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Ramblin’ Ray Stevens was destined to be in “Raydio”, just ask his mom Pat, who bought him his first Mr. Microphone at age eight. Ray was always imitating Larrry Lujack from WLS, who he listened to as a kid. When riding in the car with his dad back then, Ray wasn’t singing along with the songs on the radio, he was pretending to be introducing them! Apparently that was fun for Ray but not so much fun for everyone else on family road trips. Ray’s radio career started out in 1987 when a local program director needed a nice car for a local parade. In typical Chicago fashion, Ray made a deal, he told that programmer, “You can use my car (a 1987 Mustang Convertible) if I can have a weekend air shift.” The deal was done and Ray has been in radio ever since. After four years at Y108 in Aurora, Ray left the suburbs for Michigan Ave. in Chicago. After working weekends and many fill-in shifts Ray was chosen as morning show host at WUSN, known locally as US99. Over the years there were many changes, but Ray sites the best times at US99 were working with Big John Howell and then later his “radio wife” Lisa Dent. Ray then left the country music format to reunite with Big John Howell at the legendary WLS in Chicago. Leaving country music was tough but the allure of talk radio in his native hometown was an offer he couldn’t refuse. In addition to Chicago radio, Ray has been heard nationwide first on Westwood One’s Country’s Cutting Edge and later United Station’s Serving Your Country. “I’m very proud of ‘Serving Your Country’, it’s our way of saying thanks to those that give. Without the dedication and service of our men and women in uniform, we’d be lost. If you can take a little time each week to do something to thank the folks who provide our freedom, that’s huge.” Ray has won or been nominated for just about every major award in the radio business including several Country Music Association (CMA) and Academy of Country Music (ACM) broadcast awards. For Ray, winning the CMA Major Market Personality of the year award in 2010 was a career highlight, and Lisa and Ray’s morning show won the Country Radio Broadcasters’ Major Market Talent award for four consecutive years. Lisa and Ray were also nominated for the coveted Marconi award. “The awards are cool to win, but Ray’s favorite award was from the Marines. Ray won the Semper Fi award for his work on behalf of our troops both at home and abroad, and it is the highest Marine honor to be bestowed upon a civilian. Outside of radio, Ray hangs mostly with his kids, Cheyenne, Conner and Cassie. He is an avid outdoorsman, an accomplished Road and Mountain biker and a water skier. But Ray’s favorite activity is Snowmobile Racing (in the winter, obviously). Winning the 2013 Eagle River Wisconsin World Championship in the 250 class was his biggest racing accomplishment. Success in radio and awards are fun but Ray sites the biggest accomplishments have to be in helping Chicago’s homeless pets and the work he’s done for local and children’s charities.
Source: https://t-tees.com
Category: WHO
