WBAL’s Ron Smith, R.I.P.
Over the last 20 years, I’ve done thousands of radio interviews with hosts and anchors around the country.
WBAL’s Ron Smith in Baltimore was one of the first who spent time in-depth discussing my early books and columns. Whether he agreed or disagreed (the former Marine opposed the Iraq war), he was always gracious, deeply informed, engaged, and engaging.
He was not only a radio legend, but also a passionate supporter of the arts in his community and a media personality who truly cared about his listeners. I came to know of him initially through my brother-in-law, Daniel — one of Ron’s biggest fans and a cellist in Baltimore. When Daniel launched a local educational series called “Music In Common,” Ron volunteered to narrate the chamber music kick-off.
Here’s an article from 1994 on their collaboration:
Music in Common, a chamber music series, has quite an offering for its debut concert this weekend.
Cellist Daniel Malkin, founder and director of Music in Common, has assembled top local talent from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Peabody Institute, Kennedy Center and WBAL radio.
And while it might seem odd to find a news/talk radio personality in such company, talk show host Ron Smith, who will narrate the concert, loves classical music.
Mr. Smith will join Mr. Malkin, of the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, violinist Wonju Kim of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, and Amy Lin, a pianist and faculty member at the Peabody Institute.
The four will perform classical works by Brahms and Tartini and contemporary pieces by Hindemith and Grant Beglarian Sunday afternoon at the 250-seat Wilde Lake Interfaith Center.
Mr. Malkin said that Music in Common’s goal is “to have fun concerts and have an informal atmosphere where musicians speak to the audience.
“It’s not really a children’s concert. But any kid who could appreciate a classical music concert could appreciate this.”
Mr. Smith, who describes himself as a latecomer to classical music, said he supports the group “trying to show the accessibility of serious music.”
“I’ve done these things before. I enjoy doing narration for serious music,” said Mr. Smith, who has worked in a similar capacity for the BSO and at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. He also covered the BSO’s trip to the former Soviet Union for WBAL.
Mr. Smith will introduce the classical pieces and narrate for the contemporary works.
The first is Hindemith’s “A Frog He Went A-Courting” variations, in which each variation is one verse of a nursery rhyme that Mr. Smith will read.
In April 1997, Daniel died of melanoma at the age of 33. He was charismatic, brilliant, funny, and passionate about politics, but much more than that — a man of family and faith who embraced all life had to offer.
I got in touch with Ron a few weeks ago to let him know how much he touched our family and to express thanks for his personal kindness both to Daniel and to me over the years. Amazingly — and true to his generous spirit — Ron took the time to respond:
This is Ron. I have very little time left. A few days perhaps. I’m at peace.
I’ve watched your career blossom over the years and have really enjoyed your strong points-of-view, even when not in agreement.
Daniel was a transcendent spirit.
Keep on truckin’ girl.
Best,
Ron
Last night, Baltimore’s Voice of Reason succumbed to cancer at the age of 70:
Ron died at his home in Shrewsbury, Pa., surrounded by his wife, June, and the rest of his family. He is survived by his wife, five children and seven grandchildren. Funeral services will be private. A public memorial service will be scheduled at a later date.
In October, Smith announced on his WBAL 1090 AM radio show that he had been diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer. In November, he elected to stop his chemotherapy treatments at Johns Hopkins Hospital and announced his retirement from broadcasting.
Ron had been a fixture on WBAL Radio and Television for nearly 40 years. Ron began his broadcasting career in Albany, N.Y., and arrived in Baltimore in 1973 as a reporter and anchor for WBAL-TV. He anchored television newscasts as part of WBAL-TV’s old “Action News” team between 1973 and 1980. Then, after a brief break from broadcasting to work as a stockbroker, Smith returned to WBAL Radio in 1985 to begin a whole new journey as a talk show host.
Never a screamer, Smith succeeded by staying on top of local and national politics and standing firm on his principles — even if his listeners disagreed.
My sadness today at Ron’s passing is mitigated by the joyous thought of Ron and Dan — two transcendent spirits — meeting again to share enlightened conversation and heavenly music.
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It’s always a shame when quality people leave us too soon. A man who stood firm on his principles, let the mocking begin.
I didn’t know that about your brother in-law Damiel, Michelle. Thirty three is so very young. I would’ve loved to have jammed with him, classical musician or not. Something about the cello and bass viols I’ve always liked.
Daniel.
May God hold Ron in His arms and give comfort to the family.
L
Fair winds and following seas. Long may your big jib draw. R.I.P.
I’m sorry for both of your families’ losses. God bless them both.
A sad day for you Michelle. I’m sorry about Daniel, such an early time in his life to die. Now 70 looks like a young age to me. I’m sure Ron will be missed by many.
I have a connection to the Baltimore area. I was stationed at Curtis Bay, not far from the Baltimore.
May he rest in peace.
God, Bless his family.
I listened to Ron for many years in the Baltimore market. He was a GOOD man. In the highest sense of the term.
His programs were thoughtful and he treated all his listeners with respect.
Even when many were lambasting him on his stance regarding our entry into the Iraq war, he patiently explained his views and tolerantly accepted criticism.
He will be sorely missed.
Team Reason has been raising donations for pancreatic cancer research at Johns Hopkins hospital. http://www.johnshopkins.org, Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center. Donate for Team Reason. If you have been touched by anyone who has succumbed to pancreatic cancer. Ron Smith was known in Baltimore by the tongue-in-cheek moniker, The Voice of Reason.
It is sad when someone very speical dies. But it is also very sad to me, selfishly, that a calm voice in a sea of emotional hot buttons is now lost.
May he rest in peace.
Smith. A Common Name, an Uncommon Man.
Thank you Michelle for posting this.
It truly is a sad day here in B-more. He is very much a part of why I am a conservative today. I listened to him his entire radio career. He made you think and he made you cry. He made Friday drive time a delight with segments entitled “Someone had to say it”. He encouraged callers to do just that. Then there was “Who would you give 3 slaps?” Many days I’d laugh all the way home, never minding one bit the stagnant traffic.
He always said someone always knows more and when he couldn’t answer a caller, the next caller always seem to know the answer. Learned alot from just that alone.
Prayers are flowing to his lovely wife and family. I pray too for your brother in law Daniel, Michelle.
God Bless You Ron Smith.
Sorry for your loss Michelle.
May he RIP.
We desperately need more such people of integrity and good humor who stand on well-defined principles but can be civil and open to people who don’t agree. A free society can’t exist for long where discussions only take place in competing echo chambers that only serve only to inbreed and reinforce ignorance.
A beautiful sentiment, Michelle.
My condolences. Dan and Ron… “home at last”.
God’s peace to Ron’s family, and to you, Michelle! I know it is a rather tired platitude to say “he is in a better place”, but I firmly believe there IS a MUCH better place awaiting us all. Some day we will understand death. For now, our faith sustains us.
Even without knowing either of these gentlemen personally, you can’t help but feel saddened.
They represented the (3) very attributes this country is lacking most: Civil discourse, even in disagreement. Passion and patience for creative outlets other than pop culture inundation and conducting yourself with class when things are going every way but yours.
It should be noted, the onus is now upon all of us to pick up where they left off. Our thoughts and prayers.
Why is it that people feel the need to often note that someone was a ‘supporter of the arts’? Does that signify that he was a special person or had a special kindness about him? If someone doesn’t support the arts, are they deficient in some moral way?
Another thing I don’t understand is why people have an interest in highlighting someone’s intelligence. Would you do the same for someone who wasn’t that bright? Does it really make the person any better if they were naturally smarter than someone else?
And when Ron referenced your strong point of views, why did he have to inform you of his disagreement with such views? Why can’t people say they respect others’ point of views without having to clarify that they disagree with them often?
I am still a big Ron Smith fan. Didn’t always agree with him, but loved his ability to present facts clearly. He had a way to make you think about your beliefs and determine if the they were beliefs worth holding. Whether you were conservative or liberal he made you think. If you were a caller or guest you would better have your ducks in a row, because he would know the topic and would challenge you.
Ron could have gone national but chose to stay local in the Baltimore market. Even his collegues who competed with him on other stations are memorializing him.
Ron “Talk Show Man” Smith, the Voice of Reason, godspeed and may you rest in peace. You will be missed.
Michelle – I am so sorry to hear this. I moved from Baltimore to Southern California in the mid 1980s. While in B-more, I usually watched Ron Smith on “Action News” (I was a news junkie even in the early 1970s). Hearing about news anchors I remember passing away is especially distressing, since we spend so much time “with” them in our homes, getting the facts from them, and, in the best cases, even learning from them.
Your tribute above is especially touching, Michelle, because I also always felt that I could trust Ron Smith. I hope the transition wasn’t too hard on him, and am glad that he was “at peace” as he said in the email you shared with us.
“He did a good job…he left a path for us to follow”
R.I.P. prayers for the family.
My beloved Aunt Sadie passed away today, a few days after her 90th birthday.
For Aunt Sadie, Daniel and Ron I pray…
Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord,
And let Perpetual Light shine upon them.
May their Souls
And the Souls of all the faithful departed
Through the Mercy of God
Rest in Peace.
Amen.
R.I.P. Ron Smith.
I haven’t had much chance to listen to Ron since they moved his show out of the “afternoon drive” slot. It was nice to have those years. It made the commute better — even traffic jams. I learned so much listening to him.
Zorro
Second that!
Thanks Michelle for this bit of sad news. My husband and I lived in the Baltimore area for almost 30 years. We also subscribed to the BSO for many years and even after we moved out to the Shenandoah Valley. We would drive back to Baltimore for the concerts and Ron Smith was always on the radio right after Rush. We stopped our BSO subscription a few years back when gas got too high and we just found the two hour drive back to be a little too much for our not-so-young constitutions. So much of your post brought back so many memories of the BSO, Baltimore, and Ron Smith. RIP, sir. You will be missed.