Having early manifested two oddly contrasting gifts, a marked musical talent and a pronounced mechanical bent, he started college at Carnegie Tech, but left to travel as an accompanist to Fay Templeton.
In a 1933 Dallas Morning News article, he was described as "one of the few men in the country to combine the knowledge of a trained musician with that of a physicist."
On November 2, 1920, he played the first musical selection ever heard on the radio at KDKA Pittsburgh. He played "Nola," by Felix Arndt, with whom he had studied piano.
He became known as a general trouble shooter to the broadcasting industry, advising on acoustics and production at such radio stations as KDKA, WHAS (Louisville), KVOO (Tulsa), WOW (Omaha), KSTP (St. Paul) and WFAA (Dallas).
Obituary from the Pittsburgh Press, October 10, 1945: "J. OLIVER RIEHL, who helped lay the foundation for today's network radio entertainment, is dead. "Ollie" was one of KDKA's first pianists, broadcasting from a "studio" in the Post Building, where originated the November 2, 1920 Harding-Cox returns, the first KDKA broadcast. He helped build the Fellows Club and did much to set a standard for good music on the air. For two years, he was pianiat-accompanist for Jim Hughes on WJAS. In World War I, he was Elsie Janis' pianist overseas. When NBC chose Chicago as its center of operations -- before the days of Radio City -- he was the first production manager, building network programs. There, his local associates say, "he worked to make radio what it is today." Later, Ollie managed stations in the South, after which he was active in show-radio business in Washington, DC. He headed a radio exhibit at the New York World's Fair. A heart attack ended his career. He was a member of Local 60, Pittsburgh Musical Society."
Among his compositions are “The Yeast Foamers March”, composed for and played by The Yeast Foamers Novelty Orchestra on the Northwestern Yeast Company radio programs through the National Broadcasting Network; and “The Spirit of Progress March”, composed for Montgomery Ward & Co.
Died at Charleroi Monessen Hospital.Residence at time of death: Belle Vernon, Fayette Co., PA.
Death certificate lists surviving spouse as Laura Riehl.
Previously married to Leona Belle Hauer of Erie, PA. (Divorced; date and place unknown).
In a 1933 Dallas Morning News article, he was described as "one of the few men in the country to combine the knowledge of a trained musician with that of a physicist."
On November 2, 1920, he played the first musical selection ever heard on the radio at KDKA Pittsburgh. He played "Nola," by Felix Arndt, with whom he had studied piano.
He became known as a general trouble shooter to the broadcasting industry, advising on acoustics and production at such radio stations as KDKA, WHAS (Louisville), KVOO (Tulsa), WOW (Omaha), KSTP (St. Paul) and WFAA (Dallas).
Obituary from the Pittsburgh Press, October 10, 1945: "J. OLIVER RIEHL, who helped lay the foundation for today's network radio entertainment, is dead. "Ollie" was one of KDKA's first pianists, broadcasting from a "studio" in the Post Building, where originated the November 2, 1920 Harding-Cox returns, the first KDKA broadcast. He helped build the Fellows Club and did much to set a standard for good music on the air. For two years, he was pianiat-accompanist for Jim Hughes on WJAS. In World War I, he was Elsie Janis' pianist overseas. When NBC chose Chicago as its center of operations -- before the days of Radio City -- he was the first production manager, building network programs. There, his local associates say, "he worked to make radio what it is today." Later, Ollie managed stations in the South, after which he was active in show-radio business in Washington, DC. He headed a radio exhibit at the New York World's Fair. A heart attack ended his career. He was a member of Local 60, Pittsburgh Musical Society."
Among his compositions are “The Yeast Foamers March”, composed for and played by The Yeast Foamers Novelty Orchestra on the Northwestern Yeast Company radio programs through the National Broadcasting Network; and “The Spirit of Progress March”, composed for Montgomery Ward & Co.
Died at Charleroi Monessen Hospital.Residence at time of death: Belle Vernon, Fayette Co., PA.
Death certificate lists surviving spouse as Laura Riehl.
Previously married to Leona Belle Hauer of Erie, PA. (Divorced; date and place unknown).
Having early manifested two oddly contrasting gifts, a marked musical talent and a pronounced mechanical bent, he started college at Carnegie Tech, but left to travel as an accompanist to Fay Templeton.
In a 1933 Dallas Morning News article, he was described as "one of the few men in the country to combine the knowledge of a trained musician with that of a physicist."
On November 2, 1920, he played the first musical selection ever heard on the radio at KDKA Pittsburgh. He played "Nola," by Felix Arndt, with whom he had studied piano.
He became known as a general trouble shooter to the broadcasting industry, advising on acoustics and production at such radio stations as KDKA, WHAS (Louisville), KVOO (Tulsa), WOW (Omaha), KSTP (St. Paul) and WFAA (Dallas).
Obituary from the Pittsburgh Press, October 10, 1945: "J. OLIVER RIEHL, who helped lay the foundation for today's network radio entertainment, is dead. "Ollie" was one of KDKA's first pianists, broadcasting from a "studio" in the Post Building, where originated the November 2, 1920 Harding-Cox returns, the first KDKA broadcast. He helped build the Fellows Club and did much to set a standard for good music on the air. For two years, he was pianiat-accompanist for Jim Hughes on WJAS. In World War I, he was Elsie Janis' pianist overseas. When NBC chose Chicago as its center of operations -- before the days of Radio City -- he was the first production manager, building network programs. There, his local associates say, "he worked to make radio what it is today." Later, Ollie managed stations in the South, after which he was active in show-radio business in Washington, DC. He headed a radio exhibit at the New York World's Fair. A heart attack ended his career. He was a member of Local 60, Pittsburgh Musical Society."
Among his compositions are “The Yeast Foamers March”, composed for and played by The Yeast Foamers Novelty Orchestra on the Northwestern Yeast Company radio programs through the National Broadcasting Network; and “The Spirit of Progress March”, composed for Montgomery Ward & Co.
Died at Charleroi Monessen Hospital.Residence at time of death: Belle Vernon, Fayette Co., PA.
Death certificate lists surviving spouse as Laura Riehl.
Previously married to Leona Belle Hauer of Erie, PA. (Divorced; date and place unknown).
In a 1933 Dallas Morning News article, he was described as "one of the few men in the country to combine the knowledge of a trained musician with that of a physicist."
On November 2, 1920, he played the first musical selection ever heard on the radio at KDKA Pittsburgh. He played "Nola," by Felix Arndt, with whom he had studied piano.
He became known as a general trouble shooter to the broadcasting industry, advising on acoustics and production at such radio stations as KDKA, WHAS (Louisville), KVOO (Tulsa), WOW (Omaha), KSTP (St. Paul) and WFAA (Dallas).
Obituary from the Pittsburgh Press, October 10, 1945: "J. OLIVER RIEHL, who helped lay the foundation for today's network radio entertainment, is dead. "Ollie" was one of KDKA's first pianists, broadcasting from a "studio" in the Post Building, where originated the November 2, 1920 Harding-Cox returns, the first KDKA broadcast. He helped build the Fellows Club and did much to set a standard for good music on the air. For two years, he was pianiat-accompanist for Jim Hughes on WJAS. In World War I, he was Elsie Janis' pianist overseas. When NBC chose Chicago as its center of operations -- before the days of Radio City -- he was the first production manager, building network programs. There, his local associates say, "he worked to make radio what it is today." Later, Ollie managed stations in the South, after which he was active in show-radio business in Washington, DC. He headed a radio exhibit at the New York World's Fair. A heart attack ended his career. He was a member of Local 60, Pittsburgh Musical Society."
Among his compositions are “The Yeast Foamers March”, composed for and played by The Yeast Foamers Novelty Orchestra on the Northwestern Yeast Company radio programs through the National Broadcasting Network; and “The Spirit of Progress March”, composed for Montgomery Ward & Co.
Died at Charleroi Monessen Hospital.Residence at time of death: Belle Vernon, Fayette Co., PA.
Death certificate lists surviving spouse as Laura Riehl.
Previously married to Leona Belle Hauer of Erie, PA. (Divorced; date and place unknown).
Gravesite Details
In RIEHL family plot.
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