Morris recalled that " Rofe was an exceptional , warm man " , and credits him for suggesting he do a cover of " Hush " , the first hit for his band , Somebody 's Image . " He was such a huge star , but his door would always be open for any 16-year-old kid who came into his studio with a record . " In 1989 Keith Glass issued a single , " When Stan Was the Man " , in homage " I grew up listening to him on 3KZ ... he was the best disc jockey in Australia ... who played the newer sounds that other stations did not want to go with at the time . " At the ARIA Music Awards of 1994 Rofe 's services to the music industry were recognised when he was presented with a special achievement award . In August – September 2001 Australian Broadcasting Corporation ( ABC ) ran a six-part series , '' Long Way to the Top '' , with Rofe appearing in " Episode 1 : A Bed of a Thousand Struggles 1956 – 1964 " to describe JOK " The wild one really was the wild one . " Rofe died on 16 May 2003 , aged 69 , after being diagnosed with cancer . At his funeral service on 21 May 2003 , more than 200 people attended the Trinity College chapel in Parkville , Victoria and they heard Rofe eulogised as a friend , a brother , an uncle , a mentor , a passionate supporter of Australian artists and of the Essendon Football Club . As the mourners left the chapel , " When Stan Was the Man " , was being played . Ed Nimmervoll , another '' Go-Set '' journalist dedicated his book , '' Friday on My Mind '' ( 2004 ) to Rofe , who had inspired him to become focussed on music
ARIA Music Awards of 1994
ARIA Music Awards of 1994
Stan Rofe