Philadelphia radio veteran Helen Leicht, a long-term fixture at 88.5 WXPN, will call it a career after a run of nearly 50 years in the city's radio landscape.
Leicht has been off the air for months following her decision to take a leave of absence last summer. She announced her retirement Wednesday in a letter published on WXPN's website.
"An amazing journey," Leicht wrote. "I am honored to have worked with some of the most creative, passionate, and beloved DJ's and programmers in the city and in the industry, past and present. Philly has a rich radio history of loyalty and perseverance, and I've learned a lot. We've done some good things together, and I'm so pleased to be a small part of all that."
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Leicht joined WXPN in 1990 and spent years as the station's midday host during the 10 a.m.-2 p.m. slot. Those duties have been handled by Mike Vasilikos since Leicht left at the end of last July.
Through the years at WXPN, Leicht also was known for the "Leicht Lunch" program, her decades-long "Breakfast with the Beatles" segment, the Free at Noon live concert broadcasts she hosted on Friday, and her Musicians on Call partnership that brought local artists to hospitals to perform for patients and staff.
Prior to joining WXPN, Leicht began her radio career at WIOQ in 1976 and had later stops at WMMR and WMGK.
Singer-songwriter John Flynn wrote a song in honor of Leicht and her legacy on Philadelphia radio.
Colleagues and fans thanked Leicht for her years of service to the music community, which will sorely miss her voice and sensibility for what listeners wanted (and didn't know they wanted) to hear.