Customer Reviews

Johnny Holliday: From Rock To Jock

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The age of radio seems to be past, but for sports fans, the voices of radio announcers such as Jack Buck (St. Louis), Kurt Goudy (40-50's) and Ken Coleman for the Red Sox, Johnny Most (Celtics) and Johnny Holliday (The Maryland Terrapins) are part of the enjoyment of the game.

Johnny Holliday wrote a memoir of his life in radio, from his start on an all-black R&B station, to doing a live broadcast of the Beatles, to his stint in sports. The book is laced with famous and not-so-famous names. In fact, if you are a radio buff, this book is for you, because Johnny met nearly everyone and his memory for who's who is sharp and detailed.

If you love radio or are a fan of Johnny, you will enjoy this book--a slice of radio as it was in its heyday.

Sports fans here in Maryland know Johnny as the energetic voice of Terp basketball and football. But I DIDN'T KNOW he had such a great run as a DJ in Rock and Roll. He was always in the right place at the right time. Cleveland in the early days of R&R, San Francisco in the mid to late 1960s, New York at Beatles time, etc. For those who remember his R&R days, they will say "I DIDN'T KNOW" when they find out about his legend status here. Actually, the book is such a terrific history of sports and entertainment, from ground level, that you don't even need to know who he is to enjoy it.

Growing up, I did not have the fortune to listen to Johnny Holliday, but as a sports broadcaster and broadcast educator I quickly became familiar with the man and his work. With the introduction of audio streaming, via the internet, I finally had a chance to listen to Johnny's call. From the computer speakers, I could feel the passion and energy that he has brought to Maryland fans the past 20 plus years, and I made sure to listen as often as possible. Johnny's work also serves as examples, for my students, as to how a game ought to be broadcast. Stephen Moore has written a book that is both entertaining and educational and a must read for any student of the broadcast industry. Now if I can just get him to write a book about Tony Roberts!

"From Rock to Jock," the autobiography of Johnny Holliday, is the remarkable telling a most interesting life in radio.

Johnny was at Cleveland's WHK at the inception of the "rock and roll" format; at WINS in NYC with Murray the K when the Beatles broke; and in San Francisco at KYA during the Summer of Love.

At the right place at the right time. Many a familiar name turns up---movers, shakers, characters and bit players.

The second half tells of his Washington journey from WWDC to voice of Maryland basketball and football (over twenty years and counting).

It is a truly remarkable story, interestingly written, that will keeping you smiling and bring on a lot of good memories.

I just finished the book on Johnny Holliday. Is there anyone he does not know? His stories are fascinating.

The book was very good, with lots of information about a man that is due all the respect he gets. I was fascinated by the life of a disc jockey and enjoyed living the bumps along the way. Johnny Holliday will be the first to be in both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Basketball Hall of Fame!

Johnny has to realize that people all over the US, and the world, listen to his Maryland broadcasts via the internet. His voice and passion for the game is powerful.

Radio lives are always colorful and the life of Johnny Holliday is one of the most fascianting of all. One of the leading rock radio personalities, he slowly evolved into doing play-by-play for basketball and football and today is the voice of the Maryland football and basketball teams as well as a sportscaster for ABC. You will definitely enjoy reading about his early days in radio and enjoy even more his days in the world of sports.
Claude Hall
Former radio-TV editor of Billboard Magazine

You know the name. You know the voice. If you live anywhere near Washington D.C. metropolitan area, you have undoubtedly heard his voice, in one form or another, on the radio. He's Johnny Holliday. Few names resonate with such recognition as Holliday's legendary moniker. In the past 20 years, he has been most notable as the voice of the University of Maryland Terrapins basketball and football teams, and also well known for his voice-over work in radio and television ads. Prior to that, Holliday made many stops around the country as a disc jockey and sports broadcaster. His journeys enabled to be witness to some of the great moments and know some of the great people in music and sports history. "From Rock To Jock" gives the backstory on Johnny Holliday and allows the reader to feel like they are a fly on the wall at all the stops along the way in his remarkable career.

"From Rock to Jock" is a mixture of Holliday's own memories and the memories of those who worked with or knew him. It makes the various stops on Johnny's journey in life more fascinating this way, to see it from multiple perspectives. A moving foreword and afterword by no less broadcast luminaries as Tony Kornheiser and Dick Vitale, respectively, reflect just how well respected Johnny Holliday is. Having met in him in person, I can vouch that he is just as nice and genuine a person as he seems on the radio and in this book.

Some of the more memorable stops in Holliday's journey include his early days at WHK in Cleveland, his high moments in San Francisco, and his eventual settling in his permanent home in Maryland. San Francisco is especially memorable because the reader gets a look at Johnny's legendary charity basketball team, the Oneders (which, at one time counted NBA Hall-of-Famer Rick Barry as a member), and the impact it had on the community. Plus, it reminisces about Johnny emcee-ing the last concert on the last tour ever done by the Beatles. Without a doubt, "From Rock to Jock" is an entertaining read for anyone interested in learning about some of the great moments of the early and later days of radio and sports, and about the man whose career defined and is defined by those events.

Johnny Holliday maybe the best announcer that everyone has heard, but didn't know who it was. Johnny is an inspiration and someone that I consider a friend, despite never meeting face to face. I'd recommend you buy it and not wait. But, at least check it out at the library.

Johnny tells a story as good as anyone on the radio.

Its been a great ride for him and he hits all the highlights along the way. As someone who went to his WWDC studio over 30 years ago and who has listened to every Maryland game he couldn't attend the book was a nonstop smile!!!

I look forward to reading it again!