Mississippi-born John Hardy served in the Navy during World War 2. He studied stage and radio acting at Columbia College in Chicago, where he got his start in broadcasting. After a stop in New Orleans, where he befriended jazz legend Duke Ellington, Hardy came to the Bay Area in 1955, first working at San Francisco R&B pioneer KSAN and later at Oakland’s “Boss Soul” KDIA, where he served as program director and music director.
Hardy was the first Black disc jockey on Top 40 KYA in the early ‘70s and was also a popular personality (and the station’s first Black announcer) on KSFO. During his 13-year tenure at KSFO, Hardy hosted the Frank Sinatra and Friends program and worked in the news department.
Aside from his radio bona fides, Hardy will be remembered for the Duke Ellington songs “John Hardy” and “John Hardy’s Wife” (the latter referring to his spouse Blanche Daniels).
John Hardy passed away in July 2002 at the age of 77.