Oh Man...Sad news for the locals

[purplefaithful]

I listened to Barnard my entire youth and into my young adulthood...RIP to ex Viking Phil Wise too. 

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Radio legend Tom Barnard announces he has Alzheimer's disease
The former KQRS host broke the news on his podcast.

 
Tom Barnard, one of the most successful radio personalities in Twin Cities history, has revealed that he has Alzheimer’s disease.

The 74-year-old host shared the news from his West Palm Beach homeon the March 20 edition of “The Tom Barnard Podcast.”

Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia and is believed to be irreversible. But during the broadcast, Barnard said he thinks the seven treatments he’s had so far may be improving his condition.

“It’s just ticking down, not dropping like a rock,” he said.

Barnard’s family members, who are part of his podcast, said they had been urging him to be checked out for three years.

Barnard spent part of Monday’s podcast, which airs live on YouTube from 10:30-11:45 a.m. weekdays, reading well wishes from listeners.

In April 2025, Barnard had said he would be handing over the podcast to his children in November 2026. But the radio kingpin has a history of changing his mind. In a Facebook post on Saturday, he sounded like someone who is committed to staying at the microphone as long as he can.

“Kathryn and I have talked,” he posted, referring to his wife, Kathryn Brandt. “We both think it would be a good idea to focus on Tom Barnard family podcast and keep a very positive attitude. She knows I have always loved radio and podcasting and want to focus on laughing and positivity. A podcast based on love and laughter.”

During his 37 years at KQRS, Barnard hosted one of the most successful morning shows in the country. At one point, 1 in every 4 Twin Cities listeners from age 18 to 34 was tuning in. He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2017.

Starting in 1979, Barnard was in demand for voice-over work with high-end clients like Burger King, Cargill and Nike.

Fans of the “The KQ92 Morning Show” also had to deal this past weekend with news that longtime contributor Phil Wise died on March 22. The former Minnesota Viking, known as “Philly Dawg” on the air, was a regular during the program’s peak years.

“I worshipped him!” Barnard said Sunday on Facebook. “He was a very loyal friend and a wonderful person to everyone. The world has lost a great man!”

STRIB

[comet52]

Been a long time since I was living in the Cities and listening to him back in the 80s. He would go to a building at 5th and Hennepin to do voice work and then he'd stop into Pop's Arcade across the street to play video games. I used to waste a lot of time in that place and one day I went and chatted with him and sang him a ditty I'd made up - it was a drunken Harry Carey doing a revised We're Gonna Win Twins song. The only part I can remember now is "knock out a home run, grab a fifth of booze, we might as well get drunk cuz the Twins are gonna lose!" He did it on the air the next day and gave me credit. Pretty funny stuff which I always remembered.

Sorry to hear he's sick, I've had a lot of experience dealing with relatives and friends with dementia and it's never easy.

[Still Hurtn]

Been a long time since I was living in the Cities and listening to him back in the 80s.  He would go to a building at 5th and Hennepin to do voice work and then he'd stop into Pop's Arcade across the street to play video games.  I used to waste a lot of time in that place and one day I went and chatted with him and sang him  a ditty I'd made up - it was a drunken Harry Carey doing a revised We're Gonna Win Twins song.  The only part I can remember now is "knock out a home run, grab a fifth of booze, we might as well get drunk cuz the Twins are gonna lose!"  He did it on the air the next day and gave me credit.  Pretty funny stuff which I always remembered. 

Sorry to hear he's sick, I've had a lot of experience dealing with relatives and friends with dementia and it's never easy.

Interesting.. I moved from the area in 85. I would call into KQRS and KDWB and tell jokes, do impersonations, and sing little jingle/songs. I won a ton of stuff. I called into one of the KQRS DJs (dont remember the name) and said you know what KQRS stands for? I could hear his eyes rolling over the phone. He said what kick ass? I said no. Stands for Kranking Quality Rock Sensations. He used it on air a handful of times after that. Good times. Thanks for sharing Comet52. Brought back good memories