happy hare.

a @sdradio tweet informed me of the news:

“San Diego radio icon and legend Happy Hare Martin died Monday morning.”

in 2006, harry “happy hare” martin offered (for free) his “talent coaching” services to my former place of employment. at first, due to the generation gap, the idea of working with hare didn’t seem like the right fit.

silly me.

in a short time, not only did i gain insurmountable radio knowledge, but (more importantly) a true radio friend.

the last couple of years, we would talk radio and family over coffee/bagel at the pt. loma einstein bros. truth be told, in a weird way, hare reminded me of my (hero) grandpa joe.

with his amazing positivity, hare would often call my house to “check in” and share a story or two, or three, or four. my favorite, how he saved a beatles concert in cleveland.

unlike many in my professional past, hare understood me (and, i trusted him.) needless to say, he also understood radio.

hare will always have a place in my heart.

i am lucky to have known him.

much love&aloha to his friends/family.

now, more on happy hare’s amazing career from his bio (including giant pandas and world speed records):

HARE HAS BEEN THE PARADE MARSHALL OF ALL OF THE COUNTY PARADES, INCLUDING THE MOTHER GOOSE PARADE.

HAS RAISED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR CHARITIES.
CONCEIVED THE CAMPAIGN CREATING SAN DIEGO CHARTER SCHOOLS.
IN 1972, HIS CAMPAIGN BROUGHT THE GIANT PANDAS INTO THIS COUNTRY.

HIS SAN DIEGO AUDIENCE TOTAL ESTIMATED AT ALMOST A MILLION LISTENERS THROUGHOUT HIS LOCAL CAREER. 40% OF THE LISTENING AUDIENCE FROM 1955 TILL 1960,THEN TO KYW, CLEVELAND WHERE, WITH SPECS HOWARD, HE SCORED A RECORD BREAKING 30% OF THE AUDIENCE, THEN DETROIT — TAKING WXYZ FROM 11th TO # 3.

AFTER SEVEN YEARS ABSENCE, HARE RETURNED TO SAN DIEGO IN 1969 TO RESTORE KCBQ FROM # 5 TO # 1 IN JUST ONE RATING PERIOD, SCORING 400,000 LISTENERS: ARB JAN-MAR 1969.

HARE IS CURRENTLY SPEARHEADING A CAMPAIGN DEDICATED TO REPEALING THE PASSENGER VESSEL SERVICES ACT OF 1886, ENABLING ALL PASSENGER SHIPS TO END THEIR CRUISES HERE INSTEAD OF ENSENADA, BRINGING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO THE CITY AND CREATING HUNDREDS OF JOBS. THE PORT DISTRICT RECENTLY PROCLAIMED “HAPPY HARE HARBOR DAY” IN RECOGNITION OF HIS EFFORTS IN BEHALF OF THE CITY AND THE PORT.

ROGER HEDGECOCK HAS PUBLICLY NAMED HARE AS HIS MENTOR.

REGIS PHILBIN PROCLAIMED HARE AS HIS FAVORITE RADIO PERSONALITY.

BROKE THE ROUND WORLD SPEED RECORD FOR A JET PASSENGER,
43 HOURS AND 31 MINUTES IN 1969

RECOGNIZED IN 1970 AS ONE OF THE TOP 10 PERSONALITIES BY CBS.

RECEIVED THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD IN SEPTEMBER 2004
BY THE SAN DIEGO RADIO BROADCASTERS.