The death of iconic WXRT-FM disc jockey Lin Brehmer not only left a hole in Chicago’s once mighty rock radio landscape, it’s a further reminder of the slow fade of the age when big personalities dominated radio and influenced the musical tastes of millions.
Brehmer, 68, who died Sunday after battling prostate cancer, was part of a pantheon of esteemed DJs who ruled local radio and launched the careers of untold artists by simply playing their music on the air. Brehmer, who once earned the nickname “The Reverend of Rock ’n’ Roll,” combined an encyclopedic knowledge of music with heartfelt personal commentary.
A day after his death, social media was flooded with online memorials from musical acts including Wilco and Los Lobos, along with actor John Cusack, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and former Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Brehmer was “the voice of WXRT,” Cusack tweeted.
Brehmer’s…
