Harvey Stone served for more than 30 years as General Manager/President of KBLX. His tenure extended from the purchase of KRE by Inner City Broadcasting Corporation until the sale of the station to Entercom in 2012.
Stone was known as a creative manager, helping make “The Quiet Storm” format an industry standout. He guided the standalone minority-owned KBLX in competition against clusters owned by larger broadcast corporations to be consistently rated among the market’s top stations through the 1990s into the 2000s.
At a time when many advertisers overlooked Urban radio, he challenged outdated assumptions by demonstrating the buying power and loyalty of KBLX’s audience, helping change perceptions of minority-owned radio among national advertisers.
Stone was a driving force behind the KBLX Stone Soul Picnic, which for many years showcased soul music acts at a variety of Bay Area venues.
He is also considered “the godfather” of the California Historical Radio Society for helping secure the historic KRE building in Berkeley as the organization’s first home.
Stone died in 2026 at the age of 83.
RELATED EXHIBITS:
Harvey Stone “Living History” video interview