The music world suffered an unfortunate loss over the weekend as radio legend Casey Kasem passedaway at the age of 82. The longtime host of the American Top 40 had suffered from Parkinson's disease and Lewy body dementia for at least the last year. Kasem's daughter Kerri, another DJ, confirmed the news with a message on her Facebook page.
"Early this Father's Day morning, our dad Casey Kasem passed away surrounded by family and friends," she wrote. "The world will miss Casey Kasem, an incredible talent and humanitarian; we will miss our Dad."
Kasem had worked as a disc jockey for nearly 20 years before rising to prominence as the host of American Top 40 during the early '70s. Contractual issues led him to leave and start his own countdown program, Casey's Top 40, which badly outperformed AT40 and its new host. Kasem himself eventually resurrected the franchise in 1998 after it had gone off the air. Listeners always identified the DJ's catchphrases, including his iconic sendoff, "Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars."
His role in the modern music industry was noted by many radio personalities and musicians on Sunday, perhaps none more relevant than Ryan Seacrest.
"When I was a kid, I would listen to Casey Kasem's "AT40" show every weekend, and dream about someday becoming a radio DJ," he said in a statement. "Casey had a distinctive friendly on-air voice, and he was just as affable and nice if you had the privilege to be in his company. He'll be greatly missed by all of us."
Kasem's voice was recognizable even to those who didn't actively listen to the radio, as he voiced Shaggy on the cartoon Scooby Doo and its various spinoffs.
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