Dick Foley, former KOMO host and Grammy-nominated folk singer, dies after illness Dick Foley, a Grammy-nominated folk singer and the former host of 'Northwest Afternoon,' has died, KOMO News has learned. Dick Foley, a Grammy-nominated folk singer and the former host of "Northwest Afternoon," has died, KOMO News has learned. According to a family statement shared on social media, Foley died on March 15 after an undisclosed illness. "His love for his family was evident in his daily life and his faith was important to him," Foley's wife, Mary Gankiewicz, said in the statement. "Dick's God-given talents were many, but it was his warmth, his compassion, his generosity, and his humor that brought us together."Before going into television, he first found success in the entertainment industry as a founding member of the folk music groupfraternity brothers, Bob Flick, John Paine, and Mike Kirkland, The Brothers Four was part of the Pacific Northwest's contribution to the folk revival in the mid-20th century. The group is best known for their 1960s hit "," which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960, along with "The Green Leaves of Summer," which was an Oscar-nominated song featured in John Wayne's "The Alamo" and the theme of the TV show "Hootenanny." "Greenfields" would later rank No. 13 on Billboard's Top 100 Songs of 1960 and received a few Grammy nominations. The Brothers Four would reach their commercial peak in 1961 when their third album, "BMOC: Best Music On/Off Campus," reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200. That same year, the group performed at President John F. Kennedy's inauguration — the first of four presidents they would perform for. According to his wife, Foley and The Brothers Four also sang for British royalty, performed at the Academy Awards, and at countless colleges and universities. While The Brothers Four saw their popularity wane in the late 1960s, the group continues performing to this day. Foley left the group in 1990 to focus on his television career.As an Emmy-winning broadcaster, Foley's 16-year stint at KOMO during the 1980s and '90s saw him hosting several programs, most notably "Throughout the years, Foley served on the board of several organizations within his community and was a popular emcee at many events, as "public service was important to him," Mary said.Dick’s warm, distinctive voice and musical talent, whether playing guitar or piano at home, at the podium, or in front of the KOMO-TV camera, will forever be in my heart. He was a magnificent husband, step-father, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather who made a difference in our world. He will forever be deeply missed.Traces of drugs, including cocaine, found in some shark species: study A new study published in the journal Environmental Pollution found traces of pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs in several shark species.All lanes of eastbound State Route 16 near the mid-span of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge are blocked due to a crash.A drone scare at PBI triggered a ground stop and scrambled helicopters Sunday near Air Force One, per a Delta pilot caught on video circulating online.Democrats defended the bill as a step toward tax reform, arguing it would ensure the state’s highest earners contribute more toward public services.