Pittsburgh Radio Legend Quinn Dies

Longtime Pittsburgh disc jockey and talk show host Jim Quinn has died.

Quinn died early this morning…about a month after undergoing open heart surgery. He was 82.

Though not a Pittsburgher by birth, the New Jersey native first came to Pittsburgh in 1967 to join KQV’s lineup alongside Jeff Christie, who, like Quinn, would later become a conservative radio talk show host. Christie however, would make his mark under his birth name – Rush Limbaugh.

Ten years after Quinn’s initial arrival in the Steel City, he found himself back here after stints in New York and Philadelphia, as part of the WKTQ (13Q) lineup. He quickly carved out a name for himself with his unique brand of humor, including a rather unusual cover of Alan O’Day’s hit record “Undercover Angel”, which he titled “Undercover Pothole”, a dig at Pittsburgh’s legendary horrible road conditions in the 1970’s.

Two years at 13Q led to a midday slot at the highly rated WTAE (now WPGP), where he worked under the tutelage of Captain Showbiz (nee Ted Atkins). Concurrently, Quinn hosted “Prime Time Scramble”, a local game show vignette on WPGH-TV. He would draw a postcard from contestants writing in to the station, then call them live on the air to participate.

He remained at WTAE until he was tapped to handle morning duties with market newcomer “Banana Don” Jefferson at new crosstown CHR WBZZ (B94).

“Quinn and Banana” dominated the Pittsburgh radio landscape from 1983 until 1992, when Quinn left the show, and was replaced by John Cline.

And Jefferson had nothing but praise for his former partner.

“He used to joke about the streets of Fox Chapel (or fill in your local rich suburb) being paved with Krugerrands,” said the now-retired Jefferson in a social media post. “Well, tonight, he’ll be up where that’s a real thing.”

Pittsburgh TV meteorologist Dennis Bowman (then at WPXI-TV) also did the weather during the Quinn and Banana years. He too spoke affectionately of his former colleague.

“Jim was a Pittsburgh institution, no question,” said Bowman, in a social media post.

After leaving B-94, Quinn landed at WRRK, shortly after the station’s acquisition by Steel City Media from Benns Communications. Initially a straight up music show, it slowly evolved into the conservative talk show he eventually became known for. “The War Room” eventually moved to then News/Talk formatted WPGB in 2004. Concurrently, the show also aired on SiriusXM’s “America’s Talk” channel.

Clear Channel executives pulled the plug on the show almost a decade later after contract talks broke down.

WJAS courted Quinn and sidekick Rose Tennant after that station acquired WPGB’s talk programming lineup upon WPGB’s switch from News/Talk to Country. However, both parties were unable to agree to a new deal.

Quinn resumed his show in a mostly online platform, where paid subscribers could continue to listen and participate.

Quinn’s show was sidelined last month, when he suffered a ruptured aortic aneurysm, but assured his listeners he would be back.

Word of Quinn’s passing spread quickly through Pittsburgh’s radio community. One of the first to report his passing was former B-94 jock Bubba Snider, who said he learned of the news after Quinn’s daughter texted him.

“He is the reason I am in radio,” said Snider, in a social media post. “Today is a sad day for me and for everyone else who knew him.”

Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.


The Tribune-Review and Pittsburgh Post-Gazette contributed to this story.

PHOTO CREDIT: Don Jefferson