WXRT MD John Farneda Dies At 59
• We keep losing legends… Yesterday we received the sad news that John Farneda, longtime Music Director of Entercom Triple A WXRT/Chicago, died on Tuesday.
The news was broken to the staff in a memo by Brand Manager/Operations Director Greg Solk, who wrote, “To our Entercom Chicago colleagues, it is with a heavy heart and a universal feeling of loss, we are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our friend, our colleague, our fellow music lover and a truly exceptional human being John Farneda, Music Director and the heart of 93XRT, after a valiant yearlong battle with pancreatic and liver cancer. John passed last night with his mother Rose, brother Larry and spouse Fanie by his side. John was 59 years old.”
Farneda originally joined WXRT as an intern in 1983, to, in his words, “type public service announcements and schedule interviews.” He stayed there for the next 31 years, rising through the ranks to MD and Operations Manager before leaving in late 2014 to explore new adventures in the music industry. In March 2017, when MD Kelly Ransford resigned to become Director of Event Marketing for iHeartMedia Denver, Farneda agreed to return as “Interim MD.” A month later, the “Interim” title was retired and Farneda went right back to work for the station he loved… and loved him back.
• In lieu of flowers, you are invited to please make a donation to the National MS Society or the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. The family will have a private memorial ceremony.
• WXRT is encouraging listeners, friends, colleagues and all who knew John or his work to share their fond memories of John on the station’s social media profiles: Facebook.com/93XRT and Twitter.com/93XRT.
• Farneda’s longtime WXRT colleagues Lin Brehmer (pictured here with Farneda at a Rolling Stones show) and Terri Hemmert shared their fond memories of John in a story posted on WXRT’s website.
