STLMHF

Gene Roberts – 2018

Gene Roberts is remembered as the voice of bluegrass music in the St. Louis area, a position he carried out for many years as a bluegrass disc jockey on WGNU and on non-commercial radio stations KDHX and KCLC, incorporating many records from his personal collection into the shows. He got his start in broadcasting in 1947 at Armed Forces Radio in Okinawa. In 2003 Gene was named to the Who’s Who list of country DJs in St. Louis, and he was a charter member of the International Bluegrass Music Association and received the Pioneer of Missouri Bluegrass Award.

George Rueppel – 2017

Brother George Rueppel, S.J., took the experimental wireless station at Saint Louis University, 9YK, and turned it into radio station WEW. 9YK had been broadcasting weather information by Morse Code since 1912, and Brother Rueppel was working as director of SLU’s meteorology department. When WEW was licensed for voice transmission in 1922, Rueppel headed the operation and did most of the initial announcing. He brought a Victrola into his makeshift studio and played music into the microphone to fill the time. His work will forever establish him as one of the founders of radio in St. Louis

George Noory – 2017

George Noory turned his hosting job on an overnight talk show on KTRS into a springboard to national prominence when he became host of Premier Network’s “Coast To Coast AM.” Known here as “The Nighthawk,” Noory succeeded Art Bell on the national broadcast in 2003, reaching the overnight audience over some 600 radio stations. Much of the program’s focus centered on discussions of paranormal, alien abduction, time travel and unexplained phenomena. Noory authored three books and often conducted his broadcasts from his home in St. Louis.

George Logan – 2017

George “The Rockin’ Mr. G” Logan began his career in Mounds, Illinois, where he announced high school basketball games. A graduate of SIU Carbondale, Logan moved his family to St. Louis, and in the early ‘50s, he could be heard on KXLW. In two successive years, he won trophies as the listeners’ favorite disc jockey. He was also heard on KATZ in the late ‘50s, and was remembered by many for his gospel and spiritual show, “Lest We Forget.” One competitor DJ said that when G played that gospel and read those poems, the whole town heard him. Logan was active in the Civil Rights movement, travelling to Little Rock and reporting on the desegregation of their high school. When he left radio in the 1960s, he worked with the Head Start program and later helped senior citizens find employment.

Tom Ray – 2016

Tom Ray adopted the nom de plume Papa Ray for his weekly Monday blues program on KDHX. As a veteran of 30-plus years, Tom Ray brought his unique music perspective to KDHX listeners, focusing on blues cuts that were not rock-based. His life was totally immersed in music, from professional deejay work to ownership of Vintage Vinyl, the St. Louis area’s largest retail outlet for vintage vinyl and discs. He also performed regularly with local blues groups on vocals/harmonica.

John McHenry – 2016

John McHenry cut his teeth on the blues by listening to KATZ, KWLW, KADI, and later, KDNA. He played drums in the Soulard Blues Band for several years, but it was his friend (and co-host) Dennis Clancy who finally persuaded him to become a KDHX announcer. Most of the music played on the show is from John’s personal collection.