Helton To Be Honored At CRS2020
• The Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) announced that Lon Helton, Publisher/CEO of Country Aircheck and host of Westwood One’s Country Countdown USA, as the recipient of the 2020 Tom Rivers Humanitarian Award, which will be presented during the Opening Ceremonies of Country Radio Seminar 2020 on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020.
The Tom Rivers Humanitarian Award recognizes an individual in the Country Radio industry who has displayed a magnanimous spirit of caring and generosity in service to their community. Helton is one of the founders of Country Cares for St. Jude Kids Radiothon program, a fund-raising effort that is quickly approaching the $1 billion mark. The award is named in honor of CRB Board member Tom Rivers (WQYK/Tampa & WUSN/Chicago), who died in 2004 of bronchial asthma at the age of 38.
During his 20+ years at Radio & Records (where we had the pleasure to call him a colleague), and now 13 years at Country Aircheck, Lon’s support for St. Jude has been a pillar. He is also a longtime member of the CMA Board of Directors, as well as serving on the organization’s philanthropic arm, the Country Music Foundation. RJ Curtis, Executive Director of CRB/CRS commented, “The CRB Board of Directors has made a terrific choice in selecting Lon Helton as our Tom Rivers Humanitarian Award recipient. Lon’s work in helping to establish, and then advance the St. Jude Country Cares Radiothon program stands alone, but there are many other, quieter efforts he’s championed as well. Recognizing unselfish, unheralded examples of benevolence is the original spirit of this award, and a fitting tribute to the character of Tom Rivers.”
Helton commented, “I’m fortunate to have been entrusted with a very large megaphone for the last 36 years. Whether at Radio & Records, Country Aircheckor Country Countdown USA, it has been a privilege to champion and chronicle the charitable efforts of Country radio, Nashville labels and Country artists. It’s immensely gratifying to be even a tiny part of Country Cares for St. Jude Kids, which began as Randy Owen‘s challenge to Country radio at CRS 1989 and is now closing in on $1 billion in donations. It’s an honor and privilege to serve on industry boards that do so much for so many. Receiving this award is especially humbling because it is named after longtime friend Tom Rivers, who set such a high bar for public service.” Previous recipients of the Tom Rivers Humanitarian Award include “Dollar” Bill Lawson, Dan Halyburton, Peter Smyth, Jeff Smulyan, Mary Quaas, George G. Beasley and others.
