Uncle Funky Larry Jones: More Than a Radio Legend

For more than 50 years, the Texas Radio Hall of Famer has built a career rooted in music, community, and the relationships that make radio personal.

By Jessi Foster
KTSU 90.9 FM

If you’ve spent any time listening to radio in Houston over the past several decades, chances are you’ve heard the voice of Uncle Funky Larry Jones.

That philosophy has carried him through a career that spans more than five decades, nearly 20 radio stations, 11 cities, multiple formats, and countless lives touched along the way.

A Career That Started With Three Commercials

Every remarkable career has a beginning, and for Uncle Funky Larry Jones, it started with three commercials.

While attending Alabama State University, Jones emceed a campus event where his voice caught the attention of a local radio announcer. Impressed by his presence behind the microphone, the announcer encouraged him to audition at WAPX in his hometown of Montgomery, Alabama.

Jones walked into the station, read three commercial scripts, and was hired. What seemed like a simple opportunity at the time became the foundation of a broadcasting career that has spanned more than five decades.

That first job opened doors across the country, taking him from Montgomery to Little Rock, Tulsa, Milwaukee, Memphis, Baltimore, St. Louis, Washington, D.C., Chicago, New York, and eventually Houston. Along the way, he built a reputation as one of radio’s most respected and versatile personalities.

Throughout his career, Jones excelled in a wide range of formats, including Urban Contemporary, Gospel, Smooth Jazz, Rock, and Contemporary Hit Radio. He also served as co-host of a nationally syndicated morning show, demonstrating an ability to connect with audiences regardless of the format or market.

While the music, cities, and stations changed over the years, one thing never did. Uncle Funky’s authentic style, genuine personality, and deep respect for his listeners became the hallmark of a career that has stood the test of time.

Houston Became Home

Although his career took him to radio stations across the country, Houston is where Uncle Funky Larry Jones became more than a broadcaster. He became a trusted voice, a familiar presence, and for many listeners, a part of the family.

For decades, his voice became woven into the rhythm of everyday life. Whether listeners were driving to work, spending time with family, or winding down after a long day, Uncle Funky was there with great music, thoughtful conversation, and a genuine connection that extended far beyond the airwaves. They trusted him not only to entertain, but also to celebrate the people, organizations, and stories that made Houston unique.

That commitment to the community has always been at the heart of his work. Throughout his career, Jones has supported churches, schools, nonprofit organizations, civic groups, and countless charitable initiatives across the city. From hosting community events and lending his voice to important causes to encouraging aspiring broadcasters, he has consistently demonstrated that radio is about more than music. It is about service, connection, and making a positive impact.

Over time, listeners stopped thinking of him as simply Larry Jones. The nickname “Uncle Funky” became a reflection of the relationship he had built with his audience. It wasn’t a stage name. It was a title earned through decades of authenticity, generosity, and unwavering dedication to the community he proudly calls home.

Recognition Earned Through Service

A career built on consistency eventually earns recognition.

In 2022, Jones was inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame, one of the highest honors a broadcaster in the state can receive. The recognition acknowledged more than longevity. It celebrated excellence, professionalism, and a lifetime dedicated to serving audiences through radio.

Over the years, he has also been honored by organizations including the NAACP Region VI, the Black Professional Cowboys & Cowgirls Association, the Houston Black Firefighter Association, and numerous civic and community organizations for both his broadcasting achievements and his commitment to public service.

While those honors are a testament to an extraordinary career, Uncle Funky’s greatest legacy cannot be measured by awards alone. It is found in the trust he has earned, the lives he has touched, and the genuine connections he has built with listeners and communities over more than five decades in broadcasting.

A Legacy Continues at KTSU

After decades of success in commercial radio, Larry “Uncle Funky” Jones began a new chapter at KTSU 90.9 FM, the public radio station licensed to Texas Southern University. For the Alabama State University graduate, joining another Historically Black College and University was more than a career move. It was the fulfillment of a long-held dream.

“This is a God assignment,” Jones said after joining the station. “Coming home to an HBCU has pretty much been a dream of mine.”

Today, listeners can hear Uncle Funky every weekday from 9 a.m. to noon on Jazz Sessions, where he blends classic jazz standards with contemporary favorites while sharing the stories and artists behind the music. On Saturdays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., he hosts The Ultimate Backyard Party, bringing listeners together with classic R&B, engaging conversation, and his signature feature, Grilling with Uncle Funky.

His presence at KTSU extends far beyond the airwaves. As a Hall of Fame broadcaster with more than five decades of experience, Jones offers students a rare opportunity to learn from someone who has witnessed and adapted to every major transformation in modern radio. From analog broadcasting to the digital age, his career demonstrates that while technology and platforms continue to evolve, the foundation of great broadcasting remains the same: building authentic relationships with listeners.

For KTSU, Uncle Funky’s arrival represents more than the addition of a legendary broadcaster. It reflects the station’s commitment to preserving the rich legacy of Black radio while preparing the next generation of communicators to carry that tradition forward.

More Than the Voice Behind the Microphone

Ask Uncle Funky about himself, and you’ll quickly discover there is much more to his story than radio.

He is a lifelong trumpet player who served as both a high school and college drum major. He is a lifetime member of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, a proud grandfather of six, a devoted dog owner, and someone who appreciates a great pair of cowboy boots almost as much as a great song.

Those details may seem simple, but they help explain why audiences have always connected with him. He has never tried to be larger than life. He has simply been himself.

A Legacy That Continues

The easiest way to measure a broadcasting career is by counting years, awards, or ratings. By any of those standards, Uncle Funky Larry Jones has already secured his place among broadcasting’s greats. But his true legacy is measured in something far more meaningful.

It lives in the listener who has tuned in for decades because hearing his voice feels like catching up with an old friend. It lives in the aspiring broadcaster who discovers that preparation, humility, and authenticity are just as important as talent. And it lives in the communities that have been strengthened by his willingness to use his platform to inform, uplift, and inspire.

As the “On Air” light comes on each weekday morning at KTSU, Uncle Funky Larry Jones does what he has done for more than 50 years. He puts on his headphones, opens the microphone, and welcomes listeners as if they were lifelong friends. Uncle Funky continues to connect people through the power of radio. Every weekday from 9 a.m. to noon on Jazz Sessions and every Saturday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on The Ultimate Backyard Party, he reminds listeners that while technology evolves, formats change, and audiences grow, the heart of great broadcasting remains the same.

Great music brings people together, but genuine connection is what keeps them listening.

That has been the foundation of Uncle Funky’s career from the very beginning, and it continues to define his work today. Every broadcast reflects his passion for music, his love for the community, and his unwavering belief that radio is at its best when it serves people.

Some voices fade with time. Others become part of a city’s history. At KTSU 90.9 FM, we are proud that this chapter of his remarkable journey is being written here. His experience enriches our station, his mentorship inspires our students, and his presence strengthens our mission to educate, inform, and serve.

Thank you, Uncle Funky, for your decades of excellence, your unwavering commitment to broadcasting, and for reminding us that the most memorable voices are the ones that lead with heart. Your legacy is not only preserved in the history of radio, but continues to grow with every show, every listener, and every life you touch.