KSHE: Missouri State Of The Art
• Hubbard’s Classic Rock behemoth KSHE 95/St. Louis, which purports to be the oldest continually-operating Rock station in America, has officially been designated the State of Missouri’s “Official Rock Radio Station” under HCS SCS SB 348 (2025). The totally legal legislation was approved on June 24, and takes effect on August 28.
State Rep. Bill Lucas (R-DeSoto), sponsor of HB 602, grew up listening to KSHE, and first approached the station in March with the idea. KSHE worked with him by providing historical documents, quotes, and access to logos to help make it happen.
Some Background: The station made its first rock broadcast in 1967, but obtained its unique call letters and FM frequency about a year earlier as a Classical station. The founders named it “KSHE” because its first deejays were women. Ruth Hutchinson (1894-1984) was billed as the oldest rock deejay in the country throughout her career from 1976-1982.
Fast forward, and KSHE 95’s “Real Rock Radio” has become a local cultural icon, opening a rock music museum, a café, and created a hard-rocking pig mascot named “Sweetmeat.” Rolling Stone readers named KSHE the Best Medium Market Radio Station for 1987.
“It’s quite an honor to be recognized by the state of Missouri in an official capacity,” said Marty Linck, KSHE Brand Content Director. “It’s surreal that the station I grew up listening to — and now work for — has achieved such status.”
