American Radio Icon Casey Kasem Dies

Veteran American radio personality and the voice of the Scooby Doo character Shaggy has die aged 82.

Host of the American Top 40, Kasem was the voice of the American pop scene for two generations of Australians during the '70s and '80s when his syndicated show was at its peak in Australia.

It was through him that Australians heard about the international successes of Little River Band, Men At Work and Air Supply (and enjoyed his mispronunciations of towns like Melbourne and Geelong).

Kasem suffered from dementia in his latter years and was the subject of a bitter legal battle between the adult children of his two marriages in recent years.

In a statement his daughter Kerri Kasem said, “Early this Father's Day morning [15 June], our dad Casey Kasem passed away surrounded by family and friends.

“Even though we know he is in a better place and no longer suffering, we are heartbroken."