KPPC and Elton John

Re. “Hello, Yellow Brick Road” (by Robert Hilburn, Feb. 19):

The 1969 debut album by Elton John in England was “Empty Sky” (a 1975 U.S. release). Several songs from the 1970 English import version of his eponymous second album (featuring “Your Song”) were played on KPPC-FM Pasadena before its American release under the leadership of our creative program director, Les Carter (the legendary jazz deejay). KPPC helped sell out Elton’s debut week at the Troubadour, and he participated in a good-time pie fight at the KPPC studios back lot.

KPPC was the first FM rock underground radio station in Southern California (1967-71). Carter gave complete freedom in music selection to us disc jockeys. The import “Empty Sky” LP was played, as were Randy Newman and Laura Nyro, both mentioned in the rave review (Aug. 27, 1970) of Elton’s U.S. debut by Hilburn (who was one of the few sources in L.A. for insightful music reviews outside of the underground press).

TED ALVY

Van Nuys