Sad news from NBC Nightly News director Brett Holey:

It is with great sadness that I report that our long-time Nightly News announcer Howard Reig has passed away in Venice Florida.

He was 87.

Howard was the voice of Nightly News from Chancellor to Williams but that was just part of a long and varied career.

He had the distinction of being the first staff announcer employed by General Electric and the last. In over 63 years in the business he was a radio actor, hosted live big band shows and got to know Duke Ellington in his prime. He was an on air pitch man who shared the screen with J Fred Muggs and voiced some of the more well-known commercials of the 60s.

To those who knew him well, he was small in stature but big in heart and voice. He is survived by his 4 children and 5 grandchildren.

Memorial information to come.

Howard’s son Ken made an online tribute to his dad at his retirement: howardreig.com.

> More: From Brian Williams‘ Daily Nightly blog…