Cerri started out in high school as an announcer in Utica on WIBX-AM and moved to ABC affiliate WRUN-AM (see WUTI) where he remained through college.
Cerri hosted and produced at several area radio stations, including WHFS-FM and WJMD-FM which changed call sign to WLTT-FM (see WIAD) where the name of his show was shortened to "Music Americana."
[2] Cerri had a very humble view of his reputation as an expert, instead typifying his role as a spectator, albeit a professional one.
He was most recently working on digitizing his "Music Americana" radio shows, a project announced at the "Remembering Dick Cerri: A Celebration in Song", will be completed by the WFMA Foundation.
The extent of his influence can be gauged by the musicians at the September 27, 2014 concert: Noel Paul Stookey, Peter Yarrow (from Peter, Paul and Mary), Chad Mitchell, Christine Lavin, Schooner Fare, Squid Jiggers (Dave Rowe & Troy R. Bennett), Donal Leace, Modern Man (Rob Carlson, George Wurzbach and David Buskin), Tom Paxton, Steve Gillette and Cindy Mangsen, Bill Danoff, Mack Bailey, Anne Hills, Carolyn Hester and daughters Amy Blume and Karla Blume, Jonathan Edwards and Side By Side (Doris Justis and Sean McGhee).