Hubbard Hot AC 97.9 WRMF West Palm Beach morning host Kevin Rolston has been selected as the 2024 recipient of the Kidd Kraddick Award to be presented at Morning Show Boot Camp in August.
The award awarded to recognize those of unparalleled success, inimitable style and authenticity. exemplary service to their community and serving as a constant source of inspiration to other shows and personalities. The previous year’s recipient is charged with selecting the following year’s honoree. 101.3 KDWB Minneapolis morning host Dave Ryan selected Rolston stating, “The responsibility of choosing the next Kidd Kraddick Award winner is the hardest part of winning this award. So many amazing radio people went through my head like characters on a slot machine! But I owed Kevin for helping me hide that body at Boot Camp 2014 so I knew he was the one.”
Ryan continues, “Seriously, Kevin is amazing on two important fronts. Of course he’s an incredible radio talent. His content is different and fun and innovative and absolutely compelling. He never plays it safe and it pays off. On top of that, he’s a visionary. He sees where the industry is going and how to get his show on that same path. If you want to know where to point your show in 2024, follow Kevin. He gets it. I get such a kick out of knowing I had anything to do with Kevin’s career and I’m honored to pass this award on to that college student that used to listen to my show back in the day.”
Rolston accepted his award stating, “There isn’t an honor I would cherish more. I believe Kidd Kraddick was the most gifted person to ever crack a microphone in our industry. Everyone to have received his award is an industry giant. I don’t feel worthy, but I’m not gonna turn this down either! And to receive this award from Dave Ryan is such a cool full-circle moment for me. Dave Ryan is the sole reason I’m even in radio in the first place. Hearing him on the Morning Zoo at WNCI in Columbus as a young impressionable kid at Ohio University who couldn’t pick a career path, inspired me and gave me the idea that maybe I could do this too. I wanted to be him so bad. Kind of weird where life takes you.”
Rolston has hosted mornings at WRMF with Virginia Sinicki and Jason Pennington since July 2014. “The KVJ Show” originally debuted at CHR “Wild 95.5” WLDI West Palm Beach in 1999 before moving to Cox Media Group’s Hot AC “97.3 The Coast” turned CHR “Hits 97.3” WFLC Miami for a brief ten month run in July 2013. He previously served as Imaging Director and morning producer/co-host at “Mix 93.3” KMXV Kansas City from 1997 to 1999 and worked in promotions at “Z100” WHTZ New York.
Past recipients of the Kidd Kraddick Award include “The Bert Show” host Bert Weiss, the Kidd Kraddick Show, the Ace & TJ Show”, WXLP Quad Cities’ Greg Dwyer & Bill Michaels, WBGG-FM Miami’s Paul Castronovo, KZOK Seattle morning host BJ Shea, WAIO Rochester’s Brother Wease, WKQI Detroit’s Mojo, and Dave Ryan.
The Kraddick Award will be presented during Talentmasters’ 36th Annual Morning Show Boot Camp (MSBC), taking place August 8-10 at The Hard Rock Hotel, San Diego. Read more and register at RadioMSBC.com.
This story first appeared on radioinsight.com