Art Bell, age 72, a longtime radio host who reigned for decades as one of the nation’s most popular and provocative broadcasters, died on Thursday, April 13, 2018. Bell was a native of Jacksonville, North Carolina and began building a career in the radio industry in the early 1970s. After several stations—including WX NC in North Carolina and KSBK in Hawaii—he found success first at KDWN in Las Vegas and then launching the nationally syndicated “Coast to Coast AM” in 1994. With Coast to Coast AM, Bell hosted his own show most Saturday nights, where he borrowed willingly from conspiracy theories, the paranormal, and science fiction with interviews of UFOs, Bigfoot and psychic phenomena. His large and colorful audience of millions of listeners dubbed his show as “The Granddaddy of Late Night.” The show was known for inspiring its audience to challenge conventional wisdom and its controversial subjects, often resulting in uncomfortable interviews. Despite its provocative format, Bell’s show was among the highest-rated radio programs in the country. Bell left Coast to Coast AM in 2003. He then took a three-year break from radio, returning to the airwaves in 2007 to host “Midnight in the Desert.” Bell earned numerous honors and accolades throughout his career in radio, including induction into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2008. He is survived by his wife, Airyn, their three children, and four grandchildren.