Industry Legend Kal Rudman Passes At 91; His Wife Lucille Has Now Passed Too

Kal & Lucille Rudman (Photo: Scott Weiner)

SOLOMON “KAL” RUDMAN, the tip sheet pioneer who was a friend and advocate for everyone and anyone in the radio and records communities has passed away after a lengthy illness. He was 91.

KAL started the FRIDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK (FMQB) in his CHERRY HILL, NJ home in 1968. Often asked why he didn’t move his base of operations to NEW YORK or LOS ANGELES, he was always quick to reply that “the lights are bright enough in CHERRY HILL.” He and his wife and partner, LUCILLE, had spent their later years as philanthropic forces in the greater-PHILADEPHIA area. In addition to his wife of 63 years, KAL is also survived by his son MITCHELL. He stepped away from the business in JANUARY 2020, retiring the FMQB name, and himself.

KAL was a school teacher who began to moonlight as a disc jockey in SOUTH JERSEY on WCAM-A/CAMDEN in the late '60s. His handle was “THE ROUND MOUND OF SOUND,” and from that auspicious beginning a career was launched. 

The infamous FRONT RED PAGE of FMQB was red, so that its contents could not be photocopied. The name FRIDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK was a take-off on MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK, with KAL’s assertion that “anyone can pick the hits on MONDAY, but to pick them on FRIDAY is where the action is.” Programmers and disc jockeys would wait for the sheet to be delivered on MONDAYS to find out what KAL had to say about the hits and up-and-comers. As the AOR format took hold, RUDMAN expanded to two weekly sheets, with the other dedicated to the Rock format.

ALL ACCESS President/Publisher JOEL DENVER recalled, “My deepest condolences to KAL’s wife LUCILLE and the family. KAL RUDMAN was a force of nature in the radio and music business. When I was MD at WFIL-A/PHILADELPHIA from 1973 to 1977, I spoke to KAL every week. We’d discuss music, and I’d listen to him pontificate on what was new and who was through. It was a terrifically entertaining call and, despite all of the hype, I learned quite a bit about the industry from KAL. Rest in peace, KAL.”

It was not unusual to hear KAL turn up on SCOTT SHANNON’s Z100 MORNING ZOO in its heyday. And their mutual fondness was never a secret. SHANNON, of course, currently holds down mornings on AUDACY Classic Hits WCBS-F/NEW YORK and remembers his friend to ALL ACCESS saying, “KAL RUDMAN was a giant in the radio and record arena. He could singlehandedly break a new song or a new artist, just by talking up a new song that he thought was going to a be a ... gorilla! He was colorful, funny, smart, and if you really knew him, he was a warm and caring human being. Now, for some people, he just wasn't their cup of tea, but I loved the man, and I learned so much from him about music, people and ... just plain life. Thanks for everything, my friend.”

There was only one way to expand on the tip sheet and radio success and that was television. KAL established a national television presence during the 1980s as a regular contributor to both NBC-TV’s "TODAY" show and the nationally syndicated "MERV GRIFFIN SHOW." On both, the man known as “THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN EARS” would let AMERICA know which artists and songs to be on the lookout for.

When ALL ACCESS Hot AC Editor TOM CUNNINGHAM was at WPST/TRENTON, KAL was a weekly WEDNESDAY night fixture with him on the air, dishing insider info about every possible artist of the day and spotlighting three “future hits” every week. Said CUNNINGHAM, “Even though the show was pre-recorded, it was like walking on a high-wire without a safety net. As much as I would try and ‘lead’ the conversation, it was Follow The Leader 101. And when KAL was revved up about something, all bets were off.”

CUNNINGHAM joined the FMQB staff in 1989 as Radio Editor, and likens his four years there to “like grad school on steroids.”  Adding, “As a baby Music Director and then Program Director, KAL always made sure that I knew the right people and was in the right places. My condolences to LUCILLE and their many friends.”

WHAT’s IN-STORE MUSIC partner BOB CATANIA recalls the influence that KAL had on his career: “I had the good fortune to start my career as a PHILADELPHIA local rep for RCA and was based in CHERRY HILL, NJ. I knew about KAL RUDMAN and the FMQB, and made it a point to visit their office a few times a week to promote KAL and his team on new music.

“I realized very quickly that I was getting an amazing education from KAL … watching him listen to and dissect a song to determine if it was a hit ... or a gorilla as he would call it … was quite the experience. The lessons I learned from him about music and the business helped me jump start my career. The major lessons I learned from KAL were passion and persistence ... the basic tools of any promotion executive. 

“I was so thrilled that when I became a national executive, that I was able to continue working with him at a whole other level," CATANIA added. "KAL was always a trusted voice in helping me determine what the hits were and getting the word out to radio. Anyone who knew KAL knows what a big personality he had, and that really showed when he became a spokesperson in the world of wrestling. What a lot of people don’t know is that KAL and his wife and business partner, LUCILLE, were hugely philanthropic and gave back to the community in a big way. KAL was a pioneer in the business and his legacy as one of the greats is secure. I am grateful that my path crossed with him early on and I had the opportunity to work with him for many years. RIP KAL.”

Everyone at ALL ACCESS extends further condolences to the RUDMAN family, as two days after KAL’s passing, his beloved wife of 63 years, LUCILLE, has also passed away. They’d spent a lifetime together, and are now reunited.

Information about services is pending.

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