Rod was considered a bit strange by most of the students. He was a poet spouting, ballad singing 17 year old who was fortunate to work part time as a disc jockey on one of the local radio station. He was also president of the Rhonda Fleming Fan Club in Oakland, California. In 1954 I was at Kimpo Air Force Base in Korea and got to visit with him after he finished a show with a Army entertainment group that had come over from Japan. He had been drafted and went into a Army Entertainment unit. I lost what was going on with him until seeing him in a Xmas program on TV when I was in Tampa, Florida 1956
At last, I am now a little jealous!! I have met a lot of celebs in my working career but Rod is one that I would have given money to just sit and talk to. At one time I had every vinyl recording he put out. “The Seasons” was my favorite album but his rendition of “Jean” and “If you go away” are still my favorite singles. I still YouTube him every now and then and listen to some of his poetry set to a musical score. He’s kind of a “eyes closed and drift away” kind of poet / musician and I do believe I’ll never get enough of him.