 |
| Sandy Beach (1940-2026) |
Sandy Beach, one of Buffalo’s most iconic radio personalities, has died. His family announced the death today following a period of failing health.
Beach, whose real name was Donald Pesola, retired from WBEN as a talk-show host in 2020 after 23 years of entertaining and informing Western New Yorkers. He retired in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and revealed on the air that his departure was because he couldn’t come to a new contract agreement with the station’s owner, Audacy.
A Lunenburg, Massachusetts, native, Beach first opened a microphone in Buffalo at WKBW in 1968. He earlier began his career in 1965 at WDRC in Hartford and later worked in major markets including WBAP in Dallas/Fort Worth, WZTR in Milwaukee, KYUU in San Francisco and WJET in Erie, Pennsylvania. In Buffalo he also hosted mornings at WMJQ (102.5), and worked at WNYS (104.1) and WGR.
Known for his infectious laugh and edgy, fun style, Beach was inducted into the Buffalo Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2003, the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 2013 and the New York State Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2017.
He was nominated three times for Billboard Magazine’s Radio Personality of the Year Award.
He is survived by his wife, Bernadette, his family, and many friends and fellow broadcasters.
The Buffalo Broadcasters Association expressed deep condolences on the loss of this remarkable broadcaster and friend.