Charlie VanDyke ...

... one of radio's legendary DJ's, VO talents and PD's, has a son in the biz.  And the relationship is not good.  Sadly, I can relate to that whole kid vs. Dad thing...

From TomTaylor:

Father-son drama revealed – Chicago's new morning personality “Brotha Fred” is the son of Charlie Van Dyke

But they haven't spoken in years, since Christopher "Brotha Fred" Frederick was 16. He's now 30 and debuting this morning as the replacement for Kevin "DreX" Buchar at Clear Channel CHR "Kiss 103.5" WKSC.

Robert Feder at Time Out Chicago has the sensational news - Brotha Fred's dad is Charlie Van Dyke, the famed jock and voiceover king. He tells Feder "I know what it's like to stand at the corner of Michigan and Wacker at 4am, and for him, [today] is 'the bigs.' I'll be listening online. I think he's going to do an excellent job."

Van Dyke worked at legendary top 40 WLS in 1972-1973, before going on to Los Angeles. You've heard his voice innumerable times on TV and radio, and Feder says "he holds the record of filling in for Casey Kasem on American Top 40 more times than anyone else."

Charlie says his son hasn't replied to correspondence since he was a teenager and that "I don't know what caused the estrangement." (Where's Oprah when you need her?) Finally, on the eve of Christopher leaving Clear Channel-Charlotte for Chicago, he responded to his dad's congratulations, saying "Thanks. I appreciate that. It's not WLS in its prime, but hopefully I can make it work." Nothing since.

As for why Charlie didn't speak up before now, he says "I did not want to be a distraction for Christopher's career." In fact Christopher's made it on his own, the whole way.