Remembering Ron Parker
• Over the weekend we received the news of yet another legend lost — major market icon Ron Parker passed away in Houston at 71 after a brief illness, closing out a stellar half-century radio career, the past 18 years working for SiriusXM. Parker joined Sirius Satellite Radio in July 2008, four months before the XM merger. Most recently he was doing weekends on 70s on 7.
According to Friends of Georgia Radio, of which Parker was a board member, he grew up in Atlanta, attended Briarcliff High School, and got his start in radio at just 15 years old. “I basically got into radio for two reasons,” he said. “Meet girls on the request lines… and to get free records from the radio station!”
While studying journalism at the University of Georgia, Parker cut his teeth in Athens, GA at WJSR, WDOLand WRFC before landing his first big break at Atlanta’s legendary WQXI in 1973. From there Parker’s career took off, as he went on to work at WLCY/Tampa Bay, did mornings at KFRC/San Francisco, additional stops in Phoenix and Dallas, and multiple stints in Houston, where he served as program director for KKBQ, and later, KLDE. He was also a programmer for ABC Radio Networks before moving onto afternoons on WCBS-FM/New York and later, WLS FM/Chicago.
Ron Parker was inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame in 2019.
Parker shared a mutual radio history — and friendship — with veteran programmer Brian Thomas, who worked with Parker in four major markets. “I used to listen to Ron on KKBQ/Houston to become a better jock,” Thomas said. “He and I became friends when he visited me at Q105/Oxnard-Ventura, when I was a baby DJ/PD. That friendship would bring us together at KFRC/San Francisco, where he did afternoons and mornings; nights and middays at CBS-FM/NYC; afternoons at WLS-FM/Chicago, and he even did swing for me at WNSH (NASH-FM)/New York. We both shared our love of wine and had many great adventures in Napa that I’ll treasure forever.”
Lou Simon, VP of Music Programming at SiriusXM said of his longtime friend and colleague, “Ron was a consummate radio man. He loved being on the air, loved his listeners… and loved his co-workers. He traveled the nation, spreading joy with his effortless on-air sound and love for life. To say we miss him, falls short. He was one of the finest men I’ve known, on-and off-air. May he rest in peace.”
• Sadly, Simon also reports the passing of yet another longtime SXM personality — Alex Ward, who hosted Pink & Black Days on the 50s channel since 2003. “Alex was a lifelong Memphis resident and enthusiast. He died of cancer on Aug. 20, only a few weeks after his diagnosis.”
