STLMHF

Ron Edwards – 2016

Ron Edwards was one of the original programmers for St. Louis’ community radio station KDHX when it went on the air in 1987. His weekly program, “Nothin’ But the Blues,” was required listening for true blues aficionados. Each themed program contained historic details not normally found in radio programming. His show became the first program to be syndicated by KDHX.

Ron was a founding member of the St. Louis Blues Society and served on its board for over ten years.

Mary Edwards – 2016

Mary Edwards began working behind the scenes at KWMU in May of 1974 upon her graduation with a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Missouri – St. Louis. What she assumed was a summer job turned into a career. Over the decades she was KWMU’s music director, program director and senior talk show producer. She found time during her daily work load to serve as an adjunct instructor at Webster University for 26 years, and to provide production assistance for the Greater St. Louis Association of Black Journalists’ Minority Workshop over a six year period. Among her many honors, Mary received the Charles Klotzer Media Literacy Award.

Art Dwyer – 2016

Art Dwyer accepted an invitation to visit the construction site of the radio tower being built for St. Louis’ community radio station, KDHX, in 1987. Almost as an aside, he was asked to bring along some records. Given that Dwyer had founded the Soulard Blues Band nine years earlier, the records he carried with him were all blues records. For the next 18 months he made the 75 mile round trip to the transmitter site twice a week to host a four-hour program that morphed into his popular Friday afternoon blues showcase, “Blues in the Night.” Art received the Riverfront Times Readers’ Poll Award for best blues show in 2006 and 2007. He served on the St. Louis Blues Society board for three years. 

Peggy Drenkhahn – 2016

Peggy Cohill Drenkhahn began working at KMOX Radio in July of 1975. In the ensuing decades, she became one of the most powerful behind-the-scenes people in St. Louis broadcasting as the person responsible for booking guests on the station’s talk programs. Her bookings and pairings with the strong KMOX stable of program hosts built the station into a nationally recognized ratings powerhouse through the ’70s and ’80s. Outside work she volunteering as a reading and math tutor for kids and taught Sunday School.

John Beck – 2016

John Beck was one of the market’s senior managers of a radio cluster, having served at the helm of Emmis Communications’ St. Louis properties for over 30 years, during which he oversaw station acquisitions, as well as format and personnel changes. The stations he oversaw consistently ranked in the market’s top ten. His community activities included service in over a dozen non-profits, and outside professional accomplishments included service as president of the Missouri Broadcasters’ Association, participation on several of the group’s boards, and work on several specialized efforts of the National Association of Broadcasters. His professional honors included being named one of the nation’s top ten radio market managers by Radio Ink Magazine.

Dennis Clancy – 2016

Dennis Clancy developed an early interest in the blues thanks to his family’s collection of 78s from the great blues artists. Denny was there with his buddy Art Dwyer and a bunch of mutual friends, when the Soulard Blues Band was born. It was through Art that Dennis met up with John McHenry, who has co-hosted the Blursday show on KDHX with him from the beginning.