Jerry St. James

Former Detroit radio personality Jerry St. James passed away January 4 at the age of 74.

Born Jerry Cesak in Maryland, St. James graduated with a theater degree from the University of Maryland before embarking on what he humorously called a “short 30-year diversion” into radio broadcasting.

Jerry St. James was a solo act in Washington, DC, Minneapolis and when he arrived in Detroit in 1977 at WDRQ. He was paired with longtime Motor City mainstay Jim Harper at WNIC. At his next stop he teamed up with Jeff Detrow, a northeast Ohio DJ, and the chemistry was instantaneous at Magic 95 WMJC (now WCSX 94.7). After Motown, they landed at Chicago's WFYR for a couple of years then the duo hit San Diego in 1988 with the force of an earthquake! They danced through a multitude of stations in America's Finest City, most notably B-100, Star 100.7 and Q-106.

Shotgun Tom Kelly, a San Diego legend, said he was constantly being asked "did you hear what Jeff & Jer said this morning?" They were huge and not just on the air. Jeff & Jer entrenched themselves into the local community for a plethora of worthwhile causes. You can see examples of their influence in a video tribute created by Art Vuolo, HERE.

Throughout his career, St. James was honored as “Personality of the Year” by Billboard Magazine and Radio and Records. In 2016, Jeff & Jer were inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.

He retired from daily broadcasting in 2015, closing a chapter he described by saying, “Radio was never work. We always had so much fun every single day, it’s like high school with pay.”