Allen Saunders was the first voice of CNN.

Born Alvin L. Steinwedel but known professionally as Allen ''Al'' Saunders, he was a well-known fixture in Akron radio for nearly two decades.

His rich, deep voice was used for CNN identifications and promos when the all-news cable network was founded in 1980.

Mr. Steinwedel, 84, died Tuesday at Akron City Hospital following a brief illness.

A native of Baltimore, Md., he came to Akron in 1961 as vice president and general manager at WHLO Radio and Susquehanna Broadcasting.

David A. Lieberth, Akron's deputy mayor for administration, worked with him for many years in the newsroom and was news director of WHLO.

''Al had an astonishing array of talent,'' Lieberth said. ''He could write as well as anyone in our newsroom. He had the 'voice of God' that got CNN off the ground.''

Lieberth said Mr. Steinwedel ''moved easily among people of all walks of life.''

''He inspired the performances of dozens of talented people whom he had the wisdom to hire and the skill to manage,'' Lieberth said.

There were days, Lieberth said, ''when his radio station was the best in the United States.''

Bill Jasso, who worked in the newsroom at WHLO for many years, called Mr. Steinwedel, ''a father figure to all of us'' at the radio station.

''As a young man in his first professional job, he showed an example of what 'class' is, which is in short supply today,'' said Jasso, who's now the vice president of government and media relations for Time Warner Cable in Akron.

An Army veteran of World War II, Mr. Steinwedel served in the Aleutian Islands, where he played trumpet in the Service Forces Band.

As Al Saunders, he worked at WHLO from 1961 to 1978 and then moved to Atlanta, where he worked with WRMM and did CNN work.

He was inducted into the Akron Radio Hall of Fame in 1984.

His daughter, Karen Adsit, of Atlanta, said her father ''touched a lot of lives'' in his lifetime.

''He was a very warm individual with a wonderful sense of humor,'' she said. ''He loved to make you smile.''

He was a woodworker in his spare time and made furniture for his daughters and grandchildren over the years, Adsit said.

But what he loved most, she said, was working in radio.

During his time in Akron, she said, he was most proud of putting together a sizable newsroom at WHLO.

''A lot of people he worked with stayed in the business,'' she said.

It took a big voice to replace him at CNN, Adsit said.

The second voice of CNN was that of actor James Earl Jones.

Mr. Steinwedel had lived at Rockynol Retirement Community for the last 10 years.

A private interment will take place at Chestnut Hill Memorial Park in Cuyahoga Falls.

A memorial service will be held for Mr. Steinwedel through the Billow Funeral Home Fairlawn Chapel at a later date.