Original Rocket 1010 Soundboard
Despite being a native of Cleveland, as the mastermind behind the radio labels Rocket and Star, Mr. Richard “Rick” Rambaldo has been a household name for decades in Erie media. He founded and oversaw Rambaldo Communications from 1988 to 2006 skyrocketing it into a $15 million brand. Since selling the stations in the early 2000s, he has continued his successful career in communications founding the advertising company R Brilliant Media. Mr. Rambaldo is also active as a consultant for LECOM, owns two banks, and has won prestigious awards such as Mercyhurst’s Golden Mic and Advertising Person of the Year from Erie Advertising Club.
Rocket (WRKT) signed on as Rocket 101 (FM 100.9) on June 22, 1989. In 2017 it moved from 100.9 to 104.9 rebranding as Rocket 105. Mr. Rambaldo is also responsible for 103.7 Star 104 (WRTS) Froggy 94.7 (now BOB FM), and 1400-AM WJET sports radio. Today, they are all owned by iHeartMedia, but still broadcast from the Boston Store in downtown Erie.
The Hagen History Center recently acquired several items from the legendary radio career of Rick Rambaldo including the original Rocket 101 soundboard. This is the cornerstone piece to the new collection and an excellent addition to the archives. Further accessions include commemoration plaques, license plates, framed news articles, and photographs.
Erie has a rich media history to which Mr. Rambaldo has greatly contributed. Mr. Rambaldo was fortunate to have kept many artifacts from his illustrious career. We are thrilled and thankful to host these items for permanent repository with availability for researchers and general interest. We thank Mr. Rambaldo for entrusting us with this exciting collection.