Radio Hall of Fame

The Museum of Broadcast Communications has revealed eight new Legends inductees into the Radio Hall of Fame for 2024, honoring the talents and work of on-air personalities, programmers and operators who have made considerable contributions to the radio industry, and who have since passed away.
The inductees include on-air personalities Chuck Blore, Alan Colmes, Charlie Douglas, Jim Ladd, Byron MacGregor, journalist Maria Martin, executive Percy Sutton and programming executive/on-air personality Rusty Walker.

The Radio Hall of Fame will honor its 2024 class of inductees at the 2024 Radio Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 19, at the Omni Nashville in Nashville. 2022 Radio Hall of Fame inductee Lon Helton will serve as the master of ceremonies for the event.

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Dennis Green, co-chair of the Radio Hall of Fame, said in a statement, “These legends of broadcasting may have passed on, but their legacy and what they meant to the radio industry will never die. The Radio Hall of Fame Nominating Committee is honored to award Hall of Fame inductions to each of these individuals. May their contributions be a lasting tribute and inspiration for generations of broadcasters to emulate for years to come.”

Kraig Kitchin, co-chair of the Radio Hall of Fame, said in a statement, “Our nominating committee recognizes the history of our medium and the countless individuals who contributed to the dominant influence of radio for so many decades. Each of these individuals left an indelible mark on the audiences they connected with and the businesses that they were associated with. We’re grateful for their talents, and only regret that they were not able to receive this special recognition while alive.”

Blore served as a disc jockey and program director of several radio stations, launching his career in El Paso, Texas, before moving to Los Angeles in the late 1950s and overseeing KFWB-AM. He was known for identifying stellar on-air talent, including Gary Owens and Wink Martindale. Blore left day-to-day radio duties to form an advertising agency benefiting television networks and motion picture studios, among others with the agency producing thousands of radio and television commercials.

Colmes’s radio career includes years on WABC-AM and WNBC-AM in New York City, before being syndicated nationally on over 100 radio stations via Daynet, a radio syndication company he co-founded with other radio hosts. His program was eventually distributed by Fox News Radio, with Colmes offering a liberal viewpoint on American politics on broadcast radio. Colmes also appeared on television, as co-host with Sean Hannity on the Hannity & Colmes program, and later, as a frequent guest on The Greg Gutfeld Show, both on Fox News. 

Douglas created the original all-night radio show for truckers in 1970, after joining WWL-AM in New Orleans. The Road Gang, hosted by Douglas, played country music and offered conversation and companionship for radio audiences that primarily included truck drivers. Douglas launched his career in Louisiana in 1953, and became a program director for the first time three years later in 1956 at KOCY-AM in Oklahoma City. He then worked at Asheville, N.C.; San Antonio, Dallas and Houston among other markets before joining WWL-AM. In 1983, he joined WSM-AM in Nashville as a host of The Music Country Network, before retiring in 1995 to devote his attention to music promotion firm Compact Disc Express. He also served as president of Country Radio Broadcasters for two terms and was inducted into the Country Music DJ Hall of Fame in 1994.

Southern California on-air personality Ladd was dubbed “The Last D.J.” by Tom Petty in 2002. Ladd was part of KNAC-FM in Los Angeles in 1967, before joining KLOS-FM in 1969 and then joined archival station KMET-FM in 1975, until the station switched formats in 1987. He then re-joined KLOS-FM to host an evening program for 24 years. In 2011, he became an on-air personality for SiriusXM, staying on the air until his death in December 2023.

MacGregor is known for many years on-air in Detroit, Mich. MacGregor became news director at CKLW-AM by the age of 22. His career also included time at the CBS Radio-owned all-news station WWJ-AM, where he served as both morning and afternoon drive anchor during his 13 years with the station.

Martin was first heard on the first Latino-owned community radio station in the U.S., at KBBF-AM in Santa Rosa, Calif. She then joined National Public Radio (NPR) and became an editor of their program Latin File. Martin was the network’s first Latin American Affairs Editor on their national desk, and left NPR in 1993 to launch the English-language program Latino USA, to reflect the experiences of the Latino community.

Sutton founded the Inner City Broadcasting in New York City in 1970 and the company purchased its first station, WLIB-AM, in 1972, making it the first Black-owned radio station in New York. The company later acquired WBLS-FM and purchased stations in 10 more U.S. cities. As the stations programmed R&B music and later, urban contemporary music, talk radio programs also played a vial role in the community of listeners. As founder and chairman, Sutton became known as “The Godfather of Urban Radio.” In 1981, Sutton and his investment partners purchased the Apollo Theater in Harlem. The theater was renovated and reopened in 1985 and included a cable television studio that was used to produce the variety show It’s Showtime at the Apollo.

Country music radio personality and radio station programmer Walker served as a country music radio personality and station programmer before founding Rusty Walker Programming Consultants in 1983, and becoming a revered consultant to many country music formatted stations and helping over 500 radio stations with their music selections, on-air personality coaching, promotional support and more. For seven consecutive years, Walker was named Billboard‘s consultant of the year, and in 2024 the Country Radio Hall of Fame inducted Walker, recognizing his industry impact.

The Radio Hall of Fame was founded by the Emerson Radio Corporation in 1988, and the Museum of Broadcast Communications took over operations of the Hall in 1991.

The Museum of Broadcast Communications has announced the selection of eight new inductees into the Radio Hall of Fame for 2024 – The Crook & Chase Countdown (Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase), Lee Harris, Phil Hendrie, Jaime Jarrin, Kraig Kitchin, Barry Mayo, Mary McCoy and Matt Siegel.
Six of the eight inductees were determined by a voting participant panel comprised of more than 900 industry professionals. The remaining two inductees – Kitchin and Mayo – were voted on by the Radio Hall of Fame nominating committee.

Kitchin is co-chair of the Radio Hall of Fame. Mayo is a former radio executive at WRKS in New York, RKO General, Emmis Broadcasting and Radio One. He is credited with helping to launch WRKS in New York as the first station to play rap.

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Dennis Green, co-chair of the Radio Hall of Fame, said: “The Radio Hall of Fame welcomes eight new members that have made a lasting impact on the industry. … These individuals have entertained, informed, and enriched listeners with their special talents, and it is an honor to recognize them as the Radio Hall of Fame Class of 2024.”

2024 Radio Hall of Fame nominees who were not chosen this year are: Bert Weiss, Big D & Bubba, Big Tigger, Bob and Sheri, Bob Stroud, Dede McGuire, Diane Rehm, Free Beer and Hot Wings, Funkmaster Flex, John & Ken, Johnny Magic, Kid Leo, Larry Elder, Laurie DeYoung, Lincoln Ware, Mojo in the Morning, Richard Blade and Shelley “The Playboy” Stewart.

The 2024 Radio Hall of Fame inductees will be honored at the in-person 2024 Radio Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Thursday, Sept. 19 at the Omni Nashville Hotel in Nashville. Tickets are on sale now at: www.radiohalloffame.com. A portion of the ticket price is a tax-deductible charitable donation to the Museum of Broadcast Communications.

The Radio Hall of Fame was founded by the Emerson Radio Corporation in 1988. The Museum of Broadcast Communications took over operations of the Hall in 1991. Each year, 24 nominations in six categories are determined by the organization’s nominating committee.

Shadoe Stevens, best known as host of American Top 40 from 1988 to 1995; Bob Rivers, an air personality and prolific producer and songwriter of parody songs; and Nina Totenberg, legal affairs correspondent for NPR, are among the eight 2023 inductees into the Radio Hall of Fame.

Other honorees include Gerry House, who was heard on WSIX-FM in Nashville for many years and also wrote hits for such top country stars as George Strait, Reba McEntire and LeAnn Rimes; John DeBella, who played a major role in developing the Morning Zoo format; and Pat St. John, who began his radio career in Windsor, Ontario in 1969, but is best known for the 42 years he spent in the New York City radio market.

Six inductees were determined by a voting participant panel comprised of more than 950 industry professionals. The two remaining inductees were voted on by the Radio Hall of Fame nominating committee. 

“My congratulations to our newest inductees,” Kraig T. Kitchin, co-chair of the Radio Hall of Fame, said in a statement on Monday (July 31) when the Museum of Broadcast Communications announced the selections. “I’m thrilled to see each individual receive this recognition from the industry they’ve devoted their professional lives to.”

Dennis Green, co-chair of the Radio Hall of Fame, added: “On behalf of the Radio Hall of Fame nominating committee, we are proud to induct eight individuals into the Radio Hall of Fame who have made an indelible impact upon the industry. It is a pleasure to honor the careers of these individuals who quite simply define excellence in the industry and have earned the right to be called a Hall of Famer.”

The inductees will be honored at the in-person 2023 Radio Hall of Fame Induction ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 2, at the InterContinental New York Barclay Hotel in New York City. Christopher “Mad Dog” Russo, a 2022 Radio Hall of Fame inductee, will serve as master of ceremonies for the event. Tickets are on sale now at www.radiohalloffame.com. A portion of each ticket purchase is a tax-deductible charitable donation to the Museum of Broadcast Communications.

The Radio Hall of Fame was founded by the Emerson Radio Corporation in 1988. The Museum of Broadcast Communications took over operations in 1991. 

Here’s a complete list of 2023 Radio Hall of Fame inductees:

John DeBella

Gerry House

Deborah Parenti

Bob Rivers

Pat St. John

Shadoe Stevens

Nina Totenberg

Charles Warfield