Pittsburgh Radio Legend Jim Quinn Dies at 82
PITTSBURGH, Pa. — Jim Quinn, a longtime DJ and conservative radio host, passed away on Sunday at the age of 82. His influence on Pittsburgh‘s radio landscape spanned several decades, earning him a place in the hearts of many listeners.
Born in New Jersey, Quinn began his broadcasting career at KQV in Pittsburgh in the 1960s. He later joined WTAE in the late 1970s and gained fame as one half of ‘The Quinn and Banana Show’ on B-94, a popular morning program that ran from 1983 to 1992.
Ed Weigle, a fellow radio personality and voiceover actor, remembered Quinn fondly in a Facebook post, stating, “He was certainly a radio force back home in Pittsburgh when I was a kid.” Weigle shared that he enjoyed listening to Quinn and his co-host Don Jefferson during his high school years.
Quinn’s early broadcasting career at KQV began in 1967, where he first met Rush Limbaugh, who would become a significant political influence in his life. After brief stints in Philadelphia and New York, Quinn returned to Pittsburgh to join WKTQ, where he produced the parody record ‘Undercover Pothole,’ poking fun at the city’s notorious road conditions.
After leaving mainstream radio, Quinn transitioned to WRRK in the North Hills, developing his conservative viewpoints into a talk format. His program later moved to WPGB in Bridgeville in 2004, where it aired alongside syndicated shows like Rush Limbaugh’s.
For the last years of his career, Quinn hosted ‘Quinn in the Morning’ on WAVL in Apollo, continuing to engage audiences until his passing. Jefferson reflected on his legacy, stating, “I’m retired now, but Jim loved radio so much he never retired. Good radio morning shows work when everyone brings something different to the table, and in our case, it worked because we made each other laugh.”
Quinn’s contributions to radio and his dedication to broadcasting left an indelible mark on the Pittsburgh community. Friends and fans took to social media to express their condolences and celebrate his legacy, describing the news of his passing as ‘truly sad’.
