John LaBarca, the jovial giant of radio who spread love for his Italian heritage with his flagship Sunday show Italian House Party on several area radio stations most prominently WICC, has passed away, according to posts on his Facebook page. He was 76.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, LaBarca landed a captain’s job at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan as a young man that helped ignite his flourish as a story teller with a toastmaster’s touch. He regaled audiences with relatable stories from his childhood: food, holidays, family and music. He was also generous with community organizations, leveraging his mighty platform to promote many needy institutions.