WAMU(FM) senior commentator Fred Fiske retires today — at age 91.
As he completed his final commentary for the station yesterday, he said Sept. 27 marks 64 years on the radio in Washington. Thirty of those were spent at the American University licensee.
After thanking WAMU and his wife, Sandy, Fiske said: It’s been a wonderful ride.”
Fiske got his start in radio as a child actor in the 1930s. Fiske came to Washington in 1947 and began working as an announcer at Mutual Broadcasting System’s WOL(AM) radio, which later became WWDC. During the 1950s, Fiske hosted a midday pop music program at WWDC. He also wrote a weekly newspaper column called “Fiske’s Discs.”
In 1977, Fiske came to WAMU, hosting the talk program “The Fred Fiske Show.” He cut back to “senior commentator” status in 1991, when his first wife Ruth became ill.
Fiske will be honored at WAMU’s “50th anniversary gala” on Oct. 29.
