Sunday morning got here with snow, and with grief, within the type of the information of the loss of life of Lyn Bremer, the favored, affluent, and beloved host on Chicago radio WXRT-FM 93.1.
The 68-year-old had spoken publicly about his remedy for prostate most cancers. Sunday morning, fellow WXRT host and pal Terry Hemmert knowledgeable listeners of his loss of life and mentioned partially within the present state of affairs“We should let you recognize that we’ve got all misplaced our greatest pal. Lane Bremer fought most cancers for so long as doable. He handed away early this morning, peacefully, along with his spouse (Sarah) and son (Wilson) by his aspect.”
Bremer has been on the air right here since 1991, because the morning host till 2020, when he grew to become the noon host.
He was born in August 1954 in New York and raised in Queens. After graduating from Colgate College in upstate New York, his first broadcasting job was at WQBK-FM in Albany (the place he grew to become often known as the “Reverend of Rock ‘n’ Roll”), earlier than arriving right here to turn out to be music director at WXRT in 1984, making It helps outline the character of that station.
Bremer met his spouse, Sarah Farr, in school. “Sure, we had been school sweethearts,” she mentioned Sunday, including that they dated for 16 years earlier than getting married. “We did not need to spoil a very good factor,” she mentioned with a smile in her tone. “We obtained married in 1997 and it was superb. I realized very early on that I used to be going to must share Lin with hundreds of others. I understood, and I used to be glad to do it as a result of there was no distinction between the man on the radio and the man I knew.”
When Bremer moved on to afternoons, he mentioned in a sometimes upbeat assertion, “Like a veteran middle fielder shifting to first base, I stay up for hitting second. The enjoyment of being a morning buddy for households who help 93XRT makes up for the brutal schedule of somebody who likes to go to live shows.” At evening. I am not 29 anymore. I want the phrase “Is not it time so that you can sleep but?” was utilized to another person for some time.”
This previous July, Bremer introduced he would Take a trip from the station to proceed his remedy, which included radiation, biopsies, and drug therapies. He returned to the airwaves in late November, saying in an interview With CBS2 Chicago’s Jim Williams, “It has been a tough highway. … Seems I am getting a brief break from chemo after my final session … So I’ll get a month and a half off with none injections – and that is a pleasant ramp in addition and see how I do.” And see how I can deal with internet hosting a radio present — and in addition preventing most cancers on the identical time.”
His return delighted his followers and buddies. A lot of them had been crushed by the information of his loss of life on Sunday and shared vivid recollections and tearful emotions.
Joe Shanahan, proprietor of the Metro music membership, advised me, “Nights on the Metro and days at Wrigley’s, he actually helped carve out a brand new function on the ‘double-head’. We’ll miss him as a result of he touched everybody in his personal approach. I am simply reeling. I have been praying and crying all morning.”
A loyal Cubs fan well-known in Chicago, Bremer was essentially the most accessible “celeb” by taking photos and taking part in fan talks at a wide range of charity and leisure occasions. Along with his track choices influenced by his character as a disc jockey, he was at his educated finest in his brilliantly written on-air articles he dubbed “Lin’s Bin.”
“Lane was doing radio with an unusual humanity,” mentioned the Chicago-based artist and actor. Tony Fitzpatrick. “He was pretty much as good and heat as anybody who’s ever been on air.”
In a visitor speaker column Contributed in 2012 For Tribune Printer’s Row, he wrote that “The Lane’s Field” begins with a query. …The place does the time go? Why are youngsters so eccentric? The questions come from unknown boys, from grieving moms, from elementary college youngsters making an attempt to know older brothers and sisters. … I select a query primarily based on a easy quiz. Will I be capable to reply this? If I feel I can, I’ll proceed to infer it with out pity. I by no means turned again.”
in 2013, he advised the Tribune Teddy Greenstein has attended almost 1,500 rock live shows, his favourite being a semi-secret efficiency at Double Door in 1997 by the Rolling Stones. WXRT solely obtained three tickets, others took them, however Bremer mentioned a pal in public relations noticed him and waved him off.
Recognized at present as “your finest pal in the entire world”, one other of his well-known catchphrases, with which he ends every day by day program, is closely influenced by him, “Do not take something with no consideration, it is so good to be alive.”
Bremer is survived by his spouse and son W.B She will likely be immortalized, partially, on WXRT-FM 93.1 with a particular block of programming starting at 10 a.m. on Mondays, which is when Brehmer started exhibiting frequently. Extra memorials are being deliberate.
rkogan@chicagotribune.com