Mary McCoy, 85, lived briefly in a tent as a child before breaking into radio in 1951 and eventually sharing a stage with Elvis Presley.
She spent part of her childhood growing up in a tent without electricity or running water, became a voice on the radio at the age of 12, and once shared a stage with the king of rock’n’roll.
Mary McCoy’s remarkable life and career have taken another turn. Guinness World Records announced on Tuesday that it had recently verified McCoy as the globe’s longest-serving female radio presenter after nearly 72 years on the airwaves.
People outside of Texas might not be very familiar with Mary McCoy (USA), but she’s racked up more time on the airwaves than most of your favourite radio presenters put together!
With a mammoth of 71 years and 357 days in the industry, she was officially verified on February 15, 2023, as having the longest career as a radio presenter/DJ (female).
Mary beat the previous record holder by more than three years to claim the top spot, and she’s got no plans to give up the job she treasures any time soon.
“Radio has been my life for as long as I can remember,” Mary confesses.
It was in 1951 that Texas native Mary’s journey to her record-breaking career was paved.
She was taking part in a talent show at radio station KMCO when she told presenters she wanted her very own show.
Four months later, her dream came true, and at just 12, Mary was working five days a week as a radio presenter.
Now 85, Mary is still working hard and presents a two-hour Country Classics show six days a week on K-Star Country.
Mary told us: “Growing up, my dream was to get into the entertainment business. I started out singing at talent shows, and I was asked to audition for a radio show.
“They liked what they heard, and I started working at KMCO Radio on April 20, 1951, doing a 15-minute singing programme.
“In August 1951, I had the pleasure of becoming a radio presenter/DJ, and although the radio station has changed ownership (KIKR and now KSTAR), I have maintained this job.”
Mary has even been inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame, a place she undoubtedly deserves.
While she’s pleased as punch to have the Guinness World Records title, this is far from Mary’s first time being splashed across a news story.
Over the years, the press hasn’t been able to get enough of the talented Mary, and she’s appeared in print countless times.
Her journey has been referred to as a ‘rags to riches’ tale by one newspaper, which recounted how Mary and her parents lived in a tent without electricity or running water for four years when they first moved to Conroe, Texas, in the late 1940s.
But one of the most amazing facts about Mary is that she once shared the stage with Elvis Presley himself!
An up-and-comer at the time, in 1955, Elvis’ band even backed Mary up as she performed several numbers to the audience.
She once recalled to the newspaper The Bulletin how he’d tripped and hit his head while making his way to the stage.
“I don’t know how he performed that night with a huge goose egg on his forehead, but he didn’t disappoint the fans,” Mary laughed.
Mary is also featured on a Legends Mural in Conroe, and we can all agree she deserves her spot.
