Dave Tucker, of WCRB, has died

[4CX1000A]

See http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/bostonglobe/obituary.aspx?n=david-b-tucker&pid=150299851 .

I worked with Dave for ten years, from 1985 to 1995. He was a very talented, witty, and a joy to work with. He used to tell fascinating stories about his stint working for Armed Forces Radio in occupied Japan after World War II. He would never suffer an unkind word about General MacArthur.

When I knew Dave he was program director and afternoon drive host for WCRB at 102.5 FM. Whenever he thought there were a few too many people in the studio, he would utter the words:

"Grand Central Station! Crossroads of a million private lives, a gigantic stage on which are set a thousand dramas daily!"

Dave was an original WCRB employee, hired when the station first went on as a 500-watt daytime-only AM in 1948.

 

[Laurence Glavin]

Ah, the Boston Globe. I love it dearly, but you don't have to read very far before you encounter a quizzical mistake. He was an avid reader about LUCY Borden? Hmmm...it's likely that the obit should have referred to LIZZIE Borden. Forty whacks with a wet noodle. BTW, Lizzie Borden was acquitted of the murders.

 

[thirdendorsed]

The Lucy Borden error was contained in a paid death notice and appears exactly as written by the funeral home and as it appears on the funeral home Web site. It was not a Globe-originated obituary. There is a difference between death notices and obituaries.

That being said, three observations.
1. Someone at the Globe should have noticed the funeral home's error, but it was probably type set by classified ad taker.

2. The Globe should have done a formal obituary.

3. From all accounts, he was a marvelous man who, in addition to his considerable professional achievements, devoted himself in retirement to a special needs nephew and with Dave MacNeil and Richard Kaye was a pillar of what was a very good radio station before the founding family put the station in the hands of a nitwit who hired another nitwit who decided there was such a thing as Top 40 classical music.

 

[davalvideo]

Dave tucker also hosted for a few years back in the late 70's, a WCRB program that aired Sunday mornings at 10 called "Armenian Echoes". It followed the "Armenian Culture Program", hosted by Dave MacNeil, which ran at 9:30. Tucker's program featured Armenian folk music and some lighter classical favorites. My own mother, who had recorded an album back in 1980, was featured on one such broadcast. The Armenian community of Breater Boston will miss Dave. As he said upon the conclusion of each weekly show, "manak parov meenchev kalee giragee". (So long until next Sunday).