MINNEAPOLIS — In Minneapolis, a familiar voice permeates the airwaves.
For 42 years, Walter Banks, Jr., known as "Q bear" over the airwaves at KMOJ, has watched people walk in and out of those doors.
“Maybe about 100 or something on-air announcers,” said Banks.
But none like Julian White, who was known to many as Brother Jules.
“When you say, "Brother Jules," you can't do nothing but smile,” he said.
The station announced his passing this weekend, leaving his colleagues and community in mourning.
"At 8 a.m., we played the last mix that he had that he created on December 2. It's just a good time this morning," said KMOJ general manager, Freddie Bell.
Bell shared the story of a familiar song.
"The most beautiful girl in the world, oh my gosh," he said. "I would play that to start the show and I got a telephone call from Jules, whom I had not met, and he said Prince wants to know why you're playing his song every morning," he said. "He's here in the limousine."
Bell called him a master mixologist, announcer and broadcaster, sharing his gift for decades.
"He did a lot of DJ'ing for Prince and he'd go out of the country and share the stories of where he was at; how fun it was, and those stories will always sit still," said Banks. "As Prince's prominence started to rise, so did Brother Jules," said Bell.
His legacy is now left behind at KMOJ, along with family and friends.
"It's OK to cry. I'm 63 years old and tears flowed down like a little baby because I had love for him and it just comes and it goes, and as it comes and goes, know that there's something there that's real," said Banks, fighting back tears.
The station says it's teaming up with health leaders to air a series of special programs on Black Men's health, focusing on strokes, heart attacks and cardiovascular disease.