Dallas Morning Radio Icon Terry Dorsey Dies

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, March 9, 2015

Longtime Dallas morning radio host Terry Dorsey died on Saturday (3/7) of apparent natural causes. Dan Bennett, Vice President and Market Manager of Cumulus Dallas, told Cumulus Dallas staffers in an email: "Terry's impact on Dallas radio was huge and he was a great friend to all of us and one of radio's great performers."

Dorsey retired in December after more than 40 years in radio, with the last 26 years as morning host for KSCS. He started his radio career in the late '60's at WFKY in Frankfort, Kentucky and made stops in Richmond, Indiana, Colorado Springs, and Dayton, Ohio, before arriving in Dallas in 1980 to do mornings on KPLX. In 1988 he moved across town to KSCS and was a fixture there and in Dallas radio through his retirement.

Dorsey was a Vietnam War veteran, serving as a Combat Engineer in the U.S. Army. He was inducted into the Country Radio DJ Hall of Fame in 2006, and into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame in 2007. He also won CMA, AMA, and Billboard Major Market Personality of the Year Awards. In 2010, Dorsey gained worldwide recognition when an April Fool's prank got the attention of almost all the major news outlets and organizations, including ESPN and CNN. Eddie Gossage, general manager of Texas Motor Speedway, offered Terry $100,000 if he would "legally change his name" to TexasMotorSpeedway.com. Despite having formally retired in December, Terry was still working with KSCS, contributing to the morning show via live and recorded segments, and endorsing advertisers' products in commercials.

Mark "Hawkeye" Louis, Host of New Country 96.3 KSCS Mornings, was Terry Dorsey's on-air partner for over 26 years. In a Facebook post today, Louis said: "It comes with deep sadness that I have to report the passing of my longtime friend and cherished colleague, Terry Dorsey. Terry retired from KSCS in December and had hoped to live out his retirement on a farm in Illinois. Last night, I received a call from his family that Terry had passed away peacefully at home. Terry had not been feeling well these past few days and it was rather sudden. Tomorrow morning we'll remember Terry and allow listeners to comment on what he meant to them. We'd like to encourage you to share this and leave comments as this would bring comfort to his family."

J.R. Schumann, Operations Manager, KSCS/KPLX said: "I, like most everyone else, am just in complete and total shock. Terry wasn't just a radio host, he was an icon that shaped an industry. I'm better for having known him."