rhythm and Bluesville", interviewing such musicians as Duke Ellington, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Gene & Eunice and The Platters.

For several years, the Pulse survey rated Hancock's shows No. 1 among black listeners in Southern California. In 1950, the Los Angeles Sentinel newspaper rated Hancock the most popular DJ in Los Angeles among blacks. He was also one of the first DJs to play rock and roll music, and landed a cameo spot in a 1957 British rock and roll film called Rock Around the World.