R.I. Radio Hall of Fame’s 2009 inductees

By Denise Perreault
PBN Staff Writer

WARWICK – From Don Pardo to Carolyn J. Fox, the Class of 2009 that will be inducted into the Rhode Island Radio Hall of Fame on May 14 runs the gamut from old-time announcers to sportscasters to one of the area’s earliest “shock jocks.”

The Hall of Fame board of directors this morning announced the 2009 inductees:

• The late Jack Comley, who – with fellow hall-of-famer Sherm Strickhouser – is considered a pioneer of talk radio in Rhode Island. He paid special attention to the entertainment value of radio during the 1960s and 1970s, the board said. He was an avid sports fan who used his public forum to contribute to the construction of the Providence Civic Center (now the Dunkin’ Donuts Center). He died in 1974 at the age of 41.

• George Patrick Duffy, the “Voice of the Rhode Island Reds” professional hockey team for four decades, who remains active at age 88 as a coach at St. Raphael Academy in Pawtucket. He has been behind the microphone for numerous teams and games since the 1940s on WEAN, WJAR, WICE, WXTR, WPRO and WGNG, among others.

• Carolyn J. Fox brought “shock jock” radio to Rhode Island through stunts and promotions on the air. A long-time ratings leader at WHJY-FM, she also hosted on WPRO-AM and WWRX-FM in the 1990s.

• Daniel “Giovanni” Centofanti, a fixture at WPRO-FM since the 1970s, served as the top-40 station’s morning drive-time host since 1999. He also is a production manager and on-air host for Citadel Broadcasting Corp.’s Providence cluster of stations, which besides 92 PRO FM includes 630 WPRO-AM news and talk; “true oldies” station 790 WPRV-AM; 104 WWLI-FM “Light Rock 105”; and hip-hop station 106 WWKX-FM.

• Jimmy Gray, a veteran personality who dominated the air waves at WPRO-AM/FM, WCTK-FM and WHJJ-AM, among others. Board members said Gray’s “quick wit and smooth delivery” made him a favorite among listeners and advertisers.

• Norm Jagolinzer, synonymous with sentimental and nostalgic radio in the Ocean State, consistently was at the top of the charts in the 1970s and 1980s, the board said. His distinct smooth voice and delivery are recognized by many through his work at WLKW.

• Jim Mendes, one of the key jazz disc jockeys in the state during the 1950s and 1960s, he spun discs on WPAW-AM, WICE-AM and WJAR-AM. Of Cape Verdean descent, he was one of the first broadcasters of color in the local market, the board said. He died in 2006 at the age of 80.

• Don Pardo, long associated with his work on “Saturday Night Live (SNL),” began his career at WJAR-AM in 1938. He joined NBC in 1944, remaining on the network staff for more than 60 years. The original voice for “The Price is Right” and “Jeopardy,” Pardo still performs voice work for SNL today at age 91.

The Rhode Island Radio Hall of Fame was established to preserve memories of radio professionals who have touched the lives of so many in the Ocean State and acknowledge their accomplishments, said John Rooke, a Hall of Fame board member and the development director for A Wish Come True in Warwick.

Rooke announced the Class of 2009 at a news conference this morning at the Navigant Credit Union headquarters in Smithfield.

The 2009 induction banquet will take place at the West Valley Inn in West Warwick on May 14, starting at 7 p.m. Tickets are $50 per person; proceeds will benefit A Wish Come True, the state’s oldest wish-granting organization.

The Rhode Island Radio Hall of Fame was founded in 2008. (READ MORE) For additional information, go to www.RhodeIslandFadioHallOfFame.org.