STLMHF

Davie Lee – 2005

A Texas native, Lee came to St. Louis when WIL became the first full-time country music station in the market.

He was part of the “dream team” of DJs at the AM station beginning in 1968. The Country Music Association ranked Davie among the top 5 country DJs in the nation seven different times during his tenure at WIL.

After WIL was sold, he joined KUSA, working there from 1989-1996. He then left when that station was sold, managing station KHAD in DeSoto, then returned to WEW in St. Louis from 1998-2002. During each of those four years, Davie Lee was voted the market’s top Southern Gospel Music DJ.

His free-lance voice work was heard on radio and TV stations around the country, and he also worked as the voice of steelradio.com on the Internet.​

Bob Hamilton – 2005

​Bob’s characteristic news delivery became so well known in St. Louis that he has been imitated by stand-up comics in local clubs and at least once on a commercial announcement that ran on several stations.

He began in the business in Fulton, Missouri at KFAL and then landed in Union for a short stint at KLPW.

Hamilton joined Pulitzer’s KSD in St. Louis in 1971, where he worked as a newsman.

In 1982 he moved up the radio dial to the news operation of CBS-owned KMOX.

He won several awards for his work at KMOX and was paid the ultimate compliment when he was asked by corporate executives to continue on the job there past the retirement age of 65.

Frank Eschen – 2005

​Eschen obtained his journalism degree from the University of Missouri in 1932 and was able to quickly get a job at WIL based in part on his broadcast experience at KFRU while a student.

​In 1934 he went to KSD, where he spent the rest of his broadcast career. He left for military service in World War II, returning in 1945. In 1946, he personally accompanied St. Louis Archbishop John Glennon to Rome for his installation as a Cardinal.

​While in Europe, he also covered the Nuremberg trials and the sudden death of Glennon in Ireland.

​Co-workers spoke fondly of Eschen’s willingness to take young announcers under his wing and give them professional guidance and critiques. He also was a regular on the dramatic productions of “The Land We Live In” when it was carried on KSD.

Almus J.C. “Slim” and Zella Mae Cox – 2005

​“Slim” began his radio career in Kennett, Missouri in 1947 with Slim Cox and the Foggy Mountain Boys and several other groups. A year later he met Zella Mae and they were married in 1948.

Their first gospel radio show was on KBTM in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Later in St. Louis they first appeared on WGNU with their weekly gospel program in 1955 sponsored by Schweig Engel, followed by KXEN and WEW.

Their performances were also heard on WSM’s Grand Ol’ Gospel program in Nashville for nearly 4 years, and their daily gospel radio broadcasts have been carried by 18 stations in 4 states.

The broadcast careers of the husband/wife team of Slim and Zella Mae Cox spanned 56 consecutive years.

Gary Brown – 2005

​Gary was quick to admit he was a radio groupie when he was a kid. He’d ride the Kingshighway bus to Radio Park to watch Johnny Rabbitt do his show on KXOK. In the summer of 1970 Brown was able to talk his way into a job at KWK, which had a black format at the time.

Program director Bernie Hayes said Brown would do anything he could to be around the announcers.

After an on-air stint in Kansas City at another black station, Gary “Records” Brown landed at KADI-AM and FM in St. Louis where he got the chance to establish himself as the market’s premier oldies personality. The “KADI Original Oldies Show” became a Sunday night tradition.

Brown also programmed KGLD and, at the latter part of his career, did morning drive on KLOU, even while he served as the owner of several stations in Missouri and Illinois.

Guy Phillips – 2006

After stints at stations in Texas, Mexico and California, Guy came to KSLQ in 1979 as part of a two-man morning show with Mike Wall.

The station’s call letters changed to KYKY, the format changed and the partnership dissolved, but Phillips stayed for over a quarter century, making his morning gig at the station one of the longest continuous stays in modern times. Near the end of his radio career he filled a slot at KTRS for a couple years. Phillips retired in 2020.

He dedicated thousands of hours in community service to charitable agencies and was one of the market’s most popular MCs. He’s received the Ronald McDonald House “Hero of the Heart” award and was named “Mr. St. Louis” through mayoral proclamation. ​