Chicago radio geeks: Larry Lujack dies at age 73

If you grew up in Chicago in the 1970s and 80s, you probably listened to "Uncle Lar" in the morning at some point.

The "superjock" of WLS AM 89 (back when it played music) died Wednesday at his retirement home in New Mexico. He was 73.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-larry-lujack-dead-20131218,0,3056121.story

Just reading that Trib story brings to mind the ol' jingle ... "AM 89, W-L-S ... Chicago"

RIP, Uncle Larry

 

60's!

WLS . . . (World's Largest Store) . . . named for Sears (at the time . .. )

 

RIP to a radio legend. "Animal Stories" was hilarious. His program wasn't the same once he moved to afternoons but, hey, who can blame him after all those years doing morning drive.

 

In my little corner of the 1970's rust belt, WLS was pretty much "it", radio wise. Was raised on Lujack, Landecker and Sirott. Feeling very old, all of a sudden...

 

+1

 

Lujack was a revelation in his early days -- cranky, sarcastic, openly critical of some of the crap records he had to play. He was such a departure from the usual DJ with a smile in his voice.

Trouble was as the years went on, he actually became a cranky old man who seemed to hate everybody and everything and talked incessantly about his desire to get out of radio and become a forest ranger. After a point, people asked themselves, "Why am I listening to this miserable SOB railing about how much he doesn't want this job?" Then it was over.

But for a while, he ruled.