[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 183 (Friday, November 17, 1995)]
[House]
[Page H13281]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          TRIBUTE TO HERB KENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Rush] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise tonight 
to pay tribute to a great Chicagoan, a personal friend, and a good 
friend to many, Chicago radio personality Herbert Rogers Kent--``the 
Cool Gent''--on the occasion of his induction into the Radio Hall of 
Fame and on the celebration of his 50 years of dedicated entertainment 
and service to Chicago and the surrounding communities.
  Herb's many innovative and outstanding accomplishments include the 
development of varied fictional radio characters such as ``The Waahoo 
Man,'' ``the Grunchuns,'' ``the Gym Shoe Creeper,'' ``Rodney Roach,'' 
``the Electric Crazy People,'' ``the ever cunning, Cadillac-driving 
Rudolph,'' and many others. Herb is also credited with coining the 
phrase ``Dusty Records''.
  Throughout the 1960's and 1970's, Herb was a fixture at virtually 
every high school hop in the city of Chicago. The popularity of these 
hops extended to colleges and universities throughout the State of 
Illinois. While at radio station WVON, Herb broadcast live from a 
different high school each Friday night. The records he played would 
race to the top of the charts.
  The Cool Gent's talents extend for beyond spinning LP's at clubs and 
radio stations. With his own unique flair, Herb has demonstrated a 
genuine commitment to his community by orchestrating a number of 
successful public service campaigns. Among these was the ``Stay in 
School Campaign.'' For 15 minutes each day in the 1960's, Herb would 
speak directly to his young listeners. ``If you don't stay in school,'' 
he told them, ``you're cutting your own throat.'' When Dr. Martin 
Luther King made what was to be his last appearance in Chicago, Herb 
Kent joined Stevie Wonder the master of ceremony at the event in 
Soldier's Field.
  Herb Kent ``The Cool Gent'' holds a special place in the small circle 
of this country's radio luminaries that include Wolfman Jack, Dick 
Clark, and Casey Kasem.
  Herb's latest honor follows a career filled with recognition for his 
good work from such esteemed organizations as the Chicago Urban League 
and the Midwest Radio Association.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to commend Herb Kent for sharing his gift with 
all of us. I am pleased to enter these words of tribute and 
congratulations into the Record.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from 
Maine [Mr. Baldacci].
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Maine [Mr. Baldacci] is 
recognized for 2 minutes.

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