Long Beach : Radio Station Fires Host of Blues Program, Festival

Bernie Pearl, the longtime host of a popular radio program called “Nothing But the Blues” and artistic director of the annual Blues Festival at Cal State Long Beach, has been fired from both positions by the management of FM radio station KLON, which is based on campus.

“It was a very painful experience,” said Pearl, 50. “I’m very eager to get back on the air.”

Pearl, who had been with the station for 10 years, said he was given no reason for the firing late last month. For some time though, he said, he had felt that the station’s management lacked confidence in his abilities as an on-air host and musical event producer.

Rick Lewis, KLON general manager, would not comment specifically on the reasons for Pearl’s firing. “It’s one of a number of changes we’ve made,” he said. “We’ve moved a lot of people around so that they are all in the best places for their talents.”