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KSHE
KSHE
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KSHE (94.7 FM - styled as K-SHE) is a commercial radio station licensed to Crestwood, Missouri, and serving the Greater St. Louis area. It is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting and it airs a classic rock format, using the slogan "KSHE 95, Real Rock Radio". The studios are on Olive Boulevard near Interstate 270 in Creve Coeur.

Key Information

KSHE is a Class C0 station. It has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 watts, the maximum for most stations. The transmitter is off MacKenzie Road in Shrewsbury.[2]

History

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Classical music

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After working as an engineer for 20 years with the Pulitzer stations KSD and KSD-TV, Ed Ceries invested his life savings and his considerable engineering efforts in constructing his own FM station. He built some of the equipment himself. The station signed on the air on February 11, 1961; 64 years ago (February 11, 1961). The studios were in from the basement of the Ceries' home in suburban Crestwood.

The station used the call sign KSHE.[3] Initially it had a classical music format. For a while, all the announcers were women, which was the reason the call letters were chosen to include "SHE." Most of the basement was used for the station operations, with the Associated Press Teletype installed next to the clothes washer. The record library room doubled as an administrative office where Mrs. Ceries also did her ironing.

Listener loyalty was strong. At times, fans would come to the station with copies of classical selections they thought would be a good addition to those owned by KSHE. Advertisers were not convinced FM radio—-particularly classical music-—had much of an audience. After the first year, the format was adjusted to contain about 90% middle of the road (MOR) music and 10% classical, with nine daily news broadcasts. In 1964, the station was sold to Century Broadcasting.[4]

Rock music

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New general manager Howard Grafman was convinced by his friend Ron Elz to adopt a new format that Elz had heard on a trip to San Francisco on KMPX: progressive rock. The individual disc jockeys were permitted to decide what to play. The first rock song played on KSHE in November 1967 that ushered in their format change was Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit".[5] KSHE sometimes played music nonstop for hours without station identification, which eventually was brought to the attention of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). That triggered a warning to identify as required.

The station would play whole albums in the late afternoon and late at night as a special feature. Albums played in their entirety included The Firesign Theatre's Waiting for the Electrician or Someone Like Him, The Who's Tommy, Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band's Gorilla, Arlo Guthrie's Alice's Restaurant, and Iron Butterfly's In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida.

During the 1970s and early 1980s, KSHE helped launch the careers of several midwestern bands such as Styx, Cheap Trick, REO Speedwagon and Head East.[6] KSHE had a playlist, which popularized international rock artists as Lake from Germany, Stingray from South Africa, and rising bands from Australia and New Zealand including Midnight Oil and Split Enz. Starting in the late 1970s and continuing into the present day, Sunday evenings were dedicated to playing seven albums from seven different artists on a show called the Seventh Day. The albums usually were played from 7:00 pm until after midnight.

Instead of the standard reading of news ripped from the Associated Press or United Press International wire machine ("rip and read"), early KSHE newscasts introduced news topics by preceding the story with rock music excerpts that had lyrics introducing or commenting on the topic.[7]

Specialty shows

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From 1996 to 2012, KSHE aired The Bob & Tom Show in morning drive time, syndicated from WFBQ in Indianapolis.[8] The current wake-up program is "The A.D. Show" with A.D. Rountree and station veteran John Ulett.

KSHE created a virtual museum on its website for its long-time fans. The site contains video clips, audio clips, pictures and memorabilia. The first inductees of the KSHE Museum in 2007 were Rush, Kiss, Ted Nugent, and REO Speedwagon.

At times, KSHE devotes an hour to a genre of rock music. They include Hair Band Doran (DJ: Mike Doran) from 8pm-9pm weekdays (previously called '80s at 8) and Monday Night Metal with Tom "Real Rock" Terbrock on Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. KSHE DJ Lern has "Monday Night Metal," every Monday at 9 p.m. At 5 pm each weekday, KSHE plays "The Daily Dose of Led Zepplin" with Tim Virgin, two Led Zeppelin songs presented with trivia about their creation or notable performances of the songs. The station carries "The Kshe Klassic Show" on Sunday mornings with John Ulett (Uman). He's been full time on the radio station for 47 years and is considered to be the longest running rock DJ in the world. He also co-hosts a show with St. Louis radio legend Mark Klose called Vinyl Exam on Sundays at noon.

Mascot

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The station mascot is a sunglasses-and-headphones-wearing pig named "Sweetmeat." Its likeness originally appeared on the cover of Blodwyn Pig's 1969 album Ahead Rings Out.[9]

Like the pig pictured on the LP cover, Sweetmeat first appeared with a joint in his mouth. This "controversial" detail disappeared in the early 1980s in favor of an updated, cartoon "rocker" pig. In recent years, the station has returned to using the original image, along with the original KSHE-95 text logo.

At top, the cartoon Sweetmeat used in the 1980s; at bottom, "vintage" Sweetmeat used as of June 2013.

Sweetmeat also inspired the name of Austin, Texas Christian punk/thrash band One Bad Pig.[10]

References

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
KSHE (94.7 FM), stylized as KSHE 95, is a commercial radio station licensed to Crestwood, Missouri, that serves the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area with a classic rock format.
Owned and operated by Hubbard Broadcasting since its acquisition in 2018, the station is renowned for its slogan "Real Rock Radio" and is recognized as one of the pioneering outlets for rock music on the FM band.
Originally launched in 1961 as a classical music station, KSHE transitioned to rock programming in 1967, making it the oldest continuously operating rock radio station in the United States.
In 2025, the Missouri General Assembly officially designated KSHE as the state's rock radio station, honoring its cultural impact and longevity in broadcasting album-oriented rock and launching numerous artists' careers.
The station's influence extends beyond music, fostering a dedicated listener community through events, specialty shows like the long-running KSHE Klassics, and its historical role in promoting progressive rock during the late 1960s and 1970s.

Overview

Station profile

KSHE (94.7 FM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Crestwood, , serving the metropolitan area. It operates on the frequency 94.7 MHz with an (ERP) of 100,000 watts and is classified as a Class C0 facility, enabling broad coverage across the region from its transmitter site off MacKenzie Road in , . The station, branded as "KSHE 95," adopted the slogan "Real Rock Radio" to reflect its format, which evolved from an initial programming in the . KSHE signed on for the first time on February 11, 1961. Its main studios are located at 11647 Olive Boulevard in . In addition to its primary analog signal, KSHE broadcasts a digital subchannel on HD2, featuring "KSHE Klassics," which focuses on deeper album tracks from artists. As of November 2025, the station continues to maintain its position as a prominent rock outlet in the market, recognized officially as Missouri's state rock radio station.

Ownership and facilities

KSHE was founded on February 11, 1961, by radio engineer Ed Ceries and his wife Shelley, who operated the station from the basement of their home at 1035 Westglen Drive in Crestwood, . The call letters KSHE were selected to honor the station's initial all-female announcing staff, evoking the pronunciation "kay-she." In 1964, the Cerises sold KSHE to Century Broadcasting Corporation for an undisclosed amount, marking the station's first change in ownership and enabling expansion beyond its modest origins. Century owned the station for two decades, during which it transitioned from classical to programming. The station remained under Century's control until 1984, when it was acquired by Emmis Communications Corporation, a move that integrated KSHE into a larger portfolio of urban market stations and supported its growth as a regional rock powerhouse. Emmis retained ownership through the 1990s and 2000s, navigating industry consolidations without further sales until 2018, when it divested KSHE (along with sister station KPNT) to Hubbard Broadcasting for $45 million as part of a broader exit from the St. Louis market. Hubbard, a family-owned broadcaster based in Minnesota, has operated KSHE since the deal closed in April 2018, preserving its classic rock format while leveraging corporate synergies for distribution. The station's original facilities were housed at 9434 Watson Road in Crestwood, adjacent to its transmitter site, which served as both broadcast hub and a cultural landmark for fans during the progressive rock era. In the late 1980s, KSHE relocated its studios to the Powerhouse building at St. Louis Union Station. In November 2025, KSHE relocated its studios to 11647 Olive Boulevard in Creve Coeur, Missouri, a suburb west of St. Louis near Interstate 270, shared with other Hubbard Broadcasting stations and enhancing technical capabilities for digital broadcasting and content creation. The transmitter remains at the original Crestwood-area site in Shrewsbury, utilizing a non-directional antenna to deliver a 100,000-watt signal across the Greater St. Louis metropolitan area. As of November 2025, the Creve Coeur studios serve as the primary operational base under .

History

Origins as a classical station (1961–1967)

KSHE signed on the air for the first time on , 1961, as a daytime-only FM station operating from the basement of founder Ed Ceries's home at 1035 Westglen Drive in Crestwood, , a of . Rudolph Edward "Ed" Ceries, a veteran broadcaster with over 20 years in radio and television, invested his life savings to launch the station, which received its construction permit earlier that year and formal on June 15, 1961. The station's initial programming emphasized and fine arts, broadcasting from sunrise to sunset under the constraints of its Class A FM license, which limited power and nighttime operations to avoid interference. The station's format centered on classical composers such as Beethoven and Bach, alongside semi-classical and selections, targeting educated suburban listeners in the area who appreciated refined cultural content. To appeal to this demographic, Ceries branded KSHE as "the Lady of FM," hiring an all-female announcing staff—including his wife and a mix of full-time and part-time women—which inspired the call letters KSHE, pronounced "K-SHE." This unique staffing approach not only reflected the station's elegant image but also laid early groundwork for its distinctive branding identity. Despite its cultural ambitions, KSHE faced significant financial challenges in its early years, relying on limited advertising revenue for a niche format that struggled to attract sponsors hesitant about classical programming. After about three years of operation, Ceries sold the station to Century Broadcasting Corporation, effective , 1964, for an undisclosed sum. Under new ownership, led by general manager Howard Grafman, KSHE relocated its studios to 9434 Watson Road and began subtle programming experiments with lighter music while preserving its classical core through 1967.

Transition to progressive rock (1967–1970s)

In 1967, KSHE underwent a significant format shift from classical music to , inspired by the innovative freeform style pioneered by Tom Donahue at KMPX in . Station owner Howard Grafman enlisted station manager Harvey Sheldon, recently arrived from the West Coast, to implement this change, aiming to capture the growing youth and audience in disillusioned with rigid AM Top 40 programming. The transition began gradually, blending remaining classical and middle-of-the-road selections with emerging rock tracks, marking KSHE as one of the earliest FM stations to adopt this underground approach nationwide. The pivotal moment came on November 7, 1967, when KSHE aired its first full rock song, Jefferson Airplane's "," signaling the embrace of (AOR) and freeform playlists that prioritized deep album cuts over singles. New disc jockeys, including Ron Elz (air name ""), Richard Palmese ("Brother Love"), and Lee Coffee ("The Musical Pumpkin"), were brought on to curate eclectic sets featuring artists such as , , and , fostering an immersive, non-commercial listening experience. This format differentiated KSHE by encouraging an "underground vibe" through extended tracks, artist interviews, and early listener call-ins, which allowed audience interaction and requests to build community among rock enthusiasts. By the late , KSHE secured a full-time , enabling 24-hour operations that expanded its reach and solidified its role in the progressive rock landscape. Entering the early , the station experienced rapid growth, providing crucial and promotional support for emerging acts like and , including sponsorship of local concerts that drew thousands and helped launch these bands regionally. This era's emphasis on nurturing new talent, alongside staples from established progressive icons, attracted a dedicated following and established KSHE's reputation as a tastemaker in St. Louis' music scene, with long-serving DJs like Ron Elz anchoring the shift.

Evolution to classic rock (1980s–present)

In the 1980s, following its acquisition by Emmis Communications in 1984, KSHE refined its roots into a more structured album rock format that emphasized enduring hits from the and , including tracks by Led Zeppelin, The Who, and the Eagles. This evolution positioned the station as a cornerstone of the emerging genre, while it navigated local challenges such as facility relocations from Crestwood to a new site near Union Station in 1986 after earning Rolling Stone's Rock Station of the Year accolade. The format's focus on full album sides and artist deep cuts helped solidify KSHE's reputation for authentic rock programming amid the decade's industry consolidation. The 1990s brought heightened competition from newer entrants like KPNT-FM "105.7 The Point," which debuted in 1993 with an focus targeting younger listeners. In response, KSHE differentiated itself by delving into deeper album tracks and bolstering support for regional talent, continuing its tradition of promoting Midwestern acts such as , whose early airplay on the station contributed to their breakthrough success. This adaptive strategy maintained listener loyalty during a period of format fragmentation in radio. Entering the 2000s, KSHE integrated digital innovations, launching its HD2 subchannel in December 2006 to broadcast "KSHE Klassics," a commercial-free stream of extended tracks and rare recordings that complemented the main channel's . By 2010, the station expanded to online streaming, broadening access to its content via the KSHE website and apps. After Emmis sold KSHE to in April , the format remained stable, with ongoing traditions like the annual ROCKTOBER series featuring Halloween-themed rock programming. During the , KSHE supported community resilience through fundraising drives that raised over $100,000 for local relief efforts and by amplifying streams from artists. As of 2025, KSHE holds the top ratings position in the St. Louis market for the 25-54 demographic. In the October 2025 Nielsen PPM survey, KSHE achieved a 9.2 share, and was officially designated Missouri's state rock radio station in August 2025, reflecting its enduring format consistency without major shifts.

Programming

Core format and daily lineup

KSHE 95 maintains a format, emphasizing from the mid-1960s through the , with a focus on influential artists such as , , and Rush. The station's playlist incorporates a blend of popular hits and deeper album tracks to appeal to longtime listeners while introducing lesser-played songs from classic albums, reflecting its heritage as an outlet. This selection prioritizes tracks that capture the era's raw energy and innovation, avoiding heavy reliance on contemporary or post-1990s material to preserve its "Real Rock Radio" identity. As of November 2025, the weekday lineup features structured drive-time and midday segments hosted by local personalities, followed by syndicated evenings. Mornings from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. are anchored by The A.D. Show, hosted by A.D. Rowntree, which combines music, humor, and local commentary to kick off the day. Middays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. are led by Lern, offering a mix of classic tracks and engaging talk segments tailored to the midday audience. Afternoons from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. feature Tim Virgin in the drive-time slot, delivering high-energy programming with artist spotlights and listener call-ins since his return to the station on March 31, 2025. Evenings from 6:00 p.m. to 11:55 p.m. air Alice's Attic with Alice Cooper, a syndicated classic rock program hosted by the rock icon, featuring interviews, stories, and curated playlists, which began airing on March 31, 2025. Weekends deviate from the weekday structure with themed programming, particularly on Sundays, to highlight extended explorations of rock history. Sundays include KSHE Klassics from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., hosted by veteran John Ulett, focusing on rare and beloved tracks; the Vinyl Exam from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. with Ulett and Mark Klose, analyzing album sides; Classic Rock U from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., an educational segment on rock ; and 7th Day at 6:00 p.m., showcasing full album plays. Saturdays typically follow a more relaxed rotation of general , with occasional live remote broadcasts from events, maintaining local production throughout. Listener interaction is integral to the format, with song requests accepted via the station's dedicated request line at (314) 974-1111 and through the KSHE 95 , which supports text, audio, and video feedback. Annual listener-driven initiatives, such as the Rock N' Roll 1000 countdown, incorporate community votes to influence additions and reflect evolving preferences within the canon. Commercial interruptions are managed to minimize disruption, typically limited to rock-related promotions like announcements, aligning with the station's emphasis on uninterrupted music flow.

Specialty shows and features

KSHE offers a variety of specialty shows that delve into niche aspects of , emphasizing thematic programming beyond the station's standard playlist. These features showcase rare archival material, artist deep dives, and genre-specific selections, maintaining the station's commitment to local, curated content. One longstanding program is the KSHE Klassics Show, airing mornings from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and hosted by veteran DJ John Ulett. The show highlights rare live recordings, artist interviews, and lesser-known tracks from KSHE's extensive archives, providing listeners with unique insights into rock history. The Daily Dose of Led Zeppelin serves as a concise daily feature, broadcast weekdays around 1 p.m., where a single Led Zeppelin track is played alongside trivia about its recording, performance, or band lore. This segment underscores the station's affinity for the iconic group, often integrated into the midday lineup. Monday Night Metal, hosted by Lern, occupies prime evening slots every Monday from 9 p.m. to midnight, exploring heavy metal across decades from the 1960s onward. The program covers foundational acts like and alongside contemporaries such as and modern bands like , blending classics with contemporary metal. The 7th Day airs Sunday evenings starting at 6 p.m., focusing on full album plays of progressive and staples from the and , echoing the station's experimental roots in that . Listeners tune in for uninterrupted spins of seminal by artists like Rush, , and , fostering an immersive experience. Seasonal specials add timely flair to the schedule, including ROCKTOBER in , which spotlights rock artists daily and culminates in a Halloween broadcast of spooky-themed songs on October 31. For New Year's Eve, KSHE compiles and airs a of top listener-requested rock tracks, building on annual polls revealed in late . As of 2025, all KSHE specialty shows and features are produced live and locally by station staff, eschewing national syndication to preserve its -centric identity.

On-air personalities

Current and long-serving DJs

John Ulett, known on-air as "U-Man," has been a fixture at KSHE since 1976, marking 49 years of service by 2025. He hosts the KSHE Klassics show on mornings from 7 to 11 a.m., featuring deep cuts and album tracks from the station's rock history, and contributes to various shifts including for national syndication. Ulett, a native, began his radio career at age 19 and has become synonymous with the station's enduring identity. Mark Klose, another veteran, joined KSHE in 1972 and continues to co-host the Vinyl Exam segment every Sunday at noon alongside Ulett, where they dissect iconic rock albums track by track. With over 53 years at the station, Klose's deep knowledge of and radio scene has made him a beloved figure among listeners. His career spans multiple roles, including promotions and on-air contributions, all rooted in his local background and passion for the genre. Lern, affiliated with KSHE since 2008 and on-air full-time since around 2015, handles the midday slot from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays, delivering engaging commentary on with a focus on stories and fan interaction. As a local, she transitioned from weekend shifts to mornings and afternoons before settling into her current role, bringing over a decade of station experience. The KSHE air staff consists of 5 to 6 full-time DJs who rotate across shifts, all hailing from the area with extensive backgrounds in broadcasting. This tight-knit team ensures continuity in the station's freeform format, emphasizing personal connections to the music and community. In 2025, the lineup saw the addition of Tim Virgin to afternoons from 2 to 6 p.m. starting in March and the syndicated Alice's Attic with to evenings, marking a notable refresh while preserving the veteran core; no further major changes occurred, and Ulett's nearing 50-year milestone was highlighted in station celebrations. Virgin, a radio veteran with prior experience dating back to the late 1980s, fits seamlessly with his rock-focused style. A.D. Rowntree, who joined mornings in 2022, continues to host The A.D. Show from 6 to 10 a.m. with humor-laced discussions on rock culture.

Notable past contributors

Ruth Hutchinson hosted the "KSHE Klassics" show during the and , emerging as a pioneering female voice in the station's rock format following its classical period. Known as the "rock and roll grandma" and recognized as the world's oldest rock at age 83, she signed off broadcasts with the signature phrase "totally cosmic" and debuted on air in 1976 playing tracks like "" by . Her tenure ended with her death in 1984 at age 90, after which she had reduced her schedule due to health issues including heart attacks. In the early 1970s, KSHE's on-air staff featured anonymous "underground" voices that emphasized album-oriented programming. Notable figures included , who handled morning shifts from 6 to 10 a.m. between 1970 and 1971, and Bob Burch, who covered evenings and later afternoons while introducing features like the "album of the week." Pioneers such as Steve Rosen and Ron Stevens, who joined in the late 1960s and early 1970s with no prior radio experience, helped define the station's freeform rock identity during this era. The legacy of KSHE's past contributors endures through the station's Real Rock Museum, established in the 2000s, where many alumni have been honored in hall of fame features recognizing their impact on the rock format.

Branding and cultural significance

Mascot and visual identity

KSHE's , Sweetmeat, is a cartoon pig depicted wearing and , serving as the station's enduring symbol since its introduction in 1972. The character replaced the earlier peace symbol logo, which had become dated amid the evolving of the early 1970s. The artwork for Sweetmeat was adapted from the pig illustration on the cover of Blodwyn Pig's 1969 debut album , while the name drew inspiration from the title of the 1960s hippie-themed book The Sweetmeat Saga by G. F. Gravenson. The original design of Sweetmeat was a hand-adapted that captured a laid-back, rock-oriented vibe, complete with a joint-smoking pose reflective of the era's ethos. Over the decades, the mascot's appearance has evolved, featuring more stylized cartoon versions during the 1970s and 1980s to suit print and broadcast media. In recent years, KSHE has reverted to the vintage original image for its core branding, ensuring continuity while adapting to digital formats for online presence and merchandise. Sweetmeat prominently appears on the station's website, apparel, stickers, and promotional items, reinforcing its role as a recognizable . As the "station pet," Sweetmeat has played a central role in KSHE's promotional efforts, embodying the station's irreverent spirit in advertisements, billboards, and posters. The character has been anthropomorphized in campaigns, including storylines where it "marries" and has lets, adding a playful narrative to marketing. This mascot-driven branding ties directly into KSHE's visual identity, with the pig silhouette integrated into the "KSHE 95" to highlight the station's FM dial position at 94.7 MHz. The overall aesthetic employs a bold red-and-black , evoking energy and rock heritage, which has been consistent in logos and merchandise since the . In 2025, Sweetmeat continues to feature prominently in KSHE's events and celebrations, including live appearances at concerts and fan gatherings, underscoring its ongoing relevance to the station's legacy as Missouri's official rock radio station.

Impact on St. Louis music scene

KSHE played a significant role in shaping the St. Louis music scene by promoting concerts for national rock acts during the 1970s, including pioneering local shows for , Rush, , , and , often featuring station interviews that boosted their regional popularity. The station's annual Pig Roast concert, launched in , has become a major community event at venues like Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre, drawing thousands for performances by classic rock acts such as and Foreigner while fostering local music gatherings. Through airplay and event features, KSHE has supported St. Louis-based bands like , integrating them into broader rock programming and fan-driven lineups for stadium events. The station's influence extends to popularizing across the Midwest, as the first FM progressive rock outlet in starting in 1967 and the oldest continuously operating rock radio station in the United States. KSHE's commitment to album-oriented rock (AOR) helped define regional listening habits, with its signal reaching beyond to impact 's broader music culture. In August 2025, the designated KSHE 95 as the official rock radio station of the state (approved June 24, 2025; effective August 28, 2025), recognizing its half-century of contributions to the local scene. ratings for fall 2025 show KSHE holding a 9.2 share in the market (as of October 2025), underscoring its sustained audience draw. KSHE's cultural footprint includes recognition through awards, such as the 2017 Marconi Award for Rock Station of the Year from the . The station has been featured in the 2017 documentary Never Say Goodbye: The KSHE Documentary, which chronicles its origins and role in pioneering AOR radio during the late 1960s and 1970s. This legacy has inspired a dedicated fanbase and tribute events, with KSHE regularly presenting concerts by tribute acts like () and The Hard Promises (), reinforcing its ties to rock traditions.

References

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