In Delaware County on the third week of September, one voice stands out. Roger Huston has been that voice for decades. And, he’s a bit of a legend. 

“I’ve seen every Jug since 1958, and I would have never once imagined that I would be calling these races,” said Huston. “Because, in 1958, I wasn’t even announcing horse races.”

Known as “The Voice,” the Xenia native is a fixture in racing and an institution at the Little Brown Jug. 

“Instead of studying when I was in high school and things like that, I would go to the races four or five nights a week,” said Huston. “And, it just became kind of natural that some way along the line, I would become an announcer.”

Huston’s uncle would give him his first big break at a race in Wilmington, Ohio, in his teenage years.

“He says I gotta go to the bathroom; I’ll be right back,” Huston recalled. “He didn’t come back. So he put me right into the fire, and I think I did seven races that day, and by the sixth or seventh race I was comfortable, my knees had stopped shaking.”

Now, he has his own place in history. He’s called races for almost 60 years. That’s more than 180,000 races in 8 countries around the world.

“It’s developed into quite a career, a full-time career... the only other jobs I’ve had is carrying out groceries, a newspaper route and I did work the summertime at a radio station doing football and basketball games,” said Huston.

Huston was inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame and the Little Brown Jug Hall of Fame. And, recently, Huston released his biography, "The Voice.” The box in which he sits calling the action on race day even bears his name. 

“He’s legendary,” said Little Brown Jug Publicity Director Jay Wolf. “And, I’m glad that Delaware has been part of 53 years of his legacy, and I hope we have him for many more.”

Huston says no matter where he goes or how many races he calls, it’s still an honor to call the Jug every year.

“The Jug in itself is a happening,” says Huston. “It’s like Woodstock. It’s like a major concert.”

Huston has no plans to stop calling the Jug, but the legendary voice retired from his main gig at The Meadows in Pennsylvania this fall.

“I get as excited at announcing a race as somebody does who has a parimutuel ticket who is betting on that race, and I get into the race just like a fan," Huston said.

In fact, most people who attend the Jug today only know The Voice as their race day announcer. 

“That’s kind of humbling in a way when you realize the crowd that shows up here, the 40 to 50,000 people that show up here haven’t heard anyone else,” said Huston. “That makes me feel so good. I can remember almost every single one of those Jug races that I’ve had the opportunity to call. They’re special events, not only Delaware County, but for all of harness racing.”