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Ben Fong-Torres

Author, Broadcaster & Music Journalist

  Categories:
Asian American Heritage, Authors, Diversity Speakers, Journalists, Music, Speakers by Industry
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Ben Fong-Torres Biography

Ben Fong-Torres is an American rock journalist, author, and broadcaster best known for his association with Rolling Stone magazine and the San Francisco Chronicle. He was a real-life character in the 2000 movie, Almost Famous, and the subject of the award-winning 2022 documentary on Netflix, Like a Rolling Stone: The Life and Times of Ben Fong-Torres.

He was honored by the Critics Circle Awards as one of the nine “most compelling living subjects of a documentary, alongside Dr. Anthony Fauci, Rita Moreno, Val Kilmer and Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Fong-Torres, who graduated from San Francisco State University in 1966 with a B.A. in radio-TV-film, was a writer and senior editor of Rolling Stone nearly from the magazine's inception. He conducted interviews of entertainment figures including Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Marvin Gaye, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Steve Martin and Linda Ronstadt. He also profiled Elton John, Sly and the Family Stone, Jefferson Airplane, Bonnie Raitt, Diane Keaton and Rodney Dangerfield. A Fong-Torres interview with Ray Charles was awarded the Deems Taylor Award for Magazine Writing.

Fong-Torres was also a DJ for the pioneer San Francisco radio station KSAN-FM in the 1970s. He later hosted a live, weekly entertainment and talk show, Fog City Radio, on NPR affiliate KQED-FM. On television, he won five Emmy Awards as co-anchor of the Chinese New Year Parade broadcast on KTVU.

He has published ten books, including "Hickory Wind," a biography of Gram Parsons; "The Rice Room," a best-selling memoir; "The Hits Just Keep on Coming," a history of Top 40 radio, and two compilations of past articles, "Not Fade Away" and "Becoming Almost Famous." His book with the Doors "The Doors By The Doors" was published in November 2006, and he published "The Grateful Dead Scrapbook" in 2009. Fong-Torres authored "Eagles: Taking It to the Limit" and "Willin': The Story of Little Feat."

For 15 years beginning July 2005, Fong-Torres wrote the column "Radio Waves" in the San Francisco Chronicle. He has written for numerous publications, including GQ, Esquire, Playboy, MOJO, Parade, Travel + Leisure, and the New York Times. Since 2016, he has been program director and DJ for the online Moonalice Radio.

Fong-Torres was inducted into the SF State Alumni Hall of Fame in 2004. He is also a member of the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame. He and Dianne, his wife, live in San Francisco.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Ben Fong-Torres and other top speakers and celebrities.

BOOK Ben Fong-Torres
Videos
BOOK Ben Fong-Torres
Books
The Eagles: Take It To The Limit

The Eagles: Take It To The Limit

Willin': The Story of Little Feat

Willin': The Story of Little Feat

The Rice Room: Growing Up Chinese-American from Number Two Son to Rock 'n' Roll

The Rice Room: Growing Up Chinese-American from Number Two Son to Rock 'n' Roll

The Doors

The Doors

Becoming Almost Famous: My Back Pages in Music Writing and Life

Becoming Almost Famous: My Back Pages in Music Writing and Life

Hickory Wind: The Life and Times of Gram Parsons

Hickory Wind: The Life and Times of Gram Parsons

FAQs

  • HOW TO BOOK Ben Fong-Torres?

    Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Ben Fong-Torres for both live and virtual events for over 15 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment. Fill out a booking request form for Ben Fong-Torres, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get pricing information and check availability for Ben Fong-Torres or any other celebrity of your choice.

  • HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BOOK Ben Fong-Torres?

    Booking fees for Ben Fong-Torres, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. Pricing often varies between live and virtual events. Other factors that can affect speaker fees include the talent's schedule, market conditions, length of presentation, and the location of the event. The live and virtual event speaking fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only. In some cases, the actual quote may be above or below the stated range. For the most current fee to hire Ben Fong-Torres, please fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak with an experienced booking agent.

  • WHO IS THE AGENT FOR Ben Fong-Torres?

    All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like Ben Fong-Torres for clients worldwide for more than 15 years. As a full-service talent booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Ben Fong-Torres for your next private or corporate function.

  • WHAT IS A FULL-SERVICE TALENT BOOKING AGENCY?

    All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent Ben Fong-Torres or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for Ben Fong-Torres or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.
Check Availability

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

Users also viewed these speakers:

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

Ben Fong-Torres

Author, Broadcaster & Music Journalist

Travels From:
San Francisco, CA, USA
Speaking Fee:
Live Event: $10,000 - $20,000
Virtual Event: Please Contact
More Fee Info
Categories:
Asian American Heritage, Authors, Diversity Speakers, Journalists, Music, Speakers by Industry

Ben Fong-Torres Biography

Ben Fong-Torres is an American rock journalist, author, and broadcaster best known for his association with Rolling Stone magazine and the San Francisco Chronicle. He was a real-life character in the 2000 movie, Almost Famous, and the subject of the award-winning 2022 documentary on Netflix, Like a Rolling Stone: The Life and Times of Ben Fong-Torres.

He was honored by the Critics Circle Awards as one of the nine “most compelling living subjects of a documentary, alongside Dr. Anthony Fauci, Rita Moreno, Val Kilmer and Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Fong-Torres, who graduated from San Francisco State University in 1966 with a B.A. in radio-TV-film, was a writer and senior editor of Rolling Stone nearly from the magazine's inception. He conducted interviews of entertainment figures including Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Marvin Gaye, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Steve Martin and Linda Ronstadt. He also profiled Elton John, Sly and the Family Stone, Jefferson Airplane, Bonnie Raitt, Diane Keaton and Rodney Dangerfield. A Fong-Torres interview with Ray Charles was awarded the Deems Taylor Award for Magazine Writing.

Fong-Torres was also a DJ for the pioneer San Francisco radio station KSAN-FM in the 1970s. He later hosted a live, weekly entertainment and talk show, Fog City Radio, on NPR affiliate KQED-FM. On television, he won five Emmy Awards as co-anchor of the Chinese New Year Parade broadcast on KTVU.

He has published ten books, including "Hickory Wind," a biography of Gram Parsons; "The Rice Room," a best-selling memoir; "The Hits Just Keep on Coming," a history of Top 40 radio, and two compilations of past articles, "Not Fade Away" and "Becoming Almost Famous." His book with the Doors "The Doors By The Doors" was published in November 2006, and he published "The Grateful Dead Scrapbook" in 2009. Fong-Torres authored "Eagles: Taking It to the Limit" and "Willin': The Story of Little Feat."

For 15 years beginning July 2005, Fong-Torres wrote the column "Radio Waves" in the San Francisco Chronicle. He has written for numerous publications, including GQ, Esquire, Playboy, MOJO, Parade, Travel + Leisure, and the New York Times. Since 2016, he has been program director and DJ for the online Moonalice Radio.

Fong-Torres was inducted into the SF State Alumni Hall of Fame in 2004. He is also a member of the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame. He and Dianne, his wife, live in San Francisco.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Ben Fong-Torres and other top speakers and celebrities.

BOOK Ben Fong-Torres

Ben Fong-Torres Videos

  • Interview with Rock journalist Ben Fong-Torres - YouTube
    Interview with Rock journalist Ben Fong-Torres - YouTube
  • Ben Fong-Torres on Jerry Garcia at the San Francisco Public Library ...
    Ben Fong-Torres on Jerry Garcia at the San Francisco Public Library...
  • The Early Days of Rolling Stone - Ben Fong-Torres - YouTube
    The Early Days of Rolling Stone - Ben Fong-Torres - YouTube
See All Videos »

Ben Fong-Torres Books

The Eagles: Take It To The Limit
The Eagles: Take It To The Limit
Willin': The Story of Little Feat
Willin': The Story of Little Feat
The Rice Room: Growing Up Chinese-American from Number Two Son to Rock 'n' Roll
The Rice Room: Growing Up Chinese-American from Number Two Son to Rock 'n' Roll
The Doors
The Doors
Becoming Almost Famous: My Back Pages in Music Writing and Life
Becoming Almost Famous: My Back Pages in Music Writing and Life
Hickory Wind: The Life and Times of Gram Parsons
Hickory Wind: The Life and Times of Gram Parsons

FAQs on booking Ben Fong-Torres

  • How to book Ben Fong-Torres?

    Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Ben Fong-Torres for both live and virtual events for over 20 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment. Fill out a booking request form for Ben Fong-Torres, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get pricing information and check availability for Ben Fong-Torres or any other celebrity of your choice.

  • How much does it cost to book Ben Fong-Torres?

    Booking fees for Ben Fong-Torres, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. Pricing often varies between live and virtual events. Other factors that can affect speaker fees include the talent's schedule, market conditions, length of presentation, and the location of the event. The live and virtual event speaking fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only. In some cases, the actual quote may be above or below the stated range. For the most current fee to hire Ben Fong-Torres, please fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak with an experienced booking agent.

  • Who is the agent for Ben Fong-Torres?

    All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like Ben Fong-Torres for clients worldwide for more than 20 years. As a full-service talent booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Ben Fong-Torres for your next private or corporate function.

  • What is a full-service talent booking agency?

    All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent Ben Fong-Torres or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for Ben Fong-Torres or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.

Ben Fong-Torres is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Ben Fong-Torres for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. Ben Fong-Torres generally travels from San Francisco, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Eve Abrams, Dee Snider, Derek Blasberg, Jason Mattera and Mark Salzman. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Ben Fong-Torres for an upcoming live or virtual event.

BOOK Ben Fong-Torres

Ben Fong-Torres Speaker Videos

  • Interview with Rock journalist Ben Fong-Torres - YouTube
    Interview with Rock journalist Ben Fong-Torres - YouTube
    Ben Fong-Torres on Jerry Garcia at the San Francisco Public Library ...
    Ben Fong-Torres on Jerry Garcia at the San Francisco Public Library ...
  • The Early Days of Rolling Stone - Ben Fong-Torres - YouTube
    The Early Days of Rolling Stone - Ben Fong-Torres - YouTube
    Jim Morrison & Ben-Fong Torres 1971 Interview - YouTube
    Jim Morrison & Ben-Fong Torres 1971 Interview - YouTube
BOOK Ben Fong-Torres

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During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

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Speakers Similar to Ben Fong-Torres

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

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The 2022 Speaking Industry Benchmark Report