INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Bob Kevoian, long-time comedian radio host, most notably known for his work on The Bob and Tom Show, died Friday afternoon at the age of 75 after a battle with gastric cancer.

Generations of Hoosiers know Bob’s voice—and especially his laugh. His friend and co-host of more than 40 years, Tom Griswold, remembers it well, and will never forget it.

“Bob had a great natural laugh that was just his laugh,” Griswold said. “It was very appealing, for the most part.”

The Bob and Tom Show launched back in March of 1983, and went national in 1995. Over the years, it helped launch the careers of countless comedians and musicians. At the radio station, posters of Bob and Tom filled almost every hallway. The posters showed the co-hosts throughout the years including the various comedians and musicians they interviewed.

Bob retired in 2015—the same year he was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.

“I spent more time with him than anyone except his wife,” Tom said. We were here four plus hours, five days a week for 35 years. As Bob always says, our show is a conversation between two friends.”

Tom says it’s those conversations—and the laughter—that he’ll miss the most. Tom walked us through Bob’s final day with deep emotion, holding back tears.

“That morning, he had said to someone, ‘I’m having fun. I’m going to have a good day,’ and as far as I know, that’s more or less his final thought. So, I guess that’s all you can ask for,” Tom said.

“I told him some private stuff in his ear. I hope he heard it. And his family put on his record.”

Tom said they played the Beatles’ Golden Slumbers while his family sang along. Tom described it as almost cinematic; Sometime after 5 p.m., when they stopped singing and the song ended, Bob took his final breath.

Bob’s humor, laugh, and voice will always live on through the airwaves.

Tom says he doesn’t have a single favorite joke with Bob but says they were always just trying to make each other laugh.

There was a time, decades ago, when two young guys—Bob and Tom—first walked through the studio door.

“They brought us over here after midnight so no one would know we were here and last night I remember walking down those steps and thinking about the last time Bob walked down. And he’ll never walk down them again.”

Tom is now working on a tribute to Bob, set to air Monday on The Bob and Tom Show.

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