With nearly 72 years on the airwaves, a Conroe woman now holds the Guinness Record title for being the “World’s Longest Serving Female Radio Presenter/DJ.” Growing up, Mary McCoy, 85, dreamed of getting into the entertainment business. She spent part of her childhood living in a tent without electricity or running water but her life took a turn when she got her break in 1951 at the age of only 12. After signing up to sing in a talent show at radio station KMCO, she told presenters that she wanted her very own show.
“They liked what they heard,” McCoy told Guinness. Just four months later, on April 20, 1951, McCoy’s dream came true when KMCO gave her a 15-minute singing program. In August 1951, she was promoted to radio presenter/DJ and worked five days a week at the station. Seventy-one years and 357 days later, McCoy has held onto that job—even as the radio station changed ownership and names from KIKR to KSTAR—presenting a two-hour country classics show six days a week. “Radio has been my life for as long as I can remember,” McCoy said.
McCoy was officially verified by Guinness on Feb. 15, 2023 after beating the previous record holder by more than three years.
