WLIR's Larry 'The Duck,' Dunn Named To Massapequa HS Hall Of Fame

MASSAPEQUA, NY — Radio listeners on Long Island undoubtedly have heard Larry "the Duck" Dunn. He was a key voice at WLIR in the 1980s as New Wave music become a popular genre.

Today, Dunn is still an air personality on SiriusXM, proudly broadcasting from his Massapequa Park home on the First Wave channel for 22 years.

A career payoff is coming later this year with a hall of fame honor from Massapequa High School, even though it's not his alma mater.

"They chose me for the community involvement," Dunn told Patch. "I've been in Massapequa for 33 years."

That community involvement includes being on the Board of Directors for Long Island Cares. It's a role he's had for more than a decade. He is also a member of the group's strategic planning committee.

"I just finished and I got the board to approve our 2025-2030 strategic plan, which is pretty intense," he said.

Dunn met Harry Chapin, the singer, songwriter and activist who founded Long Island Cares in 1980.

"When I was in a senior in high school I shook his hand," Dunn recalled. "We had a benefit concert at Maria Regina High School (which is now Kellenberg High School). [Chapin] wanted to connect with the younger kids to kind of influence them."

During the 1975 performance, Chapin stopped for several minutes to talk about world hunger until someone called out for him to resume the music.

"He got the message out and he certainly influenced a bunch of high school kids," Dunn said. "That was the beginning of my journey with Long Island Cares."

While Dunn didn't attend or graduate from Massapequa High School, his two daughters did, "so eight years of my life have been spent there."

Dunn has dual duties at WLIR, music director and and an on-air personality, which led to a pair of national awards on both fronts.

"I was Billboard Radio Announcer of the Year for medium market in 1986. Howard Stern had won the same award in a large market," Dunn said.

The August ceremony is special for the veteran broadcaster with long ties to Long Island.

"I'm proud to live in Massapequa. I will always live in Massapequa," Dunn said.