Halls of Fame

V.A.L. Jones – Legacy

V.A.L. Jones was literally the first lady of St. Louis radio. She was the first announcer, program director and scriptwriter at KSD, the market’s first commercial radio station.

Miss Jones was the subject of several articles in national radio publications of the day for her work in getting the station on the air in 1922. “Radio in the Home” wrote in September 1922 of her distinctive voice, “You recognize it among the voices of other radio announcers for its clearness of enunciation, for the purity of diction it employs…”

She was said to have received thousands of letters from listeners, and her on-air identifier was simply “Miss Jones announcing.” Virginia Adele Laurence Jones spent five years at KSD, having been hired by owner, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, because of her knowledge of the city, her musical knowledge and her writing ability, which she had demonstrated as a rewrite person at the paper.

In the station’s first year, Miss Jones held weekly auditions for on-air performers, usually hearing 50 – 60 acts per week.

She left KSD when she married an engineer from another local station and he was transferred to Kansas City. ​

Robert R. Lynn – Legacy

​Robert R. Lynn began his broadcast career at KWOS in Jefferson City, MO., while he was in school at the University of Missouri – Columbia Journalism School. He came to St. Louis in 1959 after working at two stations in Houston, where he claims to have been fired by Dan Rather.

In addition to his 20-year career as a newsman at KXOK followed by two years at KMOX and a brief stint at WIL, Lynn was well-known in the St. Louis market for his commercial voiceovers.

He was president of the local AFTRA chapter for three terms and received the Nellie Booth Award for meritorious service from that organization in 1991.

He even found time to do some acting at the St. Louis Municipal Opera during the 1969 season, and after his retirement from radio, he appeared in a national television movie and mini-series.

Robert R. Lynn was part of the crack news team at KXOK during the station’s rock heyday in the late fifties through the sixties. The men were well-known for their deep-voiced, authoritative presentations and rapid delivery.

John McCormick – Legacy

John McCormick became known in St. Louis as “The Man Who Walks and Talks at Midnight.” ​

His overnight program on KMOX was a throwback to radio’s earlier days, when deep-voiced announcers steeped in knowledge and personality held forth on the nation’s powerhouse stations. ​

McCormick began his work at KMOX in 1958, having already established himself as a radio personality at Chicago’s WGN and WBBM and stations in New Orleans and Los Angeles. ​

He held forth on the KMOX overnight shift for 31 years, with listeners awaiting his familiar clichés, like his sign-off at the end of each morning’s show: “And now, the night has separated from the day.”

Like many KMOX personalities, McCormick stayed on the air past the usual retirement age of 65, finally hanging it up at 75. ​

John McCormick weather, KMOX, 12/15/1989

John McCormick signoff, KMOX, 12/15/1989

Sheldon Grafman – 2004

​Sheldon “Shelley” Grafman was the driving force behind the success of KSHE from 1967 thru February 1984.

​Hired in late 1967 in sales he eventually rose to the position of General Manager. At one time he was in charge of running stations for Century Broadcasting in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Detroit from his home base in Crestwood.

​Known for his devotion to the Album Oriented Rock format of the 70’s he was instrumental in creating the “free form” sound that made KSHE an institution not only in St. Louis but on a national level.

​Throughout his 17 years at KSHE, Grafman was involved in all aspects of the station, operating out of his office, a 12×12 room in the cinder block building located at 9434 Watson Road.

​Grafman also took an occasional air-shift using the on-air name of Shelley Graham. ​Hundreds of bands that went on to achieve superstar status were given their first break by playing a KSHE-sponsored concert.

​Eventually Shelley was promoted to national programming director and executive vice-president of Century Broadcasting, KSHE’s parent company.

Russ David – Legacy

​Russ David will always be associated with his long-running music show, “Playhouse Party,” which was heard on KSD for 16 years and WEW an additional 10 years.

​But his career spanned much more. He worked briefly in the music department at KMOX and was a studio musician and program host on KSD prior to Playhouse Party. His live network music show on NBC originated from the KSD studios.

​Russ attended the St. Louis University School of Commerce for a couple years at the insistence of his parents but then left to become a professional musician.

​During his stint at KSD he hosted Alpen Brau Time, and he wrote all the scores and conducted the orchestra for the acclaimed Land We Live In program. He also served as music director for KSD even after most of the live music shows were dropped.

Rod “Dr. Jockenstein” King – 2004

Rod King began in the radio business as “Touché the D.J. – the jock that never stops.”

His first gig in the St. Louis area was on WESL, East St. Louis. His experience also included KATZ-AM and FM, St. Louis.

Many listeners remember his “roll call” segment each morning on WESL in which he invited his young audience to call in as part of his rap over a rhythmic music bed.

The famous musician George Clinton dubbed him “Dr. Jockenstein” after Rod emceed one of the Parliament-Funkadelic concerts in St. Louis.

Over the years King developed a large, loyal listenership.

Among his many awards: DJ of the Year from Black Radio Exclusive Magazine and the Black Achievement Award from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. ​