Chuck Leonard


Charles Wesley Leonard was an American radio personality at WABC in New York City during the 1960s and 1970s. His deep voice and smoothness resonated across 38 states for 14 years at ABC. During his over 40-year career in broadcasting, Leonard worked virtually every shift and played all styles of music at stations including WWRL, WABC, WXLO, WRKS, WBLS, WQEW, WNSW-AM and WJUX. He has been inducted in the Museum of Television & Radio and is known as the first African-American disc jockey to work on a mainstream radio station.

College radio

Leonard began his broadcasting career at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, as program director of college radio WPGU, while majoring in journalism.

Newspaper experience

After graduation, Leonard worked briefly for the Washington Evening Star, while working part-time at WEBB, Baltimore.

Radio career

WWRL, New York, April–June 1965

Leonard moved to WWRL in New York in June 1965, doing the night shift. Leonard was at WWRL for just seven weeks, before WABC deejay Dan Ingram heard him and convinced WABC to hire him. He was the first African-American broadcast personality on a major market Top 40 station.

WABC (AM) Radio, New York, 1965-1979

Leonard began at ABC's flagship New York radio station, Musicradio 77 WABC, under program director Rick Sklar in 1965. He broke the color barrier for all who followed — the first African-American to cross over from black R&B radio to mass-appeal radio.
Leonard began in the 11 p.m. to midnight slot, and continued working late nights and Sundays at the station until November 27, 1979. He did the 10:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. shift following “Cousin” Bruce Morrow and later George Michael. He also gladly handled weekend and fill-in work.
Leonard was the host of "Sneak Preview," a five-minute Monday-through-Saturday evening program on ABC's American Contemporary Radio Network, which featured newly released songs. He stayed at WABC until 1979, before moving to WXLO and WRKS.

WXLO-FM, New York, 1980-1981

Leonard moved to WXLO on May 12, 1980.

WRKS-FM (98.7 KISS-FM), New York, 1981-1989

Leonard did mornings and afternoons in the 1980s.

WBLS-FM, New York, June 30, 1989-1994

Leonard played R&B from 7–11 p.m. He always kept ties with WBLS, working weekends, fill-ins and overnights.

WQEW-AM, New York, 1996-1998

Leonard played popular standards from the American songbook prior to the station flipping to Radio Disney.

WNSW-AM 1430, New York

WNSW was on the air for only two years, offering popular standards.

WJUX-FM 103.1 “Jukebox Radio”

Leonard did afternoon drive.

WCBS-FM, New York

For WCBS-FM, Leonard did occasional fill in work, including on Christmas Day. He was heard on the Radio Greats weekends. He did not work full-time at WCBS-FM because he was a full-time employee for WBLS. CBS-FM welcomed Leonard to fill in any time he could.

Sirius Satellite Radio

Leonard joined Sirius Satellite Radio, where he was heard on both the Swing Street and Soul Review channels.

Personal life

Leonard was a Golden Gloves boxing champion. Leonard served in the Vietnam War.
Leonard died on August 12, 2004, in Manhattan, following lung cancer. He was 67. He is survived by his wife, Pam, and two daughters, Kyra and Diana.