Dick Wells, the Voice of Warwick, dead at 87

By Roger Gavan
WARWICK — Warwick has just lost a treasure.

On Tuesday morning, May 19, Dick Wells, the popular radio host at WTBQ and Big Band concert singer, passed away at the Elant Nursing Home, where he had just been moved after being hospitalized at Orange Regional Medical Center.

Born in Bayonne, N.J., on Aug. 4, 1927, Richard Lawrence Wells started his show business career at the early age of five, with tap dancing lessons at a New York dance studio.

At the age of 16, he was hired for the dance troupe at the famous Roxy Theatre in New York City, where he met and performed with Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, the well-known African American entertainer.

During that show, he was "discovered" as a singer and was later booked into the lounge at Manhattan's Park Sheraton Hotel.

Shortly after, Wells landed a job singing live on a 30-minute radio program on New York Radio WINS. That lasted for more than a year, during which time he was also recording on the Coral record label. He performed throughout New York and New Jersey until the emergence of Rock and Roll.

Learning from Sinatra
That literally drove Wells to Las Vegas where he got his first job at the El Cortez.

While in Vegas he met Frank Sinatra and by watching, learned how the famous singer moved and related to his audience.

Wells got his first big break in Las Vegas singing with the Harry James Orchestra at the Flamingo Hotel. He later became the Voice of Harrah's Club in Lake Tahoe, where he sang and emceed shows with Jack Benny, Vic Damone, Mickey Rooney, Sammy Davis Jr. and many others. Wells also had a three-song spot in a show at the Castaways Hotel in Las Vegas working with his good friend Redd Foxx.

He then appeared in a Barry Ashton Review at the Tropicana Hotel where he was first to introduce the French, song, "What Now My Love" in English.

"Sinatra heard the song one night and decided to record it," Wells recalled during one of the number of interviews he did with The Warwick Advertiser.

He also made an appearance on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, where he sang the ballad, "Here's That Rainy Day," accompanied by the Doc Severinson orchestra.

'It sounded like fun'
In the summer of 1974, Wells, who had recently moved back to New York, answered an ad for a radio job in the small upstate community of Warwick.

That was the beginning of Dick Wells' 40-year career in radio, most of which has been on Warwick Radio WTBQ (AM 1110/FM 93.5).

"It sounded like it might be fun," said Wells, "and after meeting with Ed Klein I knew it would be. I liked him and he was fun to be with."

WTBQ first hit the airwaves in 1969 as a small station created by Klein.

When Wells joined he livened the program with the popular music that listeners preferred.

After a series of ownership changes and the frequency going dark for almost two years, current owner Frank Truatt purchased station and re-opened it in 1994.

Wells, who would help pioneer the station's rebirth, returned to WTBQ at that time after temporarily broadcasting from Middletown Radio WALL.

Fund raising for local causes
Now living in Warwick with his wife, Diane, and also hosting an award winning local TV show, "Let's Talk it Over," Wells began donating his time and talent to fund raising on TV and radio for worthy causes such as Winslow Therapeutic Center and Sister Anna's "Garden of the Child."

In 1995 he was named Citizen of the Year.

And almost every year in recent times, Wells has performed with a Big Band in a free concert at Railroad Green.

Wells is survived by his beloved wife, Diane, and his stepdaughter Kristen Martino.