Before cementing her place in Bay Area radio history, Jane Dornacker had already achieved success as a performer. She was lead singer for Leila and the Snakes, and later toured with the popular band, The Tubes. She also performed standup comedy, acted with San Francisco’s Magic Theater ensemble, and appeared on Scoop Nisker’s “The Last News Show”. It was the Scoop Nisker connection that led her to more radio work, most notably with Dr. Don Rose on KFRC. With Dr. Don, Jane reported traffic like nobody before her, using her comedic skills to turn traffic jams into jokes.
Later, she moved to New York City and an early version of Howard Stern’s show. She died in a 1986 helicopter crash while on the air, reporting on traffic.