Rick Dees Enters Hall of Fame

From Radio Ink


Legendary radio personality Rick Dees was inducted into the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame Tuesday during the NAB 2007 Radio Luncheon. The affable Dees, who currently handles mornings at Emmis KMVN Los Angeles and who for years held down the same shift at Clear Channel's KIIS-FM Los Angeles, gushed about the honor of being welcomed into a fraternity that includes some of radio's greatest talents. "This is a moment that happens only once, and I'm proud to share it with you. Radio is something that has been in my blood forever. I'm hard-wired to do this."

Best-known for his 1977 novelty hit "Disco Duck," Rick Dees (born Riedon Osmond Dees III) reigns as one of America's top DJs. Hosting a morning show for KIIS-FM in Los Angeles since 1982, Dees is heard daily over 300 affiliated stations in 23 countries. His show, Weekly Top 40 Countdown, is heard weekly by more than 50 million people. The recipient of ten consecutive Billboard Number One Radio Personality of America awards and a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, he's appeared in such films as La Bamba and Jetsons: The Movie.

A native of Greensboro, NC, Dees launched his radio career at the age of 17, as host of a country music show. Switching to Top 40, he hosted shows on Winston-Salem's WTOB and Raleigh's WKIX, while studying radio/TV/motion pictures and acting at the University of North Carolina. He recorded "Disco Duck" with an array of top session musicians while hosting a show for WHBQ in Memphis. The single went on to sell more than six million copies.

Although he veered toward television as the host of talk shows in 1990 and 1991 and a music show, Solid Gold, Dees mostly focuses on radio.

Way to go, Rick!


Hat Tip: Radio Ink
Hat Tip: AllMusic