Conservative talk radio host dies of COVID-19

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Conservative speech vigor big Phil Valentine has died pursuing a lengthy conflict with COVID-19. He was 61 years old.

His decease was announced by SuperTalk 99.7 WTN connected Saturday afternoon.

Valentine had been battling the microorganism since astatine slightest July 11, erstwhile helium confirmed connected his Facebook leafage that helium had been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Valentine was a salient dependable connected Nashville vigor for decades.

He moved to speech vigor afloat clip successful 1995, but successful 2000, helium received nationalist attraction by helping to signifier horn honking protests against a projected authorities income taxation successful Tennessee.

He broadcast his blimpish speech vigor amusement from extracurricular the authorities capitol and urged radical to thrust by and marque noise.

"We are going to person a one-minute coagulated horn honking, and we privation you to enactment successful that," Valentine said from his broadcast booth.

Many recognition the passionate protests with helping to decision the authorities income tax, which was projected by a Republican governor. He aboriginal wrote a publication astir the protests called Tax Revolt, 1 of respective books helium wrote during his career.

Valentine often discussed however his begetter was a Democrat and spent 12 years arsenic a U.S. congressman. But Valentine said helium near the Democratic Party aft Ronald Reagan became President.

His beardown opinions helped get his vigor amusement syndicated. It aired connected stations crossed the country, but his top power was successful Tennessee.

Recently, Valentine voiced skepticism astir the COVID-19 vaccine.

"I person a precise debased hazard of A) Getting COVID and B) dying of it if I do," helium tweeted successful December. "Why would I hazard getting a bosom onslaught oregon paralysis by getting the vaccine?"

He adjacent recorded a parody song, "Vaxman," mocking the vaccine.

In July, helium told his assemblage helium had contracted COVID-19, and helium expected to beryllium backmost soon. But aboriginal updates from household and friends indicated however superior it was.

Valentine's member said Phil regretted not being supportive of the vaccines and wrote if his member got backmost connected the radio, helium would promote radical to get vaccinated.

According to his family, Valentine fought hard but was incapable to bushed the virus.

This communicative was primitively published by Ben Hall connected Scripps presumption WTVF successful Nashville.