Music industry and broadcast legend Dick Clark has died at age 82, from a massive heart attack confirms CNN.
He was known as the world's oldest teenager. Dick Clark began his career on the weekly dance party that would later be known as American Bandstand in Philadelphia in 1956. [COMPLETE COVERAGE: Remembering Dick Clark, broadcast icon]
The show became a national and later an international sensation, after it was picked up by ABC one year later.
"Come on baby, let's do the twist."
In spite of racial attitudes at the time, Clark was a pioneer in promoting African-American artists, including Percy Sledge, the Silhouettes, the Supremes and Gladys Knight and the Pips.
An appearance on American Bandstand launched many a musical career and from Jerry Lee Lewis to Janet Jackson, they all wanted Dick Clark to give their record a spin.
"If you look at the history of American Bandstand, it covers everything from popular music back to the big band days when we started in 1952, from Perry Como, Eddie Fisher, the Four Aces and so forth, through the rock and roll period, country, rhythm and blues, rap music, heavy metal, it is everything."
But music wasn't his only beat.
Clark proved a prolific businessman and television icon, hosting the game show 'The $25,000 Pyramid', 'TV’s Bloopers and Practical Jokes,' and of course the annual 'New Year's Rockin' Eve' broadcast.
He turned his Dick Clark productions into a multi-million dollar media empire.
This is a breaking news alert and we will have more information as it develops.
Word of the legendary Dick Clark's passing quickly spread across social media sites Wednesday. Here are some comments from the CBS 6 Facebook and Twitter page, as well as other media folks who are remembering and honoring the legend.
