Dick Summer Signs Off
• Longtime radio legend Dick Summer, probably best remembered for his run in the 1960s as the overnight host on WBZ-AM 1030/Boston — with one of the smoothest voices to ever grace the radio airwaves — passed away peacefully at Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport, MA early Tuesday morning, May 14. He had just turned 89 on February 24.
Art Vuolo fondly remembers Summer early in his career as “a very popular night DJ at powerful WIBC-AM 1070 in Indianapolis, doing his show from a tiny studio atop a Mel’s Drive-In-style restaurant known as ‘Merrill’s Hi-Decker,’ where listeners would vote for favorite songs by flashing their headlights! He was also Indy’s local ‘Dick Clark,’ hosting a teen dance show on WISH TV 8 called the ‘RC Cola Rhythm Carnival.'”
Summer’s dulcet tones were heard by half of the country in the 1960’s as the overnight host on 50kw clear channel WBZ-AM 1030. [Ed. note: WBZ has posted its own tribute to Dick Summer].
He later worked at several New York area stations: mornings on WPLJ (pre-Jim Kerr), 66 WNBC, WYNY-FM, and WNEW-FM. In recent years, Summer — who was still doing voiceover work well into his ’80s — and his wife were based in West Chester, PA, before returning to her hometown, outside of Boston.
On Tuesday afternoon, in tribute to her father-in-law, Brenda Summer, the wife of Dick’s son Eric, requested “Louie-Louie” — Dick’s favorite song — on Pat St. John‘s SiriusXM show. Father Jim Drucker, “The Doo-Wop Priest,” will continue to use Summer’s distinctive voice to open his radio show every Saturday afternoon on WWDB-AM 860/Philadelphia.
Dick Summer is survived by his wife Barbara, whom he affectionately referred to as his “wonder wench,” his four sons, two daughters, five grandchildren and six great grandkids. He was a one-of-a-kind broadcaster and will be greatly missed. [Special thanks to Art Vuolo]
• Matt Seinberg of Big Apple Airchecks is assembling a tribute to Dick Summer and is looking for any audio. If you would like to contribute, please email him at matt@bigappleairchecks.com.
