R.I.P.: Lin Brehmer, Longtime WXRT Chicago DJ

Lin Brehmer (1954-2023)

Family, friends and fans are mouning the passing of Lin Brehmer, the hugely popular, buoyant and beloved host on Chicago radio’s WXRT-FM 93.1.  He died Sunday morning at ag 68, reports The Chicago Tribune.

He had previously spoken publicly about his treatment for prostate cancer. Sunday morning, fellow WXRT host and friend Terri Hemmert informed listeners of his death and said in part in a statement, “We must inform you that we all lost our best friend. Lin Brehmer fought cancer as long as he could. He passed early this morning, peacefully, with his wife (Sara) and son (Wilson) by his side.”

Brehmer had been on the air here since 1991, as morning drive host until 2020, when he became a midday host.

He was born in August 1954, in New York and grew up in Queens. A graduate of Colgate University in upstate New York, his first radio job was at WQBK-FM in Albany (where he became known as “The Reverend of Rock and Roll”), before arriving here to become music director at WXRT in 1984, helping define that station’s personality.

Last July, Brehmer announced that he would be taking a leave of absence from the station to continue his treatment, which included radiation, biopsies and drug therapies. He returned to the airwaves in late November, saying in an interview with CBS2 Chicago’s Jim Williams, “It’s been a rough road. ... It turns out I’m getting a temporary break from chemotherapy after my last session … so I’ll have a nice month and a half off with no infusions — and that’s a nice ramp to kind of take off and see how I do, and see how I can handle doing a radio show — and also fighting cancer at the same time.”

His return delighted his fans and friends. Many of them were crushed by the news of his death Sunday and shared bright memories and tearful sentiments.

WXRT's Lin Brehmer

A devoted Cubs fan and well known in Chicago, Brehmer was the most accessible of “celebrities,” posing for photos, engaging in conversations with fans at a variety of events of the charitable and entertaining type. In addition to his personality-touched song selections as a disc jockey, he was at his erudite best in his own artfully written on-air essays which he called “Lin’s Bin.”

“Lin did radio with uncommon humanity,” said Chicago artist and actor Tony Fitzpatrick. “He was as good and warm as anyone has ever been on air.”

Known self-effacingly as “your best friend in the whole world,” there is today an intense poignancy to another of his catchphrases, one with which he ended each daily program, “Never take anything for granted, it’s great to be alive.”

Brehmer is survived by his wife and son and will be memorialized, in part, on WXRT-FM 93.1 with a special block of programming beginning at 10 a.m. Monday, the time that Brehmer’s show regularly began.