Clear Channel/Philadelphia is mourning the passing of WDAS radio legend Joseph "Butterball" Tamburro, who died Friday morning at the age of 70. Devoted listeners, recording artists who got their start from Butter and national figures such as the Reverend Jesse Jackson and the Reverend Al Sharpton have been calling in to a tribute show hosted by WDAS-FM's Patty Jackson.

CC/Philadelphia President Dennis Lamme said, "Butterball was a broadcasting icon." Program Director for WDAS FM/AM and Power 99 fm Ken Johnson added, "I have met and worked with quite a few legends in my career. Butter was the pinnacle. He will be missed but never forgotten."

Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter remembered listening to Butter growing up. "He communicated the mood and attitude of the times." The mayor went on to say, "We celebrate a wonderful person, a great man and a kind individual. I will never forget him."

WDAS-FM was in the process of planning at 50th anniversary of his career in broadcasting when news came of his death.

In 1964, Butter was able to get his foot in the door of WDAS as an advertising exec. He was nicknamed "Butterball" by Jimmy Bishop, the Program Director at the time. Within a few months, Butter became a part-time DJ and he began doing the first oldies show on black radio. Listeners loved both the oldies show and Butterball, and both remained a hit on WDAS.

Butter was Program Director for WDAS-FM and WDAS-AM until a recent illness but was still active as an air personality on WDAS-AM. Throughout the years, Butterball has been honored for excellence and service by two of the City of Philadelphia's former mayors (W. Wilson Goode and William Green). The NAACP, FBI, Philadelphia City Council, Pennsylvania State Legislature, American Jewish Committee, Martin Luther King Center for Change and numerous other organizations have also paid tribute to Joe Tamburro.