Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. hosted the 2025 Country Radio Hall of Fame dinner ceremony, Monday, July 21, at the Virgin Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee.
Celebrating its 50th Anniversary, this year’s Country Radio Hall of Fame ceremony was a powerful tribute to the legacy and impact of country radio. The evening was filled with heartfelt speeches, moving tributes, and unforgettable moments that honored the remarkable careers of this year’s honorees.
The inductees included on-air personalities Big D & Bubba, Mary McCoy, and Rowdy Yates, alongside radio honorees Ginny “Rogers” Brophey, Clay Hunnicutt, and Gregg Swedberg.
Rowdy Yates: Rowdy Yates will mark 40 years working in radio in 2025, with a July 21st induction into the Country Radio Hall of Fame. This is the crown jewel in a long and successful broadcast career that has included prominent roles in programming, on-air, national syndication, and ambassadorship for Country music and country radio. Rowdy’s early days handling weekends in Denton, TX, in the mid-80s soon escalated into dual programming/on-air roles in College Station, Oklahoma City, and eventually, legendary call letters including KIKK and KILT/Houston and KVOO/Tulsa. In 2004, Rowdy branched out into nationally syndicated radio, with an eight-year run hosting “Country Gold.” Since 2013 he’s owned, operated and served as host on Syndicated Media LLC Houston, TX, producing a variety of programs for radio syndication including “The Original Country Gold,” the most listened to country request show in America. Additionally, since 2019, he’s served as RFC Media/Suite Radio Houston, Texas-Operations Manager/PM Drive Personality for the24/7 country radio formats “The Brand” and “The Legend.” Host of “The Rowdy Ride Home” the first nationally syndicated PM drive program in the history of country radio. Rowdy has been honored as Personality of the Year by the Academy of Country Music, and the CRS-Country Aircheck Awards. He is also a member of the Texas Radio Hall of Fame.
