CHARLIE TUNA

Born Art Ferguson in Nebraska, “Charlie Tuna” has been on the radio for over 40 years. He received his new name early in his career at KOMA/Oklahoma City when he inherited the moniker from the previous host. Since that time, he has become one of the most respected voices in radio.

Tuna began his radio career at the age of 16 at KGFW in his hometown of Kearney, Nebraska. After brief stints at KLEO/Wichita, Kansas and KOMA, he spent the first part of 1967 at WMEX/Boston. On Thanksgiving Day of that year, he debuted on KHJ/Los Angeles and has been an L.A. fixture ever since.

After becoming one of the original disc jockeys at KROQ/Los Angeles, Tuna went on to work at numerous stations throughout the area, including as host of Charlie Tuna in the Morning on KBIG until the station changed formats in 2007.

Popular with both the listening public and his peers, Charlie Tuna was named one of the “Top 10 L.A. Radio Personalities of All Time” in 1997. He also produced some 6000 shows during a 25-year run (1971–1996) on the Armed Forces Radio Netowrk.

He returned to the airwaves in 2008 performing weekend duties on classic rock station KRTH/Los Angeles.

Charlie Tuna was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2008.

Photograph courtesy of Photofest.
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