Woody, host of The Woody Show, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Kidd Kraddick Award, Talentmasters announced this week. The honor will be presented during the 38th Annual Morning Show Boot Camp, set for August 5-7 in Cleveland.
The award, named after the late Kidd Kraddick, recognizes radio talent who demonstrate sustained success, originality, community impact and the ability to influence others in the industry.
Woody’s program is one of the country’s top syndicated alternative morning shows. It is distributed by Premiere Networks and originates from iHeartMedia’s ALT 98.7 in Los Angeles.
Each year’s recipient selects the next honoree. That responsibility fell to Johnjay Van Es and Rich Berra, hosts of The Johnjay & Rich Show, who received the award in 2025.
Van Es praised Woody’s connection with listeners and his ability to entertain while remaining relatable.
“Woody has a rare ability to connect, uplift, and make people feel seen — all while making us laugh,” Van Es said. “He represents everything the Kidd Kraddick Award stands for, and no one is more deserving.”
Berra pointed to the show’s steady growth and loyal following as key factors in the selection.
“We’ve watched Woody and his crew quietly build a rock empire over the last few years,” Berra said. “They’ve developed a strong bond with their audience while delivering a consistently entertaining product. That’s something Kidd always valued.”
Woody said the recognition carries special meaning given the legacy attached to the award.
“This industry has given me so much over the years, and radio will always be my first love,” he said. “While I never had the chance to meet Kidd Kraddick, I understand the impact he had. Being honored with an award that carries his name is incredibly meaningful.”
The Kidd Kraddick Award has a long history of recognizing influential morning talent across the country. Previous winners include Bert Weiss of The Bert Show, The Kidd Kraddick Show, The Roula & Ryan Show with Eric in Houston, and Dave Ryan of KDWB in Minneapolis.
Additional past honorees include Paul Castronovo in Miami, BJ Shea in Seattle, and Mojo in Detroit.
Talentmasters will present the award during its annual Morning Show Boot Camp at the Hilton Cleveland Downtown. The event brings together radio professionals from across the country for networking, training and industry discussions.
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