and 2009. In 1998, he was awarded a "Keystone Press Award for  Excellence in Journalism" for his music coverage.

     Stout's focus in the Northeast Pennsylvania region has often been on the local music scene, which has produced national recording artists such as The Badlees (1995) and Breaking Benjamin (2002). He was among the first writers to profile these bands and continues to write about local talent in the NEPA region.

     In 2004, Stout launched his own weekly radio show, "Music On The Menu," which moved to 105 The River (104.9 FM in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton) in October of 2013. As his column did for nearly 18 years, the program showcases local talent and airs every Sunday night from 9-10 p.m on The River 105 & 103.5  and on our RadioBOLD App.

     From 2004-2013, Stout hosted a monthly original music series which featured live performances from regional artists and, through a live radio broadcast, allowed local musicians to showcase their songs to a wide audience. In 2014, in partnership with 105 The River, Stout began hosting a new original music series, "Music On The Menu Live," which broadcasts live each month on 105 The River from Breakers nightclub inside Mohegan Sun Poconos. The shows are held the first Tuesday of each mon th from 7 to 8 p.m. and are open to the public.