A familiar voice sure to be remembered as an icon in Maine broadcasting has died.

John McDonald hosted a call-in show on WGAN every Saturday and Sunday for 25 years. McDonald died on Tuesday at the age of 78.

McDonald started his career as a radio DJ in Hancock County, where he developed his own brand of Down East humor. One night, two well-known Maine humorists, Marshall Dodge and “Captain” Kendall Morse, were performing at a local theater and asked McDonald to join them on stage.

McDonald was known for his dry wit, which came out in his on-air interactions with callers and guests. He was also considered a man of many talents, pursuing his love of storytelling by writing six books.

He also wrote columns for publications including the Bangor Daily News and Portland Press Herald.

His show on WGAN came to an end in 2020.

Below is a clip from McDonald’s interview with Shawn Moody in 2015.

John McDonald Voicing a Commercial from 1988

 

John interviewing the son of GOP front runner Donald Trump, Eric Trump in 2016

 

Crash Barry joins John McDonald for his reaction to the Governor’s veto to the revised version of the voter-approved bill to legalize the sale of recreational marijuana in 2017

 

John’s son Jeremiah calls in to give an update on the Covid-19 situation from Queens, NYC in 2020.

John McDonald speaking with State Senator Bill Diamond of Windham in 2015