Chicago Radio: Longtime WXRT Host Wendy Rice To Retire

Wendy Rice

WXRT 93.1 FM Chicago will bid farewell to longtime host Wendy Rice as she retires from weekly hosting duties of the popular Saturday Morning Flashback program.

Rice will host her final show on Saturday, June 24 with the show’s content devoted to the music and memories of 1978 as a nod to her XRT beginnings.   Rice began her career at XRT as an intern in 1978; she later made a stop in Peoria, IL at WWCT-FM before returning to Chicago and joining the 93XRT air staff in 1982.

“I've been at XRT for 35 years. I have always worked on weekends” said Rice. “The opportunity to play great music every Saturday has kept me going, along with the support of the loyal listeners who have stayed with us all these years.   I am now looking forward to my ‘retirement’ and to experiencing the novelty of a two-day weekend.”
“I've had a wonderful run at Chicago's Finest Rock” continued Rice. “I married the boss [former WXRT Program Director Norm Winer] in '87, raised three amazing kids, and am now dedicated to my weekday gig as a middle school teacher.”

“Wendy is Chicago radio royalty” said Greg Solk, WXRT Program Director and Operations Manager.  “Her Saturday morning show has been a staple of XRT’s programming, and one of the most listened to specialty shows in Chicago radio history. All of us thank Wendy for her years of brilliance both on and off the air.”

Beginning Saturday, July 1, Saturday Morning Flashback will be hosted on a rotating basis by two heritage XRT voices, Frank E. Lee and Johnny Mars.  The show will run for three hours from 8 AM- 11 AM every Saturday morning.