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Solomon "Kal" Rudman (March 6, 1930 – November 30, 2021) was an American
disc jockey A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include Radio personality, radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music f ...
, long-time publisher of the music industry magazine "Friday Morning Quarterback,"
professional wrestling Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...
television commentator and a
philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives, for the Public good (economics), public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private goo ...
. He founded the Kal and Lucille Rudman Foundation with his wife.


Early life and education

Born in Philadelphia on March 6, 1930, Rudman attended Ferguson School, then graduated from Central High School with a strong interest in radio. He received a bachelor's degree in education from the
University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (also known as Penn or UPenn) is a private research university in Philadelphia. It is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and is ranked among the highest-regarded universit ...
in 1951, and worked as a
special education Special education (known as special-needs education, aided education, exceptional education, alternative provision, exceptional student education, special ed., SDC, or SPED) is the practice of educating students in a way that accommodates th ...
teacher.


Career

Rudman later became a
Top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or "conte ...
disc jockey at
WCAM WCAM (1590 AM) is a radio station licensed to Camden, South Carolina, United States, broadcasting a Classic country format. The station is currently owned by Kershaw Radio Corp. and features programming from CNN Radio. References External link ...
in
Camden, New Jersey Camden is a city in and the county seat of Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Camden is part of the Delaware Valley metropolitan area and is located directly across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At the 20 ...
, and later ''Billboard'' magazine's first R&B editor. In 1968, out of his basement, he began publishing ''Friday Morning Quarterback'', a
music industry The music industry consists of the individuals and organizations that earn money by writing songs and musical compositions, creating and selling recorded music and sheet music, presenting concerts, as well as the organizations that aid, trai ...
trade magazine A trade magazine, also called a trade journal or trade paper (colloquially or disparagingly a trade rag), is a magazine or newspaper whose target audience is people who work in a particular trade or industry. The collective term for th ...
. He said in an interview with ''
The Philadelphia Inquirer ''The Philadelphia Inquirer'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The newspaper's circulation is the largest in both the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley metropolitan region of Southeastern Penns ...
'' in 1994 that he was the first to spot
Judy Collins Judith Marjorie Collins (born May 1, 1939) is an American singer-songwriter and musician with a career spanning seven decades. An Academy Award-nominated documentary director and a Grammy Award-winning recording artist, she is known for her ...
' "Send in the Clowns,"
Hall and Oates Daryl Hall and John Oates, commonly known as Hall & Oates, are an American pop rock duo formed in Philadelphia in 1970. Daryl Hall is generally the lead vocalist; John Oates primarily plays electric guitar and provides backing vocals. The two w ...
' "She's Gone," and
Kenny Rogers Kenneth Ray Rogers (August 21, 1938 – March 20, 2020) was an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. Rogers was particularly popular with country audiences but also charted m ...
' "Lucille" as hits. Rudman appeared on ''
The Merv Griffin Show ''The Merv Griffin Show'' is an American television talk show starring Merv Griffin. The series ran from October 1, 1962 to March 29, 1963 on NBC, May 10, 1965 to July 4, 1969 in first-run syndication, from August 18, 1969 to February 11, 197 ...
'' more than 30 times, was a music-expert regular on the '' Today Show'', and was known as "Killer Kal" for his work as an announcer for the
World Wrestling Federation World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and va ...
. He advised
Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originat ...
on how to make his music more popular with females. "Hungry Heart" on ''The River'' album, released in 1980. "Kal explained to me that Top 40 radio is mainly listened to by girls and that my female demographic was low," Springsteen said in an interview at the time. His flagship trade publication, among six, is ''Friday Morning Quarterback (
FMQB ''Friday Morning Quarterback'' (better known as ''FMQB'') was a trade magazine which covered the radio and music industries in the United States. Its coverage included programming, management, promotion, marketing, and airplay Airplay is how ...
)'', a music industry trade magazine. ''Forbes'' called Rudman one of the major influences in the leisure and entertainment industry in the United States. Rudman was still active in radio. He was a weekly guest on ''Bob Pantano's Dance Party'' on WOGL in Philadelphia.


WWF (1977–1989)

Rudman mostly called the monthly action for
PRISM Prism usually refers to: * Prism (optics), a transparent optical component with flat surfaces that refract light * Prism (geometry), a kind of polyhedron Prism may also refer to: Science and mathematics * Prism (geology), a type of sedimentary ...
for the WWF's arena shows that took place at the Philadelphia Spectrum. Rudman was often paired with either Dick Graham or
Gorilla Monsoon Robert James Marella (June 4, 1937 – October 6, 1999), better known by his ring name of Gorilla Monsoon, was an American professional wrestler, play-by-play commentator, and booker. Monsoon is famous for his run as a villainous super-heavyw ...
. Rudman earned the nickname "Killer Kal" while interviewing
Hulk Hogan Terry Eugene Bollea (; born August 11, 1953), better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1 ...
. Sometimes he would also appear for the WWF's monthly
Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsyl ...
shows and as a fill-in interviewer on '' WWF Championship Wrestling''. After the WWF stopped airing the shows in the Spectrum on PRISM in 1989, Rudman no longer contributed for the WWF. Rudman helped
Vince McMahon Vincent Kennedy McMahon (; born August 24, 1945) is an American media proprietor and retired professional wrestling promoter, executive, and performer. From 1982 to 2022, he served as the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of WWE, the ...
gain contacts in the entertainment world during McMahon's national expansion in the Rock 'n' Wrestling era.


Honors and awards

Rudman has been awarded honorary doctorates from
Drexel University Drexel University is a private research university with its main campus in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Drexel's undergraduate school was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a financier and philanthropist. Founded as Drexel Institute of Ar ...
, the University of the Arts, and
Holy Family University Holy Family University is a private Roman Catholic university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was chartered in 1954 by the Congregation of the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth. In addition to the main Torresdale campus in the northeas ...
. He has been selected to the Philadelphia Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame, and has been named that group's "Person of the Year"; “Man of the Year” by the Black Music Association; “Community Philanthropist of the Year” by Community College of Philadelphia; as well as receiving a plaque on the Music Legends Walk of Fame in Philadelphia. He was also an Honorary Philadelphia Fire Commissioner and Honorary Deputy Police Commissioner.


Personal life

Rudman and his wife Lucille were residents of
Cherry Hill, New Jersey Cherry Hill is a township within Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the township had a population of 74,553, which reflected an increase of 3,508 (+4.94%) from the 71,045 counted in the 2010 census. ...
. He died on November 30, 2021, at the age of 91, and she on December 2.


References


External links


Broadcast Pioneers - Innovators in Philly
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rudman, Kal 1930 births 2021 deaths American radio DJs American magazine publishers (people) American philanthropists Businesspeople from Philadelphia People from Cherry Hill, New Jersey