Lawreston
En-Route
I heard it on WBZ Radio(Boston) and was immediately saddened by the loss of one of New England's greatest stars of radio broadcasting. I know that many of our New England members -- those who are old enough -- will also mourn the death of Jess Cain, of WHDH, Boston. I use the term friend somewhat loosely because I only knew Jess for less than a year but I was in his legion of fans for decades.
Jess was a master of voices and cultivated an uncanny sense of timing in his performances. Every radio show was a performance, though unscripted, and his ad libs and quips were fast, current, and more than funny. He was brilliant!
My association with Jess was at a Boston recording studio where I worked. He was a frequent "talent," one who was in demand to do voice-overs for commercials. Each booking became a show unto itself. Though a take might have been a keeper, if Jess didn't like it he'd blurt out some hilarious voice characterization that would break up the adv. agency rep. and the control room. "OK, Jess; take 69 and rolling."
The funniest session I remember was when Jess came into the studio to do several 60 sec. spots for Worcester County National Bank. The script involved several characters for whom Jess did all the voices as though in a group discussion. Masterful! The tag line, as in most commercials, will repeat the client's name, in that case -- Worcester County National Bank.
Except on that day, after effortless delivery of the different voices it came back to Jess's own which came out with Woosty Counter
National Bank. Several times! We could have had him do just the tag line and splice it in but no; Jess would only do the complete script.
Out he came from the voice booth, clapped an Ivy League, upturned visored cap onto his head -- this was in the 60s --, and headed down the stairs while calling out, "Call me -- next week; we'll do lunch," and Jess was gone. The following week he came back and went though each of the commercials without missing a beat.
Rest in peace, Jess. I'll always remember you, though I'm sure you wouldn't remember me.
Pilots of America: But what do I know? Take a look at
http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2008/02/radio_legend_je.html?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed3
or Google Jess Cain. You'll learn why he was so grand.
HR
Jess was a master of voices and cultivated an uncanny sense of timing in his performances. Every radio show was a performance, though unscripted, and his ad libs and quips were fast, current, and more than funny. He was brilliant!
My association with Jess was at a Boston recording studio where I worked. He was a frequent "talent," one who was in demand to do voice-overs for commercials. Each booking became a show unto itself. Though a take might have been a keeper, if Jess didn't like it he'd blurt out some hilarious voice characterization that would break up the adv. agency rep. and the control room. "OK, Jess; take 69 and rolling."
The funniest session I remember was when Jess came into the studio to do several 60 sec. spots for Worcester County National Bank. The script involved several characters for whom Jess did all the voices as though in a group discussion. Masterful! The tag line, as in most commercials, will repeat the client's name, in that case -- Worcester County National Bank.
Except on that day, after effortless delivery of the different voices it came back to Jess's own which came out with Woosty Counter
National Bank. Several times! We could have had him do just the tag line and splice it in but no; Jess would only do the complete script.
Out he came from the voice booth, clapped an Ivy League, upturned visored cap onto his head -- this was in the 60s --, and headed down the stairs while calling out, "Call me -- next week; we'll do lunch," and Jess was gone. The following week he came back and went though each of the commercials without missing a beat.
Rest in peace, Jess. I'll always remember you, though I'm sure you wouldn't remember me.
Pilots of America: But what do I know? Take a look at
http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2008/02/radio_legend_je.html?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed3
or Google Jess Cain. You'll learn why he was so grand.
HR