Posted by Bud on March 24, 2010 at 18:41:27:
Two of Chicago radio’s greatest living legends — Dick Biondi and Herb Kent — will share a stage for the first time and tell stories of their remarkable Hall of Fame careers next month at Columbia College Chicago.
Bob Sirott will host “Inside the Radio Studio: 100 Years on the Air with Dick Biondi & Herb Kent” at 7:30 p.m. April 10 at Columbia College’s Film Row Cinema, 1104 S. Wabash. The event is free and open to the public.
At 77, Biondi (aka “The Wild I-Tralian”) still plays the hits he made famous at the dawn of the rock ’n’ roll era from 7 to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday on Citadel Broadcasting oldies WLS-FM (94.7). And at 81, Kent (aka “The Cool Gent”), whose 65 years in Chicago radio landed him in the Guinness Book of Records in 2009, continues to share his beloved R&B classics from 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays and from noon to 7 p.m. Sundays on Clear Channel urban adult-contemporary WVAZ-FM (102.7).
Sirott is expected to interview them in a format borrowed from Bravo’s “Inside the Actors Studio,” including questions from the audience. A veteran Chicago broadcaster and Columbia alum himself, Sirott said:
“Given the makeup of Chicago over the years — the separation of the city into ‘two worlds’ (the North Side and the South Side, the mostly white side and the mostly black side) — it seems that you either ‘grew up’ with Biondi or Kent. But for whatever reason, after starting out as a Biondi fan during my youth, I also became of fan of Kent’s once I got a little older. To have one of these nationally known pioneering radio legends in a city is remarkable. To have two — and both still on the air — is something unique and needs to be celebrated!”