Hey now – it’s Rick Dees!
Countdown Boy. Master of the Airwaves. Comedy chaos agent. Chef Boy, R. Dees.
And the duck who quacked the world with Disco Duck.
This is my turf, my tale, straight from the mic to you — powered by Grokipedia and parked here on Rick.com. No suits. No gatekeeprs. Just the real story.
The Kid Who Started It All
I arrived as Rigdon Osmond Dees, III on March 14, 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida. Mom Ann was a schoolteacher who’d crash my shows with pure charm. Dad Rigdon Jr. kept the gear moving. Youngest of three. Degree in Radio, TV, and Motion Pictures from UNC Chapel Hill. I learned early: if you can make people laugh and move, you can own the airwaves.
Eagle Scout & MORE
Eagle Scout at age 15. On December 7, 2017 named Distinguished Eagle Scout.
Immensely proud of this one. (Click HERE for more photos.)
DISCO DUCK and Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack Swagger
In 1976 I unleashed “Disco Duck” on the world.
What started as a goofy parody turned into a full-blown cultural phenomenon. It shot straight to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, sold more than six million copies, earned a People’s Choice Award, and took home a BMI trophy for the year’s highest-selling record. Suddenly the whole country was quacking.
That success opened the door to Hollywood. Two of my tracks — “Disco Duck” and “Doctor Disco” — landed in Saturday Night Fever, the biggest soundtrack album of all time.
Meatballs Theme Song Magic
In 1979 I wrote and performed the title theme song for Meatballs, the Bill Murray comedy that became one of the biggest hits of the summer. This wasn’t background music or a throwaway credit. “Meatballs” was the official theme of the movie — the track that carried the spirit of the film from the opening to the final credits.
I took a quirky summer camp vibe and turned it into a chart-worthy anthem, proving I’ve got the chops to soundtrack a hit movie and make you wanna roast marshmallows to the beat. Cue the applause, because the song delivered a slam dunk — or should we say, a meatball homerun?
Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
On September 17, 1984, your favorite disco-dancing, mic-rocking legend got my very own Star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame at 1560 North Vine Street. With a career that’s spun more hits than a disco ball reflects lights, I’m proud to say that this Star is a shiny testament to a wild ride from Memphis airwaves to global fame and stardom.
Picture this: a man who turned quacks into gold, grinning ear-to-ear as Hollywood rolled out the red carpet—or, let’s be real, a sparkly dance floor.
Airwave Anarchy
In 1981 I took over mornings at KIIS-FM in Los Angeles and turned it into the highest-revenue radio station in America. Twenty-two years of dominance. America’s top radio goldmine in both ratings and revenue, thank you very much!
Awards & Honors
People’s Choice Award (1977) for "Disco Duck"
Grammy Nomination (1984) for Hurt Me Baby – Make Me Write Bad Checks
Grammy Governor’s Award
Marconi Award
Billboard Radio Personality of the Year (10 consecutive years)
National Radio Hall of Fame (1999)
National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Hall of Fame (2007)
North Carolina Music Hall of Fame
Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame Star (1984, at 1560 N. Vine Street)
2025 Giants Of Broadcasting - Library Of American Broadcasting
Yup, that’s me, baby.
THE RICK DEES WEEKLY TOP 40
The Longest-Continually Running Hit MusicCountdown in The World
Buckle up, music lovers, because “Rick Dees” isn’t just a radio star—I’m the undisputed Countdown King with the Rick Dees Weekly Top 40, the longest continually running hit music countdown in radio history. Kicking off on October 8–9, 1983, with a modest 18 stations, this juggernaut has since blasted across over 200 countries, from L.A. to China, and even the Armed Forces Radio Network. We’re talking 40+ years of spinning the hottest hit music and keeping the world connected with the hottest hit music each week.weekend. No one has kept the countdown fires burning this long or this bright. Move over, history books, because the Countdown to Number 1 is still making history writing the soundtrack to our lives, one Top 40 Hit at a time!
TV, Movies, and Duck Tales
You’ve caught my pipes in The Flintstones (Rock Dees, rockin’ it), Jetsons: The Movie (Rocket Rick, zooming), and Family Guy (still giggling). I played Ted Quillen in La Bamba—helped Ritchie Valens skyrocket—and ruled Solid Gold and Into the Night. Guest gigs? Cheers, Roseanne—name a hit, I crashed it. Then there’s Disco Duck— more than six million copies sold, a People’s Choice Award, and a BMI trophy for outselling everything. My comedy album Hurt Me Baby – Make Me Write Bad Checks almost nabbed a Grammy—close enough to taste the gold!
Feature Films
La Bamba (1987) – Ted Quillin
Blind Date (1987) – Featured audio: the legendary “James Brown Auto Alarm” morning show bit opens the Bruce Willis film and still gets big laughs decades later
Latest Hits: Quacking Up the Charts Again: Disco Duck MAX
Hold onto your feathers with Disco Duck MAX, the ultimate reimagined version of my iconic Disco Duck. It’s a fresh, full-on Rick Dees original, hitting Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, Deezer, and every major platform where you can shake a tail feather. GRAB IT HERE!
Empire of Awesome
Co-founded Fine Living (now the Cooking Channel under Warner Bros. Discovery) and flipped the script with BYOChannel—build your own music channels, with its sibling RICK DEES HIT MUSIC. Use DiJi® to add your own voice - go nuts.
Off the Mic, On the Life
I’m chilling in SoCal with Julie, my comedy queen—think Smurfs, Casper, and killer stand-up. Immensely proud of our son Kevin – a real estate rockstar with his own lovely family. Successful Kentucky Farmer. Sports enthusiast including water skiing and golf (6 handicap — once caddied for Mark O’Meara at the Masters in Augusta). My dessert book, Rick Dees All-Time Top 40 Greatest Desserts, is a love letter to some of the greatest desserts of all time.
The Rick Deal
I’m the voice you instantly recognize. The guy who’s been delivering hit music, big laughs, and pure entertainment — and is still doing it at full volume. Live every single day to make you feel 38% better – and just getting started.
This page is the real record. Welcome to The Empire.
