DETROIT — If you’ve been anywhere near a radio or TV set in the last several decades, chances are you’ve heard the voice of Casey Kasem. The Arab American Detroit-born entertainer was regarded as one of the most recognizable voices in radio and TV. He not only was the host of “American Top 40,” a syndicated radio program that counted down the most popular songs in the country, from 1970-1988; but he was also an active voiceover artist. Among other parts, he provided the voices of “Shaggy” in “Scooby Doo”; “Robin” in “The Batman/Superman Hour” and various incarnations of “The Super Friends”; and “Mark” in “Battle of the Planets.”

Kasem, 82, died June June 15 in Washington State Hospital, after suffering from a long illness. 

Kasem’s claim to fame was an even more remarkable feat for the local community. He became one of the few nationally recognized Arab Americans to find success in the entertainment industry. 

“I fondly recall listening to American Top 40 as a child,” said Arab American National Museum Director Devon Aknom in a press release. “Knowing that Casey and I shared our Lebanese heritage gave me a great sense of pride from an early age. His contributions to American popular culture and his advocacy for the Arab American community will be forever celebrated at the museum.”

Other prominent local Arab American organizations also weighed in with thoughts on Kasem’s legacy. 

“Mr. Casey Kasem will be truly missed in the music and television industry, as well as in the Arab-American community who were so proud to have one of their own became a legend,” said the Arab-American Civil Rights League via a press release.  

“The world has lost a great man with the passing of Casey Kasem,” added ACCESS Executive Director Hassan Jaber. “He was truly an icon in his own right and his passion for music and broadcast was unmistakable.” 

Born Kamel Amin Kasem on April 27, 1932, to a Lebanese Druze immigrant father and a Lebanese American mother, Kasem’s humble beginnings tell a tale of a first generation Arab American who succeeded in accomplishing his American Dream.

As a child, Kasem’s father, Amin, ran a grocery store in Detroit. Like many immigrants at the time, Kasem’s family found success in this field and opened more grocery store locations, expanding as far out as Fenton. 

During this time, Kasem developed a passion for radio and appeared on Detroit-based radio programs, including “The Lone Ranger.” He ultimately decided to pursue a career as a disc jockey. After graduating from Northwestern High School,  he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1952 and sent to Korea, where he had one of his first gigs as a DJ, becoming an announcer on the Armed Forces Radio Korea Network.

Many saw an appeal in Kasem’s radio voice, describing it as the voice of a “guy next door” as opposed to the clear-toned, overly-dramatic voices of radio announcers at the time.

After returning from the army, Kasem obtained a bachelors degree in speech education from Wayne State University in 1957. At the time, it was one of the college’s original degrees in the radio-TV-film industry.  

Matthew Seeger, dean of the college of performing and communication arts at WSU, said Kasem remains one of the university’s most highly accomplished alumni. He kept ties with the school even after he ventured off into a successful career in radio and television. 

“It’s an amazing loss to the university, the Detroit community, the Arab American community and the radio-TV-film profession,” said Seeger. “He was an amazingly successful self-made man. He was a humble and an almost shy person who, behind the microphone, had an amazing personality and ability to connect with an audience. He was a wonderful figure for us in many ways and epitomizes what Wayne State is in terms of creating yourself. We deeply mourn his passing.”  

In the 1960s, Kasem moved to California to pursue more opportunities in his chosen field. There, he was able to develop a memorable persona when he landed jobs on the airwaves for stations that included KYA in San Francisco, KEWB in Oakland and KRLA 1110 in Los Angeles. 

Being in the center of the film and television industry, Kasem branched out from radio and into voice acting.  His first work as an actor was as the voice of “Robin” in the 1968 “Batman” cartoons. 

Kasem went on to become a prominent voice actor for Hanna-Barbera productions. His best known role was the voice of “Shaggy” in the Scooby-Doo franchise, which made its debut in 1969. He would go on to portray the character in many various incarnations of  the series, well into the 21st century. 

In 1970, with his voice acting career already in high gear, Kasem went back to his radio roots when he  and fellow Detroit native Don Bustany teamed up with radio executives Tom Rounds and Ron Jacobs to create “American Top 40,” which debuted on Independence Day that year. 

Hosted by Kasem, the concept of the program was simple; playing the most popular songs in the country in ascending popularity. The idea had been done before, but the direction of the show, along with Kasem’s appeal, is ultimately what made AT40 stand the test of time. 

Every Saturday morning, listeners eagerly tuned in to hear Kasem count down their favorite songs, infused with trivia, musical guests and listener interactions through long-distance dedications. 

By the end of the 70s, AT40 had grown 

immensely. ABC radio had acquired the program and expanded it nationwide. By the late 80s, the four hour program was a staple on more than 1,000 radio stations across the U.S.

In 1988, Kasem disputed with ABC radio over contract negotiations to increase his salary as the host of AT40. He broke away from the program and created his own, Casey’s Top 40, which began competing against AT40 in many markets. 

Listeners who had grown accustomed to Kasem’s voice quickly abandoned AT40 and Kasem’s spinoff show began gaining in popularity. In 1994, ABC radio cancelled AT40 due to a sharp decline in ratings. In 1997, Kasem acquired the rights and revived AT40, with his voice drawing listeners back to the old familiar Saturday morning tradition.

In 2004, Kasem retired from the airwaves and Ryan Seacreast took over his post as the host of AT40.  

Despite all of his success in the entertainment industry, Kasem never shied away from his roots. He often spoke against stereotypes of Arabs and Muslims in Hollywood. He turned down a role in Season three of “Transformers” because the show’s plot portrayed “evil Arabs.” He also spoke out against Disney for their portrayal of Arabs in the Aladdin franchise. 

According to Kasem’s close friend Manal Saab, who sits on the advisory board for the Arab American National Museum, Kasem was also well invested in the establishment of the American Druze Foundation, which supports and drives activities of the American Druze society. 

“He was very proud of being an Arab American and he never shied away from that,” Saab said. “He always took pride in it. He raised his kids the same way.” 

Saab’s husband, Ghassan, along with Kasem, were original founding members of the American Druze Foundation 25 years ago. According to Saab, Kasem had a vision to endow a university with a center for Druze and Arab studies. His dream was accomplished, but he didn’t live to witness it. 

This year, the foundation plans to endow a $2 million Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Georgetown University’s Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, a first-of-its-kind program. 

Saab reflected on Kasem’s signature quote, “Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars,” the closing statement he would say at the end of every AT40 show. 

“I will never forget when he would end his show by saying to ‘keep your feet on the ground,'” recalled Saab. “When I became a board member of the foundation, he always answered the phone himself. He defined humility and he never said no for an answer. To me that was a very special trait of Casey. He went very far with his American wings, but his Middle Eastern roots kept his feet on the ground.” 

In 2007, Kasem was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. During the last year of his life, his condition worsened and he was no longer able to speak.

He is survived by four children, Mike, Julie and Kerri Kasem, from his first marriage to Linda Myers; and daughter Liberty Jean Kasem from his second wife Jean Thompson.  During his final days, the family engaged in a conservatorship court battle over control of his finances.

Funeral services for Kasem will be held on Sunday, June 22 at the American Druze Society’s cultural center in Eagle Rock, California.