Victor "Vic Slick" Corral, a 31-year staple of afternoon drive on classic hits KOLA (99.9 FM, Riverside-San Bernardino, CA), is signing off for retirement this Friday capping a storied career that bridged the analog-to-digital era of radio. Tributes poured in across the Inland Empire's airwaves and social media today, with fans and colleagues hailing him as a "legend" whose warm, relatable style defined generations of classic rock listening.
Corral joined KOLA in 1994, starting in nights before rising to mornings and eventually settling into the 2-7 p.m. slot, where he spun hits from the '60s through the 2000s while fostering deep community ties. Off-air, he became the iconic "Voice of the Rendezvous," emceeing San Bernardino's Route 66 Rendezvous car show for years and earning a 2012 Lifetime Achievement induction into the Cruisin' Hall of Fame.
"Vic has spent 31 incredible years doing what he does best—connecting with listeners in the Inland Empire," said KOLA Program Director Gary Springfield. Anaheim Broadcasting owner Mark/Anaheim owner Mark/Anaheim owner and Vic's boss, Mark/Anaheim Broadcasting owner, called him "a diligent, loyal broadcasting professional" and "dear friend" whose absence will be felt daily. Corral himself reflected in a farewell message: "
As the saying goes, 'Nothing ever lasts forever,' and it is with a mix of emotions... that I announce my official retirement." Listeners are tuning in for his final week (December 8-12).
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| Victor Corral |
Corral's departure spotlights a broader "great retirement wave" sweeping U.S. radio, particularly in legacy formats like classic hits, where veteran talent—honed in the vinyl-to-streaming shift—is exiting en masse without robust pipelines to replace them.
Anaheim Broadcasting attributed Corral's exit partly to "streaming pivots," as stations reallocate resources to digital platforms where podcasts and on-demand audio now drive growth (up 22% in ad revenue to over $1 billion in 2025, per S&P Global). Similar shifts at giants like Cumulus and iHeartMedia have accelerated retirements, opening an estimated 500+ on-air slots nationwide in the next 12-18 months.
Industry leaders, polled in Radio Ink's 2025 "40 Most Powerful People" preview, emphasize urgency: "In the next 10 years, this industry is going to shed its most experienced veteran corps of... air talent due to retirement," one exec noted, advocating "retired mentoring" programs to transfer institutional knowledge before it's lost. NAB's broader 2025 outlook highlights talent shortages as a top threat, potentially costing the sector billions in unrealized revenue by 2030 if unaddressed.