Biography

Longtime print journalist and radio personality in the Minneapolis-St. Paul (Minnesota) metropolitan area for close to three quarters of a century, for a time Bill Diehl was one of the leading disc jockeys in the area. Known as the "The Rajah of the Records, the Deacon of the Discs, the Purveyor of the Platters and the Wizard of the Wax with all the Musical Facts," Diehl, first at radio station WDGY-AM and later at WCCO-AM spun records, took requests, and made personal appearances and served as master of ceremonies for many musical groups, both local and internationally known. In 1958, Diehl introduced Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson on stage in Mankato and at the Prom Ballroom in St. Paul, six days before the three musicians died in a plane crash. In 1964, Diehl emceed the Rolling Stones' first local performance, in the Danceland Ballroom at the Excelsior Amusement Park on nearby Lake Minnetonka. The following year, he did the same thing for the Beatles at Metropolitan Stadium ("The Met") in Bloomington, Minnesota.