Roger Erickson: Another Part of the Radio Neighborhood

English: WCCO Radio Logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Roger Erickson, who had an on-air partnership with Charlie Boone that lasted 37 years on WCCO-AM radio (believed to be the longest running duo in the medium's history), died Monday at 89.

Boone and Erickson attracted a huge following from 1961 to 1998, in an era when half of the listening audience in Minnesota tuned to The Big 8-3-0.  Every morning they would banter among themselves, play records, interview guests, do commercials and perform in skits and sketches.  From "World Wide News" and "Worst Jokes" to "Minnesota Hospital", they spoofed the world around them as they involved everyone from politicians to entertainment figures.  The partnership was extended to the stage, where they once performed in the Old Log Theater's production of "The Odd Couple".

But Erickson could also play it straight.  If you were listening to him between 5 and 6 a.m. most mornings, he'd read the headlines, the time and temperature, introduce the farm reports and play a gospel record.  On days when the snow fell and the wind blew, Erickson became the Voice of School Closings to thousands of Minnesota kids waiting with bated breath to hear him announce their school's name, and whether classes would be delayed or canceled.

Erickson was a Minnesota boy, having grown up on his farm in Winthrop.  He attended the University of Minnesota, where he studied speech and theater and spent time working at KUOM radio.  He came to WCCO in 1959 after a few years in Stillwater radio at WAVN (now KLBB-AM 1220).  He also spent some time playing Bozo the Clown on a WCCO-TV kids' show.

Erickson was one of the original members of the Minnesota Broadcasting Hall of Fame, having been inducted in 2001.

We wrote this back in 2015 after Boone died, but this bears repeating:  Morning radio in the Twin Cities and elsewhere have a harder edge now than it did when Boone and Erickson ruled the local airwaves, singing the closing line of the "Good Morning" song shortly after the 6 a.m. news to begin another day.  When they sang "it's grand to be on hand", they meant it.  This is why people in Minnesota and elsewhere have fond memories of the Good Neighbor to the Northwest.  

And of Charlie Boone and Roger Erickson.

UPDATE (11/6/17):  Days after the passing of Erickson, another figure from WCCO's golden era has signed off for good.  Chuck Liligren, who was the station's farm director for 24 years, died on November 3 at the age of 89.