Condolences: Kerry Gray

Longtime radio pro Kerry Gray died Thursday morning, March 16 at the far-too-young age of 50, nearly one year after multiple tumors were discovered on his brain and liver. The Hamilton (Ontario) Spectator reports that Gray, who co-hosted the popular Ben and Kerry morning show on CJXY (Y108)/Hamilton from June of 2008 to July of 2013 died in a hospice in Red Wing, MN yesterday morning. “He went peacefully in his sleep,” said Ben McVie, his longtime friend and former morning show partner. “He had been battling brain cancer for about a year. The Spectator reports that Gray, a native of Dearborn, MI was most recently doing mornings on Q Media Group Classic Hits KWNG/Red Wing while being treated at the nearby Mayo Clinic.

Described by friends as “one of FM’s funniest and most influential jocks,” Gray’s career also included stops at WEQX/Manchester, VT-Albany, NY, KBCO/Denver, KPOI/Honolulu, CHTZ/St. Catharines, Ontario, JACK-FM/Toronto, WZEW/Mobile, AL and he was PD of CKEY (FM 101 The Planet)/Niagara Falls-Buffalo, NY.

Mary Brace is the host of Composition Radio on WRFN-LP (Radio Free Nashville) and was Gray’s morning show partner at WEQX in the early ’90s. Brace said of her friend, “Just about everyone who ever worked with Kerry would say he improved their game, and that he was a wonderful and generous friend.” Gray is survived by his parents, son Declan and fiancé Angell McDonnell.