In 2024, Australian radio lost one of its greats – Ron E Sparks (1952–2024), whose voice and charisma left an indelible mark on Sydney’s airwaves.
Ron E Sparks landed his big on-air break at 2SM, presenting the drive-time program from 1972 to 1979. Born Gregory James Sparks, Ron (or Ronnie) had secured his first gig as a radio announcer on 2SM in May 1971, presenting the graveyard shift (from 1 to 6 am). However, after only a year at the microphone, he was promoted and working more reasonable hours as the drive-time announcer (from 3 to 7 pm). Though most of Sparks’ broadcasts were never recorded, in this compilation of extracts from 30 September 1976, we can hear his mastery of the patter typical to the Top 40 DJ:
Compilation of radio announcer Ron E Sparks broadcasting on 2SM, 30 September 1976. NFSA title: 552488
Sparks was working at 2SM during its golden age, when the station regularly commanded as much as 25 per cent of the Sydney radio audience, far more than its competition. Such an enviable position gave 2SM incredible influence in propelling the records they played to the top of the pop charts. In acknowledgment of that fact, Sparks was invited with Ian 'Molly' Meldrum to present the members of Sherbet with a platinum record for their 1976 album Slipstream. In this clip, Sparks can be heard delivering a speech at Sydney's Sebel Townhouse congratulating the band, but only just over the raucous, celebratory heckles of the assembled media audience:
Ron E Sparks presents Sherbet with a platinum album on 2SM, June 1976. NFSA title: 553766
The importance of radio in driving the publicity machine is readily apparent, with Sparks interviewing some of the biggest names in the business, including (but certainly not limited to): Billy Joel, Rod Stewart, Freddie Mercury, Bo Diddley, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, the Jackson Five, ABBA and a little group named AC/DC:
Ron E Sparks on 2SM with the band AC/DC, circa March-April 1976. NFSA title: 553878
Between May 1975 and May 1976, Sparks took a short break from announcing to serve as 2SM Program Director, where his primary responsibility was the planning and execution of all the different stunts, giveaways, concerts and other promotions intended to gain and retain the attention of listeners. When he returned to the airwaves, now rebranded as ‘Ron E Sparx’, he would still indulge in offbeat stunts for the sake of publicity. In this broadcast from 1976, Sparks escorts John Paul Young to the EMI Pressing Plant in Homebush, NSW to witness the first copy of his latest single ‘I Hate the Music’ getting pressed into existence. This was then presented to the singer as a memento of the event.
Ron E Sparks with singer John Paul Young on 2SM, broadcasting from the EMI Records pressing plant, circa March-April 1976. NFSA title: 553878
Striking a more solemn note, Sparks reported live from the funeral of Elvis Presley, held in Memphis, Tennessee on 18 August 1977. In this recording, Sparks was interviewed about the occasion by Steve Liebmann, then employed by 2SM as a newsreader and commentator:
Ron E Sparks reports on Elvis Presley's funeral in Memphis, Tennessee on 18 August 1977. NFSA title: 554581
As Ian MacRae (Breakfast) and Mike Gibson and George Moore (the morning Gibson and Moore Show) battled it out with other radio stations for the coveted No. 1 spot in the ratings, Sparks was the quiet achiever: his audience share reached as high as 30 per cent of the Sydney market. But Sparks felt he could not rest on his success. On 8 July 1979, to the astonishment of the press and presumably many of his listeners, Sparks resigned from 2SM to take up the position of program director and breakfast announcer at 2UW.
He explained at the time that he harboured no ill-feeling towards his former employer, but that when he joined 2SM, ‘it was then the renegade station taking on the establishment… but had (since) turned into the establishment’ (The Sydney Morning Herald, 23 July 1979, p.14). Even at age 27, and after 10 years in the business, Sparks was still too young to be the ‘man’.
Now, 45 years after he said goodbye to 2SM 1270AM, we farewell one of radio’s brightest talents.
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Main image: 2SM radio announcers Ron E Sparks and Mal Hedstrom outside the 2SM studios in Sydney, surrounded by fans of the rock band Kiss, circa 1976. NFSA ID: 1757417
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The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia acknowledges Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and live and gives respect to their Elders both past and present.
