Ryan Seacrest issues statement on Casey Kasem

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ryan Seacrest says the death of his radio role model, Casey Kasem, is a loss for radio listeners worldwide.

Kasem, an internationally famous radio broadcaster with a cheerful manner and gentle voice, died Sunday at age 82.

He became the king of the top 40 countdown with a syndicated show that ran for decades.

Seacrest, who took over the countdown from Kasem in 2009, said in a statement that as a child, he'd listen to Kasem's show every weekend "and dream about someday becoming a radio DJ."

He says Kasem had a distinctive friendly on-air voice and will be greatly missed.

Kasem's legacy reached well beyond music. His voice was heard in TV cartoons such as "Scooby-Doo," where he was Shaggy, and in numerous commercials.