R.I.P.: WQYK Tampa Personality Dave McKay Found Dead

Dave McKay

A well-known Bay Area radio personality was found dead in his home this morning.

According to police, WQYK 99.5 FM host Dave McKay didn't show up for work this morning for the Dave and Veronica show on the Beasley-owned country station.

A co-worker who lives in his building on 2nd Street S checked on him and found him dead just after 6:30 a.m.

McKay, whose real name is Steve Ehmke, lived alone.

Police are still investigating the death, but say there is no sign of foul play.

McKay was 55.

QKY Country and many other supporters took to social media to show their shock at the loss of this local celebrity.  QYK tweeted out a picture of McKay saying,” please join us as we remember our friend Dave McKay-RT us your memories and comments.”

Over 300 comments were left on a picture posted of McKay by QYK on Facebook.

On-air talents also took time to remember McKay on air Thursday morning, according to The Tampa Bay Times. Sharing memories of him, they fought back tears.

McKay was also a contributor for ABC Action News in Tampa. According to ABC, he covered community events and country music award shows for several years.

"I don't know that there's any radio jock that ever cared as much about his listener as Dave did," said Cledus T. Judd, McKay's longtime on-air partner.

In a statement, WQYK corporate parent Beasley Media Group said "our hearts are heavy ... during this extremely difficult time."

All morning during McKay's usual 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. shift, WQYK spun sad songs as listeners called in and shocked, emotional personalities mourned their colleague. June Knight told a story about going backstage with McKay at a recent Dierks Bentley concert in Tampa.

When McKay and the country superstar spotted one another, Knight recalled: "Dierks actually went over to him. He didn't go over to Dierks. It was the other way around."

Oh no... I'm very sorry to hear about this. Prayers to his family and friends. https://t.co/wvxvCQ7qVg

— Blake Shelton (@blakeshelton) August 4, 2016

Host Cadillac Jack talked about the time McKay took him to a local steakhouse.

"His steak was just sitting there because everybody at the tables were getting up saying 'Hey Dave,'" he said. "And he couldn't just wait; he wanted to talk to you. So he'd get up. Literally, I don't remember anybody in that whole room he didn't shake hands with."

A native New Yorker, McKay was a 32-year veteran of radio, spending 16 years at WQYK and a few before that at Q105 WRBQ 104.7 FM. He was a big personality who worked rooms the way big personalities tend to do, often finding a way to be close to the center of attention.