Radio HOF

Rex Davis – Legacy

​Rex Davis began his career in Cincinnati as Frank Zwygart (his real name), but management there awarded him the nom de air of Rex Davis, and that’s how he came to St. Louis in 1946. He was immediately thrown into action here as an aggressive newsman at KMOX.

His biggest success, in terms of ratings, came in 1974 when station manager Robert Hyland teamed Davis up with Bob Hardy for a two-person morning drive program called “Total Information AM,” a show that, during its peak, pulled a 33 average share of the listening audience.

He was the consummate newsman, felt by many listeners to be the true “Voice of St. Louis,” which was the motto associated with the station since its inception.

Davis also had a humorous side, which began to come out in 1973 with his regular appearances on the Jack Carney Show, another KMOX ratings phenomenon. Carney would regularly set up Davis, alternately giving him the punch lines or making him the target of jokes. Listeners responded with delight, hearing their authoritative newsman as a human being.
Rex Davis retired from KMOX in 1981.

Ron Jacober – 2006

​Ron’s work in St. Louis sports broadcasting began at KSD in 1970, a job that required work on both radio and television, After a short stint at KXOK from 1985-1987, he moved to KMOX, working in both sports management and broadcasting.

​He hosted the station’s popular “Sports on a Sunday,” was morning drive sports anchor and produced numerous sports specials. In addition, he worked as a commentator for CBS Sports at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

​Ron was given a World Series ring by the Cardinals in 1982 for his broadcasting efforts. He was cited as Alumnus of the Year by the Southern Illinois University School of Journalism, has received AIR Awards and the Jack Buck/MS Award for his Olympics broadcasts.

Ron Lundy – 2006

​One of the crazy bunch of young guys who catapulted WIL to the top of the market in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, Ron Lundy left St. Louis in 1965 to go to WABC in New York. He took the air name “Wil’ Child” here for awhile and lived up to the image.

​In 1960, Balaban’s Bob Whitney brought Lundy to town from Baton Rouge, citing his audition tape as a combination of “country and crawfish pie,” a folksiness that stayed with Lundy through his career. Whitney said Lundy was “a guy who radiated the fun of being alive.”

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. ​

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.

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.