Len Hendry

Host Let's Dance

The WDUQ 90.5 FM staff and management mourn the passing of Len Hendry, host of "Let's Dance." Len Hendry passed away on Friday, March 31, after facing a serious illness over the last several months.

Len Hendry volunteered his time as the host of DUQ's big band show, Let's Dance, since July 4, 1976. Every Saturday evening from 6 to 9 p.m., Len played music that was both satisfying for the longtime fan and a treat for the retro swinger.

Len grew up on the North Side of Pittsburgh and was inspired by his hero, Harry James, to learn to play the trumpet at age 13. By 15 years of age, he was playing music with the grown-ups. With many musicians off at war, he was able to find work three or four nights a week. After the war, Len went on the road and toured with bands throughout the Midwest.

After two years of life on the road as a touring musician, Len had an assignment in the Army as a truck driver. He returned to Pittsburgh and pursued his professional career as a claims adjuster for a major insurance company.

Len continued listening to and collecting music and along the way obtained a commercial radio license. When his friend, Bob King, developed a "nostalgia" radio program during the formative years of WYEP-FM, he asked Len to be his studio engineer. When King developed a radio show on Saturday mornings for DUQ, Len followed.

In 1976, Bob King decided to leave the DUQ show and General Manager, Ken Duffy, decided that Len should host his own big band music program for the Saturday morning time slot. Later, the program moved to Saturday evenings at 6 p.m. Len also hosted another program at DUQ for 10 years called Remember When--playing the old-time radio shows such as The Lone Ranger, Gangbusters, I Love a Mystery, Lights Out and One Man's Family.

Nearly all of the music heard on Let's Dance came from Len's personal 7,000-piece collection of vinyl records, compact discs and reel-to-reel tapes.

For more than 12 years, Len hosted the weekly ballroom dances on Monday nights at American Legion #701 in White Oak.