Hampton Roads Radio Personality Dick Lamb Dies at 88

Dick Lamb, whose familiar voice shaped morning radio and television across Hampton Roads for decades, died at his home on Tuesday morning at age 88 following a lengthy illness.

Family spokesperson Chris Wilson said that Lamb passed away peacefully, leaving behind a profound legacy in coastal Virginia broadcasting both on the air and behind the scenes.

“His passion for radio, entrepreneurial spirit, and dedication to the industry earned him a lasting place in Hampton Roads broadcasting history,” Wilson said in a statement.

Lamb anchored the local airwaves for generations, spending more than 25 years hosting the “Breakfast Bunch” on 101.3 2WD (WWDE-FM) and later launching “Dick Lamb and the Morning Wave” on The Wave (WVBW-FM) at 92.9 beginning in 2005. In the 1970s, he also hosted a midmorning variety show called “The Dick Lamb Show” on WTKR (known at the time as WTAR-TV).

Max Radio CEO Gene Loving, a friend and business partner of more than 60 years, remembered starting out with Lamb as disc jockeys at WGH radio in the 1960s, WAVY reported.

“When someone that you have a relationship like that passes away, I think you want to say something to remember them,” Loving told WAVY. “And since he and I worked publicly together for so long, I welcome this opportunity to say goodbye to Dick. If it hadn’t been for Dick, on many occasions, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here today.”

The pair teamed up for a dance party show called “Disco 10” on WAVY later that decade. Loving said that Lamb’s natural ease on camera eventually led the station to offer him a full-time role covering weather, sports, and a program called “Compass.” Despite receiving offers from larger media markets, Lamb chose to remain rooted in coastal Virginia.

“Very quiet guy, family guy, very nice person,” Loving told WAVY, describing interactions with listeners. “Anyone that approached him in a restaurant or in a grocery store, he would stop talk to them. He never put on the big star air.”

Beyond his on-air presence, Lamb helped found and co-own the first Adult Contemporary FM radio station in the region. He officially stepped away from the microphone on Jan. 11, 2019, announcing his retirement during a Facebook Live broadcast on The Wave’s page.

“With a new year … I believe it’s time for a change. So, this coming Friday is going to be my last,” Lamb said during the on-air announcement, joking to his audience, “You guys are on your own, I’ve done all I can do.”

Following his departure from morning radio, Lamb remained involved with Max Media in a management capacity. Wilson said that his influence persists through the colleagues he inspired and the broadcasters he mentored.

Funeral and memorial arrangements have not yet been announced. The family requests that memorial donations be directed to an Alzheimer’s disease or blood cancer charity of the donor’s choice instead of flowers.