Dave Barrett, an award-winning radio reporter for CBS News, died suddenly today. He was 63 and lived in Wilton, Conn.

Barrett was a lover of his medium who was especially interested in utilizing natural sound as well as words to tell stories better. He was CBS News Radio’s go-to reporter for outdoor events such as music and sports, and he reported from 10 Olympic Games.

“Dave Barrett was a special kind of broadcaster – one who could transport you to the scene of the story in just a few words,” said Craig Swagler, the general manager of CBS News Radio. “He will be dearly missed – both in this newsroom and across the country.”

Barrett received one of the highest honors in electronic journalism, the Edward R. Murrow Award, in 2011 for his insightful report that brought to life for listeners how kids occupy their time, illustrated by the sounds of their activities.

He won two other Murrow Awards. One was for a report on the 200^th anniversary of “The Star-Spangled Banner” in 2015. In 1998 Barrett won his first Murrow for a profile on Tiger Woods.

Barrett could be heard daily on hundreds of radio stations across the U.S. anchoring hourly reports and the WORLD NEWS ROUNDUP LATE EDITION, the longest-running electronic news broadcast in the world.

Barrett joined CBS News Radio in February 2001 from the Fox News Radio Network, where he was news director beginning in 1998. He spent 15 years at ABC Radio News, covering everything from political conventions and hurricanes to the Olympics. Barrett went to the Persian Gulf region twice. He was based in Bahrain during Operation Earnest Will (1988), where oil tankers transiting the Gulf were escorted to and from Kuwait. He also covered the allied buildup in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield in 1990.

Barrett’s first love was sports. During 1993 and 1994, he reported on ABC’s sports property ESPN Radio, where he worked as a commentator for Super Bowls, the NCAA Final Four, the British Open, Wimbledon, the NBA Finals and the Kentucky Derby. His early career in radio included stints in Houston as the play-by-play announcer for the Central Hockey League’s Houston Apollos and an announcer for the Astros, the Rockets, the Houston Oilers, the WHA Houston Aeros and the University of Houston. In 1977 he won the Associated Press award for Best Sportscast in Texas.

He was a fan of the baseball team near his home, the Bridgeport Bluefish. Occasionally, he would lend his major voice to the minor league team by announcing their games.

Barrett was born in Buffalo, N.Y. He is survived by his wife, Joyce, and son, Luke.

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