R.I.P.: T K O'Grady, Longtime Akron Radio Personality

T K O'Grady

T.K. O’Grady, a gravel-voiced disc jockey with Akron classic rock station WONE 97.5-FM for more than two decades, has died, the station announced this week.

According to his biography on WONE, O'Grady worked nearly 50 years in radio broadcasting. The radio station said he died from natural causes.

The Akron Beacon-Journal reports O'Grady began his career in his hometown of Mexico, Missouri, in 1972. O'Grady previously worked in Chicago, Miami and Charleston, South Carolina. In 1998, he joined the Rubber City Radio Group in Akron. In 2001, O'Grady became the host of the WONE afternoon drive show and served as assistant program director. Most recently, he worked from 7 p.m. to midnights on Saturdays and Sundays.

In the community, O'Grady was often tapped to emcee galas and fundraisers, volunteer as a celebrity Santa Claus and serve as a guest judge at competitions from chili cookoffs to Docs Who Rock.