Radio HOF

Danny Dark – 2006

​Having worked with Bud Connell at WFUN in Miami, Danny Dark was one of the first people Connell brought on board at KXOK in 1961, where he quickly became top-rated. Listeners knew him as “Danny Dark from Radio Park.”

Local friends remember him as the kind of guy who’d meet with them at a neighborhood tavern and tell jokes and laugh until closing time. In late 1962, Dark left KXOK for a brief stint at WIL before his stellar career took him to Hollywood to become the most dominant voice in America.

He was the voice of dozens of major companies’ commercials, the first heard on TV’s Bonanza, the cartoon voice of Superman, and the rich, baritone voice of NBC-TV for over 25 years.

Jerome Dixon – 2006

​Jerome took over the host’s position on KATZ’s “Night Beat Down Rhythm Street” after his brother Dave was promoted to program director.

​His announcing style was laid back, and he continued originating the show from area cocktail lounges through his four years on the air, 1963-1967, supplementing his income with a full-time overnight job at the Post Office and co-ownership of a record shop. A tenor gospel singer as a child, Jerome Dixon continued the “race radio” tradition of taking the broadcasts out into the community.

​Like his brother, his life was cut short in a traffic accident near Chicago.

Richard Ward Fatherley – 2006

One of the “voice of God” men hired by Bud Connell, Fatherley came to KXOK in 1964 from WDEE in New Haven, CT. He was in charge of production and imaging at the top music station in St. Louis during its glory years of the mid ‘60s.

His creativity and outgoing personality spilled over from the production studio into his on-the-street character as the “KXOK Millionaire,” handing out cash to listeners. He was also the source of “Fatherley Advice” on the top-rated Johnny Rabbitt show. Fatherley also worked as a fill-in announcer there.

Fatherley pointed with pride to his innovation of seeking out community leaders to voice public service announcements on the Top 40 station.​

Dick Ulett – 2009

Dick Ulett’s air work on St. Louis radio stations began in 1966, and over the next two decades he worked at seven different stations under his own name and the airname of Tom Marshall.

Ten years into his career he built a recording studio in the basement of his Clayton home, which evolved into Clayton Studios.

He left broadcasting to run his business but remained actively involved in efforts to gather and preserve St. Louis radio history.

Through his operation of the studio, Ulett’s voice continued to be heard on radio and television spots, and dozens of spots produced at Clayton Studios went on to win local and national awards.

Jack Sampson – 2008

​He was the man behind the scenes when KXOK became a national powerhouse.

​Jack Sampson had worked with Storz Broadcasting in Kansas City and Oklahoma City prior to his St. Louis assignment. From 1963 – 1975, Sampson was KXOK’s vice president and general manager. When he came to town, the station had begun to make a run in the ratings, but the business side needed a complete overhaul.

​Within a year the station was showing a profit, and more money was put into operations and promotion. He left St. Louis to get into station ownership.

​Sampson is a member of the Kansas Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

Dan Kelly – 2008

Dan Kelly was 32 years old when he became the St. Louis Blues’ play-by-play voice. He’d already been broadcasting in Canada for 13 years.

He spent the rest of his life in St. Louis broadcasting the Blues, Cardinal baseball, Cardinal football, MU football and hosting sports call-in shows. The powerful nighttime signal of KMOX spread his work all over the US and Canada, and his popularity was reflected in the work he did outside of the market.

Kelly broadcast NFL football and NHL hockey for CBS, NHL hockey for USA Network, ESPN, CTV and the NHL Network. He was also the voice, through most of his career, of the NHL All-Star Game and the Stanley Cup Finals.