Bill Wright Sr., of Wayne, a longtime radio and television personality, has died at 92. His voice was a cornerstone of stations WIBG-AM and WPEN-AM, writes Gary Miles for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Known as Bill “The Rebel” Wright and “Uncle Bill,” Wright was associated with some of the biggest music stars of the last century, including Dick Clark, Elvis Presley, Dinah Shore, and Chubby Checker. He also greeted The Beatles in Philadelphia when they made their 1964 American debut.

“He was present for some amazing events,” said his son Paul.

Wright developed his love for radio as a child after he contracted a bone disease that left him mostly bedridden for five years. His mother gave him a bedside radio to keep him company. He listened to it constantly.

Coming from a musical family, he also learned to sing at gatherings around his mother’s piano. He also developed a compelling ability to tell stories.

These fundamentals came together in his big break, becoming an announcer at Birmingham’s WSGN-AM. He then hopped to the Cincinnati airwaves before finally sitting behind the mic at Philadelphia’s WIBG in 1958. At the station, he became known as one of the “Wibbage good guys” of the 1960s.

In 1990, Wright joined WPEN as a fill-in for Joe Niagara and Ken Garland, and stayed there four years. He also worked in early satellite radio, was the voice of public exhibits and radio and television documentaries, and did public relations and production jobs for the Philadelphia Drama Guild.

He was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia Hall of Fame in 2005; four years later, the group named him person of the year.

Read more about Bill Wright in The Philadelphia Inquirer.