Many of us felt we had lost a close friend when WXXI radio's Richard Gladwell succumbed to cancer last week. Richard, who hosted "With Heart and Voice" on Sundays, was a bright star in an increasingly monochromatic radio landscape. He brought not only knowledge and creativity but personality to his show. It wasn't just his British accent; he was warm and personal, convincing his listeners of what he obviously felt: that he cared both about them and the music he was playing.

Rochester was fortunate to have him, but thanks to the national syndication of his show and to the Internet, Richard's appeal was much, much broader. Tributes have been pouring in from around the world since XXI announced his death. As several of those tributes said, he was a unique, irreplaceable gift to his listeners.