CHICAGO — The Museum of Broadcast Communications has revealed the selection of eight new “Legends inductees” into the Radio Hall of Fame for 2024. The honors, the Hall says, recognize “the talents and efforts of on-air personalities, programmers and operators who contributed with greatness to the radio industry and have since passed away.”
The following eight radio legends will immediately take their place in the Radio Hall of Fame:
- Chuck Blore — the architect of the Top 40 format for KFWB “Color Radio,” also known as “Channel 98,” in Los Angeles. Blore’s programming prowess propelled contemporary hit radio some three years after rock-and-roll found a home largely on smaller, less-than-successful radio stations
- Alan Colmes — a political commentator known as the liberal contrarian to conservative Sean Hannity on FOX News Channel
- Charlie Douglas – Douglas is widely credited for creating an all-night radio show targeting truckers. In 1970, at WWL-AM 870 in New Orleans, he created the Road Gang, a Country music show directed specifically at the overnight tractor-trailer conductor. After thirteen years, he joined WSM-AM 650 in Nashville. Douglas retired from radio in 1995 to devote his full attention to Compact Disc Express (CDX), a music promotion firm he has operated with partner Paul Lovelace since 1991.
- Jim Ladd – The inspiration for the late Tom Petty’s work “The Last DJ,” Ladd was famous in Los Angeles for his free-form “Headsets” program heard for many years on KLOS-FM. From 1974-1984, he was heard at former crosstown rival KMET-FM.
- Maria Martin – A journalist who served as a pioneering Latina in her field at NPR.
- Byron McGregor – The CKLW “Big 8” in Windsor, Ontario, “20/20 News” anchor who famous read CFRB in Toronto host Gordon Sinclair’s column “The Americans,” and later recorded it. The single became a chart hit in the U.S. for its poignant take on America from a Canadian perspective at one of the most challenging periods of the nation’s history.
- Percy Sutton – The co-founder of Inner City Broadcasting Co., which ran WLIB-AM & WBLS-FM in New York.
- Rusty Walker – Walker has either programmed, advised, created, consulted, overseen, served as a strategic partner or performed as an air personality for more than 750 Country radio stations since he started his radio career in 1970.
Dennis Green, Co-Chair of the Radio Hall of Fame, said, “These Legends of Broadcasting may have passed on, but their legacy and what they meant to the radio industry will never die. The Radio Hall of Fame Nominating Committee is honored to award Hall of Fame Inductions to each of these individuals. May their contributions be a lasting tribute and inspiration for generations of broadcasters to emulate for years to come.”
Kraig Kitchin, Co-Chair of the Radio Hall of Fame, added, “Our Nominating Committee recognizes the history of our medium and the countless individuals who contributed to the dominant influence of radio for so many decades. Each of these individuals left an indelible mark on the audiences they connected with and the businesses that they were associated with. We’re grateful for their talents, and only regret that they were not able to receive this special recognition while alive.”
The Radio Hall of Fame will recognize its 2024 class of inductees at the 2024 Radio Hall of Fame induction ceremony on September 19 at the Omni Nashville in Nashville. The 2022 Radio Hall of Fame Inductee Lon Helton will serve as the Master of Ceremonies for the event.
The Radio Hall of Fame was founded by the Emerson Radio Corporation in 1988. The Museum of Broadcast Communications took over operations of the Hall in 1991.
