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In our Parting Thoughts series, we remember everyday Minnesotans.

Tom Ambrose had a mellow voice that was a match made in soft-rock heaven for the tunes he spun as a deejay for W-Lite FM 103. 

These days, that spot on the Twin Cities radio dial is a country station. But back when Ambrose was working, his golden pipes were easy on the ears of commuters who tuned in to hear light contemporary hits like Dan Fogelberg’s “Same Old Lang Syne.” 

During his long Twin Cities broadcasting career, Ambrose also worked in sports. He met fellow broadcaster James Rasmussen at the Minnesota News Network, where the two worked to build the Golden Gopher Radio Network, focused on University of Minnesota football. MNN also became the second largest major league baseball radio network in the country during that time. 

“Tom was was critical in getting that all accomplished.” Rasmussen said. 

Ambrose’s calm presence on the air matched who he was as a co-worker and friend. “Tom was just a wonderful, kind, good-hearted, gentle man,” Rasmussen said. 

Ambrose enjoyed the intimacy of radio broadcasting: how it’s one person talking to another person, Rasmussen said.

“It was the magic of the lone voice talking through the ether,” he said. “That always piqued his interest, made him happy.”

To listen to the Parting Thoughts interview, click the player above.

Cathy Wurzer

Host

Lukas Levin

Author

Tom Ambrose had a long career as a Twin Cities broadcaster. Long-time friend James Rasmussen remembers Ambrose as a man with a heart as golden as his voice. 

Parting Thoughts: Remembering a golden voice that graced Twin Cities airwaves for decades

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