Hampton Roads radio broadcast legend Dick Lamb dies at 88

Dick Lamb, whose voice helped define Hampton Roads radio for decades, has died at 88.

Lamb passed away peacefully at his home Tuesday morning following a lengthy illness, spokesperson Chris Wilson said.

Lamb was a force in Hampton Roads broadcasting, both on the air and behind the scenes. As a radio personality and station owner, he helped shape careers, influenced programming, and entertained generations of listeners, Wilson said.

Lamb was one of the most popular voices on morning radio in Hampton Roads over the last few decades. He hosted "Dick Lamb and the Morning Wave" on The Wave (WVBW-FM) at 92.9 beginning in 2005.

Lamb’s voice has been a fixture on Hampton Roads radio for generations of listeners, he hosted "Breakfast Bunch" on 101.3 2WD (WWDE-FM) for more than 25 years and hosted a midmorning variety show on WTKR in the 1970s called "The Dick Lamb Show."

WTKR

Lamb had stepped away from the airwaves in 2019. He announced his retirement from The Wave during a Facebook Live on the station's page, saying his final morning show would air on Jan. 11, 2019.

"With a new year … I believe it's time for a change. So, this coming Friday is going to be my last," Lamb said in the announcement on-air. "You guys are on your own, I've done all I can do," Lamb said jokingly.

"You talk about a guy being blessed," Lamb added.

Lamb said in 2019 he would remain with Max Media, which owns The Wave along with several other Hampton Roads radio stations, in a management capacity.

“His passion for radio, entrepreneurial spirit, and dedication to the industry earned him a lasting place in Hampton Roads broadcasting history,” Wilson said in a statement. “His legacy lives on through the many broadcasters he mentored, the colleagues he inspired, and the countless listeners whose lives he touched.”

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to an Alzheimer's disease or blood cancer charity of the donor's choice, Wilson said.

Funeral or memorial arrangements have not yet been announced.

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