Banks did nights there for a year, then moved to mornings, becoming a Chicago institution from 1987 to 1994. There has not been an official statement regarding the matter, but it was reported by ABC7 and the Chicago Tribune that he had died from complications stemming from his diabetes.
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“I think the favorite day in the studio for me was when we talked about me being afraid of Y2K”, DeDe McGuire, his co-host for 17 years, said fondly. In 2010, DOUG’s show again found a new home with American Urban Radio Networks (AURN), changing the name to THE DOUG BANKS RADIO SHOW. He hosted a nationally syndicated radio show for 16 years, and it became one of the most important syndicated radio programs in the United States. “I knew about his health challenges, but his work ethic was relentless”. Banks began his broadcasting career on his high school’s radio station in Detroit, Michigan. He later worked at radio stations in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas. In 1995 he signed a multimillion-dollar deal with ABC to host a syndicated show from Dallas. He will be missed by our city, his fans and his family members here at V103.
Banks’ health problems sidelined him recently for two months.
Derrick Brown, director of urban programming for iHeartMedia Chicago, said: “I am absolutely devastated by the news of Doug’s passing”. Banks took a hiatus from his show over the winter, returning in February sounding optimistic for the future.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel called Banks “one of our most iconic radio voices”.
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Banks is survived by his wife and three daughters.
