Legendary Chicago area personality Richard ‘Dick’ Biondi died on Monday, June 26 at the age of 90.
Biondi’s passing was announced this evening by the station he was most associated with in his career, Cumulus’ “Big 89” WLS Chicago. The Endicott NY native began his career in upstate New York at WINR Binghamton and WCBA Corning before spending time in the 1950s at stations including KVOB Bastrop LA, KSYL Alexandria LA, WHOT Youngstown OH, and WKBW and WEBR Buffalo NY.
Biondi would join WLS in 1960 as its night host at a time when the station could be heard nearly coast-to-coast. He would move to KRLA Los Angeles in 1963 shortly after being the first US personality to play the Beatles on the air. After briefly hosting a syndicated show, Biondi would return to Chicago in 1967 on 1000 WCFL and then 670 WMAQ. He would then depart the city in 1972 spending time at WBZ Boston, WSAI Cincinnati, and a decade at WNMB North Myrtle Beach SC where he launched a syndicated Oldies show.
After a brief stint at WBBM-FM Chicago, Biondi would join Oldies 104.3 WJMK in 1984 and remain until its format change to “Jack-FM” in 2005. He would then join 94.7 WLS-FM for a late night show in 2006 before moving to weekends in 2015 until his retirement in 2017 due to illness.
Biondi was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 1998 and is also a member of the Illinois Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame and part of the radio exhibit of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Dick, Thanks for all the great memories you left with me when your voice came on the air and you began spinning Rock & Roll on WLS during the early 1960s. Those were the happiest and BEST YEARS OF MY LIFE. Thanks in part TO YOU. I’ll return to a time when I was young and care-free in memories. Days when I could turn on my radio & hear your voice and the music Attended Tuley HS 60-64. You are still the BEST DJ there ever was. So long for now, Ernie
Such an inspiration to so many radio professionals with all of that energy, drive and personality.. There was only one Dick Biondi. R.I.P. to the Italian Strallion.
Dick thank you for all the great years of radio and all the times I saw you in person. You will be certainly missed. You had a great sense of humor and was always happy to see me and my friends. Rest in peace.