Donnie Simpson Pens Tribute to His Friend Jim Vance

The year was 1977. I was 23 and had just come from Detroit to DC to do radio at WKYS. The station was owned by NBC and housed in the same building as WRC TV 4.

I was absolutely amazed at the number of black people I saw on TV here. I had seen many black reporters, but here, especially on channel 4, their anchor desk was as black as The Pittsburgh Steelers defensive line. So this is the Chocolate City George Clinton and Parliament funked about. Wow!

Leading the front four was a brother named Jim Vance. He was the main man at channel 4. He had such incredible presence, that when he walked into the building, I swear you couldn’t even see his feet move. He floated in. He was tall, dark, and handsome. He had more swag than Obama and was cooler than Rhett Butler. He was Dark Gable.

Read more... of this tribute to Jim Vance on Donnie Simpson's Facebook page. [...] The picture of their embrace at Ben's Chili Bowl says it all. RIP Mr. Vance.

Read Washington D.C. Mourns and Remembers News Anchor Jim Vance for photos and videos of Jim Vance that made him a DC legend and institution.