Country Radio HOF Inducts Six
• The Country Radio Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2020 — the honorees include three off-air broadcasters and three on-air personalities. The Country Radio Hall of Fame is dedicated to the recognition of those individuals who have made significant contributions to the radio industry over a 20-year period, 15 of which must be in the Country format. The 2020 off-air honorees are (top row, l-r): Jim Duncan, Victor Sansone and George Beasley, and the on-air inductees are (second row, l-r): Tim Wilson, Chuck Edwards and Mark “Hawkeye” Louis. All six were recognized by Rascal Flatts on Wednesday during the Opening Ceremonies of CRS 2020 in Nashville.
• Jim Duncan: 2019 marked Duncan’s seventh decade in Country radio – all of them spent in major markets as weekend air talent; morning show host; PD, MD and syndication. For nine years, Duncan served as VP & Country Editor for the late, legendary Radio & Records.
• Victor Sansone: During an illustrious, 34-year career with Capital Cities/ABC/Disney, Sansone oversaw two, legendary Country radio properties: KSCS/Dallas and WKHX/Atlanta. He has also served on the CMA Board of Directors, rising to President and Chairman.
• George Beasley has logged 58 years in the radio industry, serving as Founder, Chairman & CEO of Beasley Media Group, which currently owns 64 radio stations in 15 large and medium markets across the United States, including Country powerhouse WXTU/Philadelphia.
• Tim Wilson: 26 of Wilson’s 45 years in Country radio were spent at one station: WAXX/Eau Claire, WI as PD, MD and air personality. He was also honored as CMA Personality of the Year; CMA PD of the Year; Billboard PD, MD, and Personality of the Year, and he won an NAB Marconi Award.
• Chuck Edwards: For the past 20 years, Edwards has worked at WYCD/Detroit, currently in mornings. Before that he co-hosted afternoons with fellow CRHOF member, the late Linda Leefor 16 years. Edwards’ radio career started in Knoxville in 1983. After a stop in Memphis, he spent 13 years in afternoons at KSCS/Dallas before arriving in Detroit, where he was honored as 2011 CMA personality of the Year, Michigan Association of Broadcasters Broadcaster Of The Year, and garnered multiple ACM and Marconi nominations.
• Mark “Hawkeye” Louis has been surrounded by fellow Hall Of Famers his entire career, starting at KAJA/San Antonio alongside 2015 inductee, Randy Carroll. For the past 29 years, he’s been a fixture at KSCS/Dallas, many of those years spent partnered with 2006 CRHoF inductee, Terry Dorsey, and his most recent PD is 2019 HOF member, Mac Daniels. Hawkeye In the Morning is the longest-running FM morning show in the Dallas market.
Joel Raab, CRB’s Country Radio Hall of Fame Committee Chairman, commented, “We are proud to welcome these deserving new members to the Country Radio Hall of Fame. Each has had a unique and lasting impact upon Country Radio.” The Country Radio Hall of Fame Induction and Dinner will be held on Wednesday, June 24, at the Westin Nashville. Exact times and ticket information will be released closer to the event.
