Roger Val Christian (July 3, 1934 – July 11, 1991) was an American radio personality and songwriter from Buffalo, New York. After moving to California in 1959, he became a lyricist for the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson. From the early to mid-1960s, they wrote many songs together, mostly about cars, including the singles "Little Deuce Coupe" (1963), "Shut Down" (1963), and "Don’t Worry Baby" (1964).
Biography
Christian was born in Buffalo, New York, United States. Roger Christian began his radio career in Rochester, New York at WSAY and later worked in Buffalo under the name Mike Melody.[1] While working as a lifeguard, Christian got his break in radio after saving a radio executive's wife from drowning in a New York lake in the mid-1950s. In 1959, he moved to California, where he initially worked for a radio station in San Bernardino, KFXM-590AM.[2]
Christian worked as a radio personality in Los Angeles in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He was one of the original "Boss Jocks" when 93/KHJ debuted in 1965. He worked for other radio stations in Los Angeles, including KRLA (AM), KFWB (AM), KBLA,[3] KGBS (AM-FM), KDAY, KRTH-FM, and KIQQ-FM.
Having raced cars until 1955, Christian had a keen interest in hot rods and became known as the "Poet of the Strip".[4]Murry Wilson, father of three of the Beach Boys as well as their manager, heard Christian one night on KFWB explaining the group's hit song "409" to a listener on the air. Realising Christian knew a lot about cars, Murry met Christian and later sent his son Brian Wilson to meet him. Looking at some of Christian's poems about cars, the pair collaborated on "Shut Down", "Little Deuce Coupe" and later "Don't Worry Baby".
Christian suffered from periodic depression.[citation needed] He was the only original KHJ "Boss Jock" not to appear at the station's 25th anniversary reunion on May 9, 1990. He died July 11, 1991, of complications of kidney and liver failure, eight days after his 57th birthday, in Tarzana, California.[2]
