Mikel Hunter Herrington was born Marion Elbridge Herrington in Florence, SC.
His lengthy radio career included stops in more than a dozen cities.
In the Bay Area, Herrington (using the air names “Captain Mikey” and “Lefty”) was known for his 1966-1969 run at KLIV, which saw the San Jose station ascend to ratings dominance, and the stretch of 1977 to 1983 when he oversaw the creation of KOME as a force in album-oriented rock radio. Between those postings, he served as operations director at KNEW.
Herrington was a memorable character. In 2007, journalist Brad Kava wrote the following: “’He had the reputation disclosed to me after he left, of not paying too much attention to the rules’, recalls KLIV owner Bob Kieve. ‘He had guests in the studio constantly at night, which was against the rules. I call him a man of the sixties. He changed his appearance about once a month. He was a cynical guy, and bright, very bright’.”
In the final years of his career, Herrington was heard on Napa’s KVON and KVYN and Santa Rosa’s KSRO.
His legacy includes a film (FM) and a TV series (WKRP in Cincinnati) inspired by his tenure at Los Angeles station KMET.
Mikel Hunter Herrington died in 1997 at age 62.
ADDITIONAL EXHIBITS: