Legendary conservative talk radio host Barry Farber on Sunday crowned a long and highly acclaimed career when he was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.
"I would rather burn out than rust out," Farber, who is still on the air at age 84, said on his show on the Friday before the induction ceremony in Los Angeles. "I am one of those who will not retire."
He told the Greensboro (N.C.) News & Record that the honor was "such a happy surprise."
Born in Baltimore, Farber relocated with his family to Greensboro at age 5 and moved to New York City after college to pursue a career in the media.
He joined WRCA/New York City as a producer for an interview show, and in 1960 debuted on "Barry Farber's Open Mike" on WINS/New York. Two years later he began a 15-year career on WOR/New York as an evening and overnight host.
He left in 1977 to run for New York City mayor on the Conservative Party ticket, but returned to radio the following year to begin a decade-long run at WMCA/New York.
In 1990, the show went national as part of the ABC Radio Network.
Since 2008, Farber has hosted "The Barry Farber Show" on CRN Digital Talk Radio and Talk Radio Network. His one-hour show goes on the air each weekday evening at 8 p.m., with Farber broadcasting from his apartment in Manhattan. The show also airs on satellite, cable television and the Internet.
Farber is also an author and linguist — he translated Russian for the U.S. Army during the Korean War, and wrote the 1991 book "How to Learn Any Language."
In 2002, Farber was named No. 9 on Talkers Magazine's list of the 100 most important radio talk show hosts of all time.
In 2012, he was honored with the Talkers Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award.
Mark Masters, CEO of Talk Radio Network, said at the time that Farber "brings meaning to what otherwise would be information through the art of storytelling. Barry transports the listener to places no other medium can take them, painting memorable images with a gentle Southern accent. He is one of a kind."