KiddNation hosts lament loss of Kidd Kraddick

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KiddKraddick“Kidd Kraddick in the Morning” affiliates and listeners heard co-hosts Kellie Rasberry, Big Al Mack, J-Si Chavez and Jenna Owens and others talk about the huge loss that radio, the KiddNation and communities across the country have felt from the loss of Kidd—and his legacy. Dallas-based Kidd Kraddick was heard from CCME’s flagship KISS-FM (KHKS-FM Dallas). He died suddenly 7/27, working a charity golf event to raise money for his Kidd’s Kids charity for terminally ill children.


The Jefferson Parish, Louisiana coroner’s office lists “cardiac disease” as his cause of death, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported Monday. A golf pro at the charity event said that Kraddick did not feel well and took only a few swings before leaving the event. Kraddick had an enlarged heart, which indicated high blood pressure, and three diseased vessels, according to Dr. Granville Morse. One of his arteries had an 80% blockage. The toxicology report is expected within seven days.

His show was syndicated by Kraddick’s company, YEA Networks. He was also seen on Fox Stations’ nationally-syndicated “Dish Nation” TV show weeknights.

On 7/29, Gavin DeGraw kicked off a live tribute and played an acoustic version of “Chariot.”

Rasberry said the team is “beyond devastated” and that his death was a shock and dismissed rumors that anyone was hiding info about his health: “Everybody has questions, and we don’t have any answers.”  She said he spent the night before shooting craps and making videos on the streets of New Orleans, then fell ill before the golf tournament the next morning.

Chavez said Kraddick was as a father figure to him and fought off tears remembering his last words to him: “I’m so proud of you.”

The show continued with memories and callers and memorable clips from past shows.

Rasberry told listeners that they’d let everyone know what was next as soon as they could but that they were going to take the rest of the week off. “Best of Kidd” will be airing the rest of this week.

Here’s a list of Kidd affiliates:

KACZ / Manhattan, Kansas

KAFX / Nacogdoches, Texas

KBBQ-FM / Fort Smith, Arkansas

KCRS / Odessa, Texas

KENR / Missoula, Montana

KFBZ / Wichita, Kansas

KGFX-FM / Pierre, South Dakota

KHDK / Burlington, Iowa

KHKS / Dallas, Texas

KIIK / Fairfield, Iowa

KISN / Bozeman, Montana

KKCT / Bismarck, North Dakota

KKMX / Roseburg, Oregon

KKPN / Corpus Christi, Texas

KKSW / Lawrence, Kansas

KLJZ / Yuma, Arizona

KLQQ / Sheridan, Wyoming

KMCK / Fayetteville, Arkansas

KMDX / San Angelo, Texas

KMJI / Texarkana, Texas

KMMX / Lubbock, Texas

KMRX / El Dorado, Arkansas

KNIN / Wichita Falls, Texas

KOGM / Opelousas, Louisiana

KOOC / Killeen, Texas

KOQL / Columbia, Missouri

KCDD / Abilene, Texas

KPLV / Las Vegas, Nevada

KQDJ / Jamestown, North Dakota

KQIZ / Amarillo, Texas

KQLQ / Monroe, Louisiana

KREZ / Cape Girardeau, Missouri

KSKZ / Copeland, Kansas

KSYN / Joplin, Missouri

KTDR / Del Rio, Texas

KTIJ / Hobart, Oklahoma

KTSR / Lake Charles, Louisiana

KTTH / Seattle, Washington

KTYL / Tyler, Texas

KUJ / Tri-Cities, Washington

KXFC / Ada, Oklahoma

KXIX / Bend, Oregon

KXXM / San Antonio, Texas

KZLK / Rapid City, South Dakota

KZPT / Tucson, Arizona

KZTQ / Reno, Nevada

WAEV / Savannah, Georgia

WBEI / Tuscaloosa, Alabama

KPTE / Durango, Colorado

WBHT / Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania

WBJZ / Oshkosh, Wisconsin

WCBH / Terre Haute, Indiana

WDKS / Evansville, Indiana

WEZB / New Orleans, Louisiana

WFMF / Baton Rouge, Louisiana

WHAJ / Bluefield, West Virginia

WHCY / Blairstown, New Jersey

WHHD / Augusta, Georgia

WHTF / Tallahassee, Florida

WIOL / Columbus, Georgia

WKIB / Cape Girardeau, Missouri

WKZB / Meridian, Mississippi

WLHT / Grand Rapids, Michigan

WLTO / Lexington, Kentucky

WMGB / Macon, Georgia

WMHX / Madison, Wisconsin

WNSL / Laurel, Mississippi

WNUQ / Albany, Georgia

WPFM / Panama City, Florida

WPTY/Long Island, New York

WREZ / Paducah, Kentucky

WWKT / Florence, South Carolina

WWKZ / Tupelo, Mississippi

WWXM / Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

WXYK / Biloxi, Mississippi

WYSS / Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan

WZLB / Fort Walton Beach, Florida

WZLK / Pikeville, Kentucky

WZOO / Ashtabula, Ohio

WQGA / Jacksonville, Florida

RBR-TVBR observation: The loss is huge. No one can truly speculate what will become of the show after next week, but we think it should continue with the current team. Whether affiliates will keep the show or not in the future depends on the listeners and affiliates themselves. No one can really replace Kidd, but there may be a way to keep the show relevant with his memory. We’re pretty sure that his legacy alone is enough to keep “Kidd Kraddick in the Morning” viable for months to come. Eventually YEA Networks staff will sit down and plan for the future—if there is to be one—but not today.