Category: English

Larry Dean, aka Frank Laseter , RIP. He is missed not only by family but also by thankful radio listeners far and near.

In May 1966, a new radio station with a big sound appeared on the AM dial noted very early by Rolf Mong and myself and created a mass appeal among young people throughout Europe. I was just 15 at the time and was hooked! That was Swinging Radio England(SRE), operating first on 845 Khz and later on 1322 khz. It operated from a former US Navy ship in the North Sea off Essex called the Olga Patricia.

One of the presenters on the air was Larry Dean who had left WPTR in Albany to become a very influential voice in the UK and Northern Europe.

He is still fondly remembered. I got to know him at the 2006 Radio England/Britain Radio(BR) Reunion and enjoyed his company.

I became the station’s historian, and in my essay “The Radio Rose of Texas”(2004-) Chapter 4 there is a paragraph called “The Larry Dean Show”.

http://www.stellamaris.no/chapter4.htm
http://stellamaris.no/olgapatricia1322845.html

On my friend Jon Myer ‘s great website “The Pirate Radio Hall of Fame” there is a lot of interesting material about Larry Dean and his station, with bio and some great recordings that show what a really great broadcaster he was.

http://www.offshoreradio.co.uk/djsd.htm
http://www.offshoreradio.co.uk/sre7.htm
http://www.offshoreradio.co.uk/sre1.htm

His last job in radio was as news director on Charlotte’s WSOC-FM. I am proud to say that under his own name, Frank Laseter also appeared on our own station Radio Northern Star in promos from 2012 until 2016.

Picture is from the website of Jon Myer and was taken at the twin stations’ first HQ which was the London Hilton near Hyde Park at the SRE/BR Reunion in May 1966. From l-r Station Founder (the late Don Pierson)’s son Grey, fellow broadcaster Rick Crandall, myself and Larry Dean.

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