Tommy Edwards

Starting in 1960 as a 16-year-old high school sophomore at KTOP in his native Topeka, Kansas, Edwards fell in love with radio. “I had my own show on a 250-watt station that could barely be heard over the grain elevators,” he recalled.

While serving in the US Navy, Tommy worked at WEAM-AM in Arlington, Va, Tommy also worked middays at WOR-FM in New York. Tommy Edwards then joined Chicago powerhouse WLS in July of 1972 as production director.

Tommy Edwards, 17, with first program director, Bob Barber, at WTOP in Topeka, Kansas (1961).

Tommy was promoted to WLS acting program director in May 1973 by Paul Abrams, replacing Mike McCormick who left WLS for WFBM-AM and WFBQ-FM in Indianapolis.

During Tommy Edwards time as WLS PD, legendary personalities, Bob Sirott, Yvonne Daniels, Steve King and music director Jim Smith all joined the station. Also during Tommy's stewardship, WLS made the switch from the "Rock of Chicago" to "Musicradio WLS". While he was Program Director, WLS started the long running promotion... "What's Your Favorite Radio Station?...Say WLS and Win!

In January, 1974, Tommy stepped down as program director in order to returrn to the air. He was replaced as PD by John Gehron. Tommy spent many years in middays and afternoons.

Tommy and Larry Lujack.

Tommy doing his thing at WLS on June 8, 1975.
[ LISTEN ] (13:11)

The WLS touchtones sounds were first created by Tommy Edwards in 1973, using the electronic telephone beeps of hitting the numbers 8-5-2-0-5.

It was as midday personality at WLS in the late ’70s that Edwards forged a lasting bond with Larry Lujack.

Tommy would spend about a half-hour in Studio A next to Larry preparing for his 10am-2pm show. They did a lot of True Value Hardware live 60" spots and sometimes he'd chime in and make comments and they both would start cracking up. Management wasn't all that happy about that until True Value mentioned they loved the spots.

Tommy and Larry teamed up on the daily feature called “Animal Stories”. WLS' FCC License required one minute of agriculture news each day for several years and Larry would find stories about farm animals. One day Larry mentioned that he had a couple of stories about animals and he was going to intro it as "Gather the moppets around the radio, Moms and Dads. It's time for Uncle Lar's Animal Stories with his little friend, Little Tommy". Tommy said "OK, but call me Little Snot Nose Tommy". So he did and that's how it started. Their routine became the most famous comedy bit in Chicago radio history, and the five albums they produced raised more than $250,000 for children’s charities.

Tommy with Judy Collins in 1979.

WLS aircheck, July 1980 with Tommy.

Tommy joins Larry Lujack for a different version of Animal Stories at WLS AM & FM in January, 1984.
[ LISTEN ] (15:02)

WLS jingles, the station's classic reverb, the incomperable Larry Lujack, and Edwards as Li’l Tommy discuss the late Beach Boy Dennis Wilson and his teenage bride.

After 14 years at WLS, Tommy moved on to Q101 - WKQX in 1986. Career stops have included Boston and Los Angeles where he created the Arrow format at KCBS-FM. as well as a return to Chicago.

Tommy finished his career at K-Hits (WJMK), and he is the operations manager of several channels of AccuRadio's Chicago Radio Online.

Glitter

Tommy is also the public address announce for the Chicago Bulls. He is credited with being the first stadium announcer to play Gary Glitter's Rock and Roll Part II.

Tommy Edwards retired from radio in September, 2014. “It’s been 54 years of living in radio stations.” Tommy's immediate plans included a driving trip around Lake Michigan and a visit to the Grand Canyon with his wife, Mary Lou. We hope he got around to doing both.

Some materials found on this page were originally published by the following: Chicago Radio Spotlight, Music Radio 77, Airchexx.