Posted on 10/26/2015 1:57:27 PM PDT by TroutStalker
Radio pioneer Ed Walker, whose “Joy Boys” broadcasts with Willard Scott dominated Washington’s airwaves in the 1960s, has died at age 83, three hours after his final broadcast. Related Stories
After cancer diagnosis, radio pioneer Ed Walker reluctantly signs off
Walker, who was born blind, “died quietly in his sleep at 2 a.m.” says Ken Mellgren, Walker’s longtime friend and former boss at WWRC.
“He was in no pain,” Mellgren told WTOP.
Walker was recently diagnosed with cancer. Last week he recorded his final broadcast of “The Big Broadcast” for WAMU from his hospital room. The final installment was replayed Sunday evening.
In a tweet, WAMU said “We are very sad to announce our friend Ed Walker passed away this morning, after listening to his final show with his family.”
Last week, after making his diagnosis public, Walker invited WTOP’s Bruce Alan for an informal interview at his assisted living facility.
Walker and Alan co-hosted a morning talk show at WWRC from 1987 to 1990.
Alan said his friend’s condition worsened quickly in the past week.
“When we talked about his career a week ago he was clearly enjoying the memories and the experiences, and telling stories of fun times,” says Alan.
Ping.
Ping
I grew up listening to Ed Walker via my Father. He listened to the Joy Boys every day. They cracked him up.
My hat is off to anyone who can die with their boots on. Excepting, of course, terrorists and other workers of evil.
Rest In Peace Ed.
As a former radio broadcaster myself, I would call that ‘perfect timing’.
And I can only imagine how Ed is feeling right now, especially after having lived his 83 years as a blind broadcaster, he now has perfect vision.
He’s a REAL ‘Joy Boy’ now.
Joy Boys
I loved his voice.
“We are the Joy Boys of radio,
“We chase electrons to and fro....”
I was usually over on WMAL listening to Frank Hardin & Jackson Weaver.
Then watched Willard Scott ad libbing the Today show to a grinding halt. Bryant Dumbbell was always trying to knife him ever afterward.
Amen! As a fellow former broadcaster he signed off with dignity and with a toast for his audience. Working with Willard must have been fun...
Rip Ed Walker. Sunday evening must hear radio..
Rest in peace.
A Silent Key: Ed Walker W3HFT
I came back from Germany in 1987 and found his morning radio show and listened every morning as I drove to work until WRC was changed to sports talk format and Ed went off the air for morning drive.
It is a truly sad day. He sounded terribly weak last night on that show he recorded from his hospital room. We will miss him more than we can say.
Thank you for posting. I’m going to try and condense threads...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3352786/posts?page=1
One of the absolute all time greats in broadcasting; right up there in the Pantheon with Walter Winchell, Paul Harvey, Don McNeill and Rush Limbaugh. Plus he had to overcome blindness.
Recquiescat in pacem.
I heard the program over the Armed Forces Network's AM station in Kaiserslautern, Germany, when I was a student at Saarland University in Saarbrücken.
WRC was the best radio station ever: Braden and Bucannan, Joel A Spevak, etc. Those days are gone, but the memories remain.
Maryland PING!
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