John Hamilton, the longtime “On the Go” weekend host for KGO radio, has died.
Hamilton, 85, passed away on Tuesday, the station said, in an online tribute posted to KGO’s website.
Hamilton’s radio career began in 1955 and, over the years, he worked on both sides of the microphone.
“John was an institution and synonymous with KGO, having hosted his very popular weekend show, ‘On The Go’ for 33 of his 65 years in radio,” said Cumulus Media Vice President and Market Manager, Doug Harvill. “He loved coming to work every Sunday and talking with our listeners about travel. We’re going to miss him. He was a true gentleman both on and off the air.”
A graduate of New York University’s broadcast school, Hamilton’s first radio jobs were in Victoria and his native Vancouver. From there, he moved on to Phoenix, San Diego and finally the Bay Area, where he worked at KPAT/KRE from 1965 to 1971.
In 1971, he became a regular part of the KGO lineup with up-to-the-minute reports directly from the ski slopes and other outdoor destinations. In 1987, he began hosting the popular weekly show, “John Hamilton On-the-Go.”
During his years with KGO, Hamilton covered major stories including Pope John Paul’s visit, the Loma Prieta earthquake, and the East Bay fire. His network reporting includes the Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Lake Placid and Sarajevo, plus many World Cup and professional ski races.
Hamilton won numerous broadcasting awards during his career, receiving recognition from the California Outdoor Writers, Pacific Inter-Club Yachting, the Society of American Travel Writers, the US Ski Journalists, and the North America Snowsport Journalists, of which he is a past-president.
Hamilton is survived by his two sons and two grandchildren.
