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All About the Hound
The Radio Reign of George "Hound Dog" Lorenz

"Hey...the Hound's around!"

That's what was heard every night at 7:15 atop the strains of Cozy Eggleston's tune The Big Heavy, and carried over the 50,000 watt giant WKBW, And "The Hound" had, indeed, been around. George Lorenz was a true original, and the airwaves have yet to see the likes of him again. His place in radio lore is firmly established. His kind of broadcasting has gone the way of the buggy whip, but he remains a symbol of staunch independence and raw talent that has inspires many broadcasters to this day. (from Buffalo Broadcast Pioneers)

George Hound Dog Lorenz was a fixture on WKBW in Buffalo, NY. He was reputedly one of the first deejays in America to spin rhythm & blues and rock & roll records. For about a year he syndicated his show and WPOP aired it from 8:30-10:30PM. Lorenz also penned a column in the Sunday Herald newspaper in early 1958 but this excerpt may explain why it only ran for six weeks: 

"Welcome, Madtown cats and you out there in West and East Madtown as well. Its a pleasure to communicate with you cuddle bunnies and tomcats. Would like to hear more about what's shakin' in the box shop, so communicate!"

Membership card for "Hound Dog"  fanclub.

The year 1958 meant lots of change for Lorenz; he quit at WKBW on July 4th when it went exclusively Top 40. Lorenz was quoted in Billboard as saying the repetitiveness of Top 40 "is hurting the record industry, is lowering radio listening, and is decreasing a new artist's chance to make it." (from WPOP Radio)

Music lovers in more than a dozen states along the Eastern Seaboard in the 1950s tuned in to “the Sound of the Hound.”  In 1953 Lorenz moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where the Hound Dog went up against the King of the Moon Doggers, Alan Freed. Freed moved on to New York City, but Lorenz returned to Buffalo and became an institution on the “Big KB.” He often did his show from the Club Zanzibar, a nightclub with a predominantly African-American clientele; there he hosted visiting artists such as Little Richard, who credited Lorenz with being one of the first white deejays to carry black music all over the United States. ("George Lorenz" from Encyclopædia Britannica Premium Service [July 11, 2003]. 

The Original Houn' Dog
By Dick Gersh
From March 1957 issue of "People Today" magazine

A rugged looking disc jockey with a face like a tufted Maxie Rosenbloom is being hailed throughout 27 states and parts of Canada as the Granddaddy of Rock 'n Roll. George Lorenz, known as "Houn' Dog" to his millions of frantic followers, was playing R&R on his WKBW (Buffalo, N.Y.) disc show when Elvis was a yodeling pup. He first picked up the "Houn' Dog" moniker six years ago when he started to play Rock 'n Roll for what he calls his "Rock-Billy" audience in "Houndland." Lorenz, a colorful personality keeps the spirit moving in Houndland by means of an exhaustive and exhausting program of personal appearances. He made more than 40 public appearances last year to sellout crowds, featuring stars like Bill Haley and his Comets, Andy Williams and Little Willie Jon the 'Fever' man.

Lorenz, who started on his DJ kick at the age of 15, calls his routine "movin' groovin'", and has built up a fanclub following of more than 67,000 members.

Once a singer himself, Houn' Dog is constantly on the prowl for new talent in his area, and is responsible for the success of several of the top Rock singers of the day. He was playing Elvis' records two years before the current craze. Lorenz feels that R&R is here to stay. 

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