Alice Cooper, Dick Clark: Shock Rocker Thanks ‘American Bandstand’ Host for Radio Gig

With the passing of legendary TV personality Dick Clark, many artists are beginning to reflect on what the man meant to them, especially Alice Cooper. Thanks to Clark, Cooper took an interesting new career path.

"I used to come home from elementary school to watch "American Bandstand." It had all the new songs, all the new dances and it had the happiest guy in the world presenting them to you," the rocker writes on his website.

"I had no idea that later in my career I would know Dick Clark on a professional level. I ran into him some years ago, and he said to me 'Hey Coop, if you had your own radio show, what would it be like?' I told him it would be more like the free form FM stations of the '60s, where the DJ's actually played what they liked and demographics didn't play a role. He said 'Alice, why don't you do it then?'"

Thus "Nights With Alice Cooper" was born, a distinctive rock 'n' roll radio show that's broadcast on over 100 channels. After 9 years of playing deep cuts without any inhibitions, Cooper says he owes it all to Clark.

"NOBODY loved rock 'n' roll more than Dick Clark!"

Check out a copy of Dick Clark's letter to the shock rock king for his performance on the "American Music Awards." right here.