There was a time when he was everywhere.
On the radio. On television. In the culture.

And then… the world moved on.

This episode tells the story of an icon in his final act — a voice the industry had quietly set aside, rediscovered by an unlikely collaborator who didn’t want hits, trends, or nostalgia. Just the truth.

What followed was not a comeback.
It was a reckoning.

Recorded in quiet rooms and living spaces, these late-life performances stripped away the myth and revealed something far more powerful: honesty, regret, faith, and resilience.
This is a story about aging, about being forgotten, and about finding purpose when the spotlight fades.

It’s also a story about resurrection.

Because sometimes, the last chapter isn’t about how a life ends — it’s about how a legacy finally finds its voice.

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Written by Jonny Hartwell
Voiced by Jonny Hartwell
Music Credit: Reel World Audio.
A iHeart Radio Production

DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains discussions of sensitive topics...Listener discretion is strongly advised. While the stories you’ll hear are rooted in real events, not every detail is strictly historical—some moments are dramatized with creative license to bring the narrative to life. Please keep this in mind as you listen.


Jonny’s Dead Air Podcast
Written, hosted, and produced by Jonny Hartwell.
A production of iHeartRadio Pittsburgh.

Thanks for listening—and for keeping the light on.