Rush Limbaugh Dies At 70; Had Early Career Stops In Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH, PA — Rush Limbaugh, the polarizing conservative talk show host who honed his early radio skills in places that included Pittsburgh, has died at 70. He had been suffering from lung cancer.

Mr. Limbaugh's death was announced Wednesday on his nationally syndicated radio program by his wife, Kathryn, and Limbaugh's family posted a statement on the show's website.

"We, the Limbaugh family, are deeply saddened to announce that our beloved Rush has died. Rush Hudson Limbaugh III will forever be the greatest of all time, a courageous brilliant gentle giant, and radio pioneer. Our entire family is so thankful to everyone who prayed and cared for Rush,
especially the audience he adored. Rush's love for our country, and for all of you, will live on eternally."

For 32 years, Mr. Limbaugh hosted "The Rush Limbaugh Show," becoming a transformational figure in the American conservative movement and one of the most powerful and well-known people in broadcasting. Three presidents appeared on his show, including Donald Trump, who last year awarded Limbaugh with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

"The Rush Limbaugh Show" has been heard on 600 radio stations by up to 27 million people each
week, the highest-rated national radio talk show in America, according to the show website.

Before becoming a syndicated conservative talk show host on AM radio in the late 1980s, the Missouri native and college dropout bounced around the nation's radio markets as a rock DJ and sports radio host.

One of those markets was Pittsburgh, where Mr. Limbaugh worked at WIXZ in McKeesport and KQV under the name of Jeff Christie, according to ABC Oldies Radio DJ and Pittsburgh radio historian Jeff Roteman.

Roteman's KQV tribute page states that Mr. Limbaugh came to KQV to work the evening shift in 1972 and a number of the phrases he later used on his talk show - such as "all across the fruited plain" were heard during his KQV days. Mr. Limbaugh's EIB network was named after a term he used in Pittsburgh: "Excellence in broadcasting."

During his second KQV stint, he filled in during the midday shift before moving to Kansas City and then on to the fame and fortune he would enjoy as Rush Limbaugh.

Contributing: Deb Belt/Patch.