A former radio executive who has been credited with helping make Bennie and the Jets a success has died.
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Rosalie Trombley, who had Alzheimer’s disease, was 82. She used to be music director at CKLW-AM in Windsor, Ontario, and impacted the careers of Elton, Bob Seger, and Aerosmith, among others (https://www.detroitnews.com/story/entertainment/2021/11/24/influential-windsor-radio-legend-rosalie-trombley-dead-82/8749753002/).
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Rosalie broke Bennie and the Jets for Elton, but had to convince him and his record company to release it as a single. This was on the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album, and Trombley noticed that Detroit’s WJLB had been playing the song. Black listeners were reportedly buying Goodbye Yellow Brick Road just for that track. She pressed MCA to release it as a single, and when Elton wondered why, she explained that he would be able to expand his audience.
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Her son, Tim Trombley {she is survived by Tim and two other children, as well as a grandson}, said in a statement: ”Mom possessed an innate sense for music and could hear a hit from a mile away. But more than that, she had the ability to connect with music from a multitude of artists across many genres. Although we are heartbroken, we are comforted by the fact that her legacy and her influence will live on.”
