KQRS's Tom Barnard to be enshrined in National Radio Hall of Fame

Tom Barnard/Star Tribune photo by Carlos Gonzalez

Radio stars don't get to tread the red carpet as often as their counterparts on TV and film, which makes the National Radio Hall of Fame ceremonies extra special for anyone who works behind the mike.

Tom Barnard, KQRS's long-time, morning-drive kingpin, will join the elite club Nov. 2 in Chicago. Previous Minnesota members include Garrison Keillor and Stanley E. Hubbard.

"It's so damn cool to be in the same club as Groucho Marx," Barnard said Tuesday. "But it's one of those situations where I know it's about the listeners, not me."

Barnard is particularly thrilled that the ceremony will take place at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago, the town where he first started doing commercial voice-over work for products ranging from Hamburger Helper to Gatorade.

The north Minneapolis native started his ratings-topping run 37 years ago and is signed to be at KQ through at least 2019. He's expecting about 50 friends, colleagues and family members to join him in Chicago.

Other inductees this year include Sean Hannity, Bobby Bones and Howard Stern's sidekick Robin Quivers.