DEDE MCGUIRE

DeDe McGuire has a distinguished career as an on-air radio personality, including several decades of entertaining Morning Drive audiences. While she started her career in the 1980’s, it was in 2007 that she joined the nationally syndicated program, The Doug Banks Show, as co-host. It prepared her for eventually hosting her own Morning Show on KKDA FM / Dallas in 2016, shortly after Doug Banks passed away. DeDe In The Morning was syndicated shortly thereafter and is heard on nearly 100 radio stations, syndicated by Compass Media Networks. The program includes DeDe’s conversation with the audience often including cast members comedian, JJ Williamson, J-Kruz and Tre-G on current events in culture and news, as well as speaking with high profile celebrities and U.S. Presidents.  

Earlier in her career, DeDe was heard in Kileen, TX, San Antonio, Dallas, and Chicago, including Chicago’s WVON 1690 AM, where she garnered attention for her engaging presence and genuine audience connection.    

Beyond radio, DeDe McGuire is both a voice in the communities she is heard in, and a mentor to younger broadcasters. She launched the DeDe McGuire Foundation in 2019 donating substantial sums in scholarships to deserving women and HBCU students. She encourages diversity and inclusion within the radio industry. She is recognized not only for her professional achievements but also for her dedication to uplifting and informing her community. Her resilience and adaptability have allowed her to remain relevant through changes in radio and technology, maintaining a strong listener base and a respected reputation.

She has been widely recognized for her accomplishments, receiving the International Black Broadcasters (IBBA) Lifetime Achievement Award and a 2021 Gracie Award from the Alliance for Women in Media. She has been named one of Radio Ink’s Most Influential Women in Radio numerous times and is featured in The Black Women in Radio (BWIR) Historic Collection and Oral History Project, a partnership with the Library of Congress.  

In 2025, DeDe McGuire was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame.