One more anecdote from “The Diamond Mine,” the radio book mentioned in Friday’s blog. In 1968, Gerry Whitehead a.k.a. Jim Diamond was doing promos for KACE-AM (1570) in Riverside. The station launched an R&B show three nights per week called “The Soul Kitchen.”

Among the advertisers: John and David’s Soul City of Records in Pomona.

Whitehead recorded the promo. After a few seconds of Jr. Walker and the All-Stars’ “Shotgun,” his voiceover went like this:

“For the best in rhythm and blues, go to John and David’s Soul City of Records. If they don’t have it, they’ll get it for you. That’s John and David’s Soul City of Records, 1110 South Garey Avenue in Pomona!”

Have mercy!

I like the era and the music, and I know Pomona’s black population was booming in the late 1960s. The idea of a black-operated store named John and David’s Soul City of Records really catches my fancy. It sounds very Tarantino-esque. I’ll have to drive by 11th and Garey and see what’s there now, but I can’t believe it will be as interesting.

* Don J. sent me a Google map view of 1110 S. Garey. Soul City appears to have been located in a house.