Remembering Bob Shannon
• We were sorry to hear of the passing of veteran air personality Bob Shannon, best known for his multiple stints at WCBS-FM/New York. Earlier in his career, under his given name, Don Bombard, Shannon also worked at 1260 WNDR in his hometown of Syracuse, NY.
Shannon’s wife Connie Frances and his close friend Bobby Jay, issued the following statement: “It is with a heavy heart we share the passing of Donald Robert Shannon (best known as) Bob Shannon of WCBS-FM 101, Donald Bombard of Pittsburgh’s Sunday Night Oldies Party and Syracuse’s WOLF. RadioMaxMusic and WLNG/Sag Harbor, NY, were good to us both, giving us shows and lots of fun times. Please remember all the positive things he brought to all. We respectfully ask for privacy at this time of transition.”
Shannon was one of many beloved jocks fired from CBS-FM when the station flipped to Adult Hits as Jack FM on June 3, 2005. Two years later, when Dan Mason, then President of CBS Radio, brought the original Classic Hits format back, Bob Shannon was part of the relaunch. In December of 2011, he left unexpectedly due to medical privacy issues and very few people had any contact with him since.
Another of Shannon’s friends, Vinny Marino said, “Bob was truly one of the greats, and an incredibly nice man.”
Leave it to “Radio’s Best Friend” Art Vuolo to have been able to capturing Bob Shannon in action on video at CBS-FM in late November of 1987, and again in July 2007 at the Radio Greats Reunion on The Breeze (now 107.1 The Boss) at the Jersey Shore. Finally, Art shot video during the relaunch of WCBS-FM preceding Broadway Bill Lee. Art was gracious enough to stay up late last night to produce this lovely video tribute to Bob Shannon. [Photo: James Estrin / The New York Times]
