Chuck Brinkman Signs Off
• Legendary Top 40 programmer and personality Chuck Brinkman, who made it big in the ’60s and ’70s in Pittsburgh and spent the second half of his successful career in the Dallas-Ft. Worth market, died Friday, August 24, at his home in Plano, TX, surrounded by his family. He was 83. Brinkman’s death was confirmed by his son, Jonathon Brinkman, who told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that his father had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
Brinkman was a high profile on-air presence at Top 40 KQV-AM (Audio 14)/Pittsburgh from 1960-1972 (part of that time as MD) and a member of KQV’s “Fun Lovin’ Five,” along with Hal Murray, Steve Rizen, Dave Scott and Dexter Allen. In 1964, he had the honor of introducing The Beatles on stage at Pittsburgh’s Civic Arena, the Fab Four’s only concert in the Steel City.
In 1972 Brinkman crossed the street to do middays at WTAE. A decade later, he moved cross-country for a short stint at KOGO 600/San Diego before returning to Pittsburgh as PD and morning personality at WHYW (now WRRK). In 1988 Brinkman moved to Texas, and spent the next 17 years as PD and afternoon personality on Oldies KLUV/Dallas-Fort Worth. He left KLUV on December 28, 2005, and, after a brief stint at KAAM-AM, he hung up his headphones. He was inducted into the Pittsburgh Rock ‘N Roll Legends Class of 2017.
Brinkman is survived by his wife, Carmella Brinkman of Plano; sons Jonathon and Charles Brinkman IV of San Diego; and daughters Lisa Meline of Scottsdale, AZ and Nicole Levett and Christene Brinkman of Dallas. [Special thanks to “Radio’s Best Friend,” Art Vuolo, who shared this video he shot of Brinkman at KLUV in 2001].
