LOS ANGELES – Long-time Southern California radio personality Chuck Cecil has died at the age of 96.

While working at KFI, Cecil pitched the idea of a Big Band oriented radio show to the station's management; they agreed. So in June 1956, "The Swingin' Years" went on the air for the first time.

He remained on KFI for the next 21 years until 1973, when KFI made a format change, causing Cecil to leave the station. Cecil later spent most of the 1970s and 80s working at radio stations KGIL-AM and KPRZ, both in Los Angeles. His program was heard in the Inland Empire on KCAL-FM in the 1970’s.

Cecil produced "The Swingin' Years" from his home in Ventura, California, where he moved from the San Fernando Valley in 2002, utilizing a massive library of more than 30,000 78-, 45- and 33-rpm records, and his own personal library of interviews with 356 band leaders, singers and sidemen..." ]In June 2013, the show celebrated its 57th anniversary of existence.

Cecil's last program was carried on WPPB, Long Island, New York, on July 3, 2016, when it was announced that this would be his final program.

Story Date: May 21, 2019