Hey now, it’s Rick Dees — Countdown Boy, Master of the Airwaves, comedy chaos agent, and the duck who quacked the world with Disco Duck. This is my turf, my tale, straight from the mic to you, powered by Grok and parked here on Rick.com. No suits, no edits, just me — hold onto your headphones!
The Kid Who Started It All
I popped into the world as Rigdon Osmond Dees, III — yeah, a mouthful — in Jacksonville, Florida, on March 14. Mom Ann was a schoolteacher who’d crash my shows with her charm, and Dad Rigdon Jr. was the gear-moving boss man. The youngest of three, I have sisters Patricia (cake wizard, RIP) and Carolyn (wordsmith extraordinaire) keeping me on my toes. I snagged a Radio, TV, and Motion Pictures degree from UNC Chapel Hill, and as an Eagle Scout at 15 (crowned Distinguished in 2018), I learned to soar — usually with a grin.
Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack Swagger
Hold onto your bell-bottoms, because I didn’t just dip a toe into the disco pool – I cannonballed in with two tracks in the blockbuster Saturday Night Fever! - the number 1 soundtrack of all time. First up, “Disco Duck,” my 1976 quack-tastic hit, grooves its way into a scene where folks are learning to “move their feet to the disco beat” — and yeah, it’s as gloriously wonderful as it sounds. Then there’s “Doctor Disco,” another Dees gem, adding extra funk to the film’s feverish vibe. Sure, mymanager famously blew it when he nixed its being added to the official soundtrack (a decision I still facepalm over, considering it sold 40 million copies.. meaning I lost about $6 million dollars), but those songs still shimmy forever through the movie, cementing my spot in disco history. Who else can say they brought feathers, disco beat and flair to John Travolta’s dance floor?
Meatballs Theme Song Magic
Let’s talk Meatballs—no, not the spaghetti kind, but the 1979 Bill Murray comedy that topped the box office! I didn’t just watch from the sidelines: I wrote and belted out the theme song and title track, “Meatballs,” with that signature charm that could melt a camp counselor’s heart. This wasn’t just some throwaway tune—it’s the musical cherry on top of a flick that had audiences rolling in the aisles and humming all the way home. 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
Oh, snap—when you don’t just waddle into fame, but strut right onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame! On September 17, 1984, your favorite disco-dancing, mic-rocking legend got my very own star at 1560 North Vine Street, proving that I’m more than just a one-hit duck. 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. It’s a moment that screams, “Look at me, I’m the Disco King!”
Airwave Anarchy
In ’81, I hijacked KIIS-FM in LA and turned it into a cash-spewing, ratings-crushing monster—America’s top radio goldmine in both ratings and revenue, thank you very much! My Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 Countdown is a global party—70 million ears in 125 countries, from cruise ships to battleships, streaming on my Rick Dees Hit Music app. I even crashed Beijing’s airwaves as the first English DJ to smuggle laughs into China. Ten Billboard Radio Personality of the Year wins, a Marconi, and VIP seats in the National Radio Hall of Fame and NAB Hall of Fame? Yup, that’s me, baby. RICK.COM’s my digital sandbox—dive in!
THE RICK DEES WEEKLY TOP 40: The Countdown King
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, cracking wise with my Cast of Idiots, and keeping the world grooving every weekend. No one—yep, 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 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!
Latest Hits: Quacking Up the Charts Again: Disco Duck MAX
Hold onto your feathers—on January 31, 2025, I dropped 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! I’m unleashing it to create FUN, excitement, and so much MORE — which you’ll see everywhere. Expect memes, madness, and MAX — the wild, funky duck you see on the cover — taking over the dance floor.
Empire of Awesome
I cooked up the Cooking Channel (now Warner Bros. Discovery) and flipped the script with BYOChannel—build your own music stream, add your voice, go nuts. My dessert book, Rick Dees All-Time Top 40 Greatest Desserts, is a chocolate-soaked love letter—all cash goes to the Salvation Army, because I’m sweet like that.
Off the Mic, On the Life
I’m chilling in Toluca Lake with Julie, my comedy queen—think Smurfs, Casper, and killer stand-up. Our son Kevin’s a real estate rockstar; he and Kristen gave us grandkids Ava and Briar—my VIP crew. I farm Kentucky dirt, shred water skis, and golf with a 6 handicap—once caddied for Mark O’Meara at The Masters, no biggie. Baking? Chocolate’s my jam—try me.
The Rick Deal
I’m the voice you instantly recognize, can’t unhear, the guy who keeps you laughing, grooving, and begging for more. This Wiki’s my megaphone—loud, proud, and 100% Dees. Stick around—I’m just getting started!
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 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)