Steve Dahl
Radio Legend

Marking his 30th anniversary on Chicago’s airwaves in February 2008, Steve Dahl has become one of radio’s most successful and enduring talents, known for holding few topics off limits and allowing his listeners an intimate look into both his professional and private lives.

Starting out his radio career in California and Detroit, respectively, Steve set his sights out for a career in Chicago radio, beginning with two stints at WLUP-FM (97.9, "The Loop") and the now- defunct WLUP-AM. He later spent five years at WLS-AM (890) and –FM. Closing an 11-year chapter in radio at WCKG-FM (105.9) in November 2007, Steve began a new chapter, moving to mornings on sister station WJMK-FM (104.3), also known as Jack-FM.

With countless shakeups in the radio world, Steve has remained a Chicago mainstay.

Steve’s expertise is not just limited to radio, but extends to television and music as well. He won a Chicago television Emmy in 1982 in the category "Outstanding Achievement for a Single Program" for his work on “Greetings From Graceland,” chronicling his tour of Elvis' estate. Since then, he has produced groundbreaking programs such as ABC’s story of the Beach Boys, “Summer Dreams,” and the shows “It's Too Early,” “New Year's Steve and Garry” and the CBS late-night show, “The Midnight Hour.” He also created and executive produced the PBS music series “Soundstage” in 2003.

Steve’s name is often synonymous with 1979’s Disco Demolition. Some even call it Steve’s most influential contribution to the national music scene. Initially crafted as a radio promotion, Steve lead a “Disco Sucks” chant as an estimated 90,000 fans and listeners showed up to storm the field, joining him in setting fire to thousands of disco records. The event put Steve on the map in Chicago and the rest of the country, and earned him the reputation of being one of the most influential DJs in rock history.

His 25th anniversary in Chicago was recognized with a party in February
2003 at Chicago’s Museum of Broadcast Communications. For his 20th anniversary, Illinois Governor Jim Edgar proclaimed February 28, 1998 "Steve Dahl Day" throughout the entire state.

Although Steve is a staunch supporter of his self-created Reading is for Losers campaign (not really), he became the witty vice advisor for the Chicago Tribune in January 2006, penning comedic articles surmounting the main vices in his life. Recent columns have entailed his addiction to tanning, his recent love for Starbuck’s and his obsession with the White Sox.

After inviting rock band The Nadas to be the house band for the Steve Dahl Show on the most recent fall trip to Mexico, Steve instantly felt a musical connection with the band. Steve spent most of his summer in 2007 playing Dahlfins gigs with The Nadas across the Chicagoland area. Look for Steve to re-record some of his classics and record some new songs with The Nadas (or as Steve likes to call them, the Nothings).

Steve and his wife Janet reside in the western suburbs of Chicago. They have three sons: Patrick, who works in television production in Los Angeles; Mike, a writer/producer at Comcast SportsNet in Chicago; and Matt, a recent graduate of DePaul University.

Steve can be found on the air at 104.3 Jack FM hosting mornings from 5:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m. with radio veteran Buzz Kilman.

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Steve photos