22 | JUNE 23 • 2022 

C

harting hit records played on the 
radio was a preteen hobby that 
developed into an award-win-
ning career direction for Barry Mardit, 
a Huntington Woods resident who has 
divided his professional com-
mitments among hosting 
programs, administering pro-
grams and serving as a consul-
tant for programs.
The next award will be pre-
sented June 30 in Nashville, 
where Mardit will be among 
six other broadcast personalities being 
inducted into the Country Radio Hall 
of Fame presented by Country Radio 
Broadcasters to individuals working in the 
industry for at least 20 years, 15 in country.
Mardit, who spent most of his career 
in the Detroit market, started out in New 
York focusing on rock, moved on to South 
Carolina with a transition into country and 

came to W4 in Detroit to transform the sta-
tion focus from Howard Stern’s rock styling 
to Mardit’s approach to country.
“I am so excited to be getting one of two 
plaques — one for me and another that 
goes on display in Nashville,
” said Mardit, 
who will be joined at the awards dinner by 
his wife, Paula (nee Schwartz), a mental 
health counselor raised in Oak Park, and 
two daughters, Molly and Rose. 
“For years, plaques were kept on dis-
play at the Nashville Convention Center. 
Currently, planners are looking for a new 
place.
”
This honor joins Mardit’s awards earned 
during his Detroit tenure — Billboard, 
CMA (Country Music Association) 
Program Director, Station of the Year 
and an NAB (National Association of 
Broadcasters) Marconi Award. Two current 
Detroit on-air personalities, the team of 
Rachael (Hunter) and (Steve) Grunwald, 

also will be inducted along with represen-
tatives working in other states — program 
administrator-turned-consultant Becky 
Brenner and broadcasters Whitney Allen, 
Debbie Conner and Cathy Martindale.
While growing up in Brooklyn, Mardit 
starting charting his favorite rock records, 
including “Mr. Bass Man,
” so he could lis-
ten at times when those songs likely would 
be played by a favorite DJ. Thinking this 
host would appreciate the information that 
he had tallied, Mardit mailed his charts to 
the broadcaster and was thrilled whenever 
the charts and his name were mentioned 
together.
“For about seven or eight years, they 
read my letters on the air,
” Mardit recalled. 
“I would rush home from Hebrew school 
to hear that, and I made a few friends that 
way because people with a similar hobby 
would get in touch with me. 
“I didn’t get paid for this, but that’s what 
got me interested. I didn’t know yet that I 
wanted to be in radio or on the air. I just 
knew I wanted to be involved. Visiting the 
radio stations and meeting the disc jockeys 
gave me more of an interest in pursuing 
this career.
”
While participating in the radio station 
at Brooklyn College, Mardit was offered 
his first job at a professional station — 
night doorman that allowed him to greet 
stars, such as John Lennon and Yoko Ono. 
Employment progression moved him into 
handling a request phone line before he 
was asked to maintain electronic controls 
learned in college. 
Mardit’s first on-air job was in South 
Carolina. He remembers the popularity of 
one of the earliest country songs he came to 
know — Ronnie Milsap’s “What Goes On 
When the Sun Goes Down.
”
Moving to Detroit in 1982, after working 
in Pittsburgh for three years, gave Mardit 
more insight into country music fans. He 
explained, “
A lot of people came from the 
South to work in the steel and auto indus-
tries. They brought their families and their 
musical tastes with them.
”
Working with celebrities as radio guests 
and guest DJs has been among the high-
lights of his experiences. Among the many 
he can recall meeting are Dolly Parton, 
Kenny Rogers, Garth Brooks, the Oakridge 

OUR COMMUNITY

Huntington Woods resident will be honored 
June 30 in Nashville.

Hello, 
Country Radio 
Hall of Fame

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Barry 
Mardit

Barry Mardit 
and John 
Denver

COURTESY OF BARRY MARDIT

