Halls of Fame

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.

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.

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.​

Ray Otis – 2007

​Shortly after Ray Otis took over as host of the KXOK morning show, it became the top morning show in the market. Another one of the deep-voiced guys on the Big 630’s airwaves during the heyday of the 60s, Otis began his eight-year stint here in 1962. His affable on-air approach led to regular appearances on his show by St. Louis Mayor A.J. Cervantes and many others.

​Schooled in programming by Myron Jones and the famed Storz men, Jack Thayer and Harvey Glasscock, Ray Otis became KXOK’s program director.

​Otis left St. Louis for a job at WNEW-AM in New York. He also hosted a network show.

Richard J. Miller – 2005

Miller began his work in St. Louis radio when he acquired KXLW in 1958. The station brought music and personality to the R&B/gospel audience in the area. In 1969 he added KADI-FM to his local operations and subsequently bought stations in two other cities.

His local stations provided a career springboard for talented people he hired like Gary “Records” Brown, Jim Doyle, Al “Scoop” Sanders, “Radio” Rich Dalton and Ed Goodman.

Miller established the concept of weekly oldies shows on Sunday nights, and the program spanned three decades. He was one of the first to promote his stations using posters, which have since become collectors’ items.

Miller’s St. Louis stations became regular stops for national talent, including Harry Chapin and Wolfman Jack, who would stop in to do DJ shows when they were in the area.

Richard Miller had sold all his radio properties by the mid ‘90s when he became chairman of Truman Bank.​

Steven B. Stevens – 2007

Steven B. Stevens was one of the deep-voiced news personalities at KXOK during its legendary run as one of St. Louis’ and the nation’s top stations.

He joined the staff there just prior to turning 20. In addition to his news duties, he was often called upon to act as a straight man in humorous bits with KXOK’s Johnny Rabbitt and Bruno J. Grunyon characters during the 7 – midnight slot, the station’s heavy listening time. He worked at KXOK for 7 years as one of master programmer Bud Connell’s “Voice of god” men, moving on to television news in Cincinnati.​