Monday, May 27, 2013

Atlanta's Radio Icons - 1994 To Now - Part 3

In the past 2 weeks, we have recognized 20 Atlanta radio greats as icons.  In part 3, we name the last 11 from the FM band:

Moby - Moby (aka James Carney) was once a top-rated morning man on Rock stations in Dallas and Houston.  He was hired in 1991 by Kicks 101.5 and changed his act to Country.  He adjusted to the format quickly and led Kicks to its highest morning ratings ever.  Ten years later when, according to rumor, Moby's down-home schtick (i.e. "Mornin, peaches") was embarrassing the GM around his neighbors, Moby's contract was not renewed.  Then after a brief stint at Classic Rock Z93, Moby made lemonade out of a lemon by creating a syndicated morning show for small markets.

Cadillac Jack - Cadillac Jack came to the market directly from Myrtle Beach in 1994.  His first handled evenings on Kicks 101.5 and then moved to afternoon drive on sister station Y106.7.  Then it was back to Kicks in afternoons and finally to mornings, which he now co-hosts with Dallas McCade.  He has a unique sound that fits Country radio to a tee, and comes across as a family man and nice person.

Mike Roberts - Mike held down mornings on V-103 for 13 years, working alongside Carol Blackmon.  He has loads of radio talent, including voice, inflection and timing.  He was widely known and respected across the community.  Mike can still be heard as the voice of Macon's Majic 100, which he owns.

Frank Ski - Frank replaced Mike Roberts in mornings on V-103 around 1998.  While he may not have the natural radio talent of Mike, he was a good fit, especially with the changing direction of Urban music.  Frank dedicated himself to the show and his audience, and became a fixture in the community.  Last fall, he made the decision to leave V-103 in the hope of getting a national platform.

Ryan Cameron - Ryan was a comedy club performer when he started on V-103 in evenings in the early 90s.  As he polished his radio act, he moved to Radio One's WKYS-FM in Washington DC, returning to Atlanta in 1996 for mornings at Hot 97-5 and then 107-9, where he remained for almost 10 years.  Then it was back to V-103 for a morning show in afternoons, so to speak, and then on to morning drive this year.  Ryan just oozes with talent, and V-103's morning show has not missed a beat.

Larry Tinsley  - Larry has owned the most important daypart for Gospel, Sunday mornings, for decades.  He has been on V-103 for about 20 years and was on the radio in Atlanta long before that.  Among persons 25-54 on Sundays from 6AM to noon, he is #1 with twice the audience of the two stations tied for #2, Kiss 104 and 104.7 The Fish.  Larry has 2 and two-thirds times the audience on Sunday mornings as Praise 102.5, the only Atlanta station with a full-time Gospel format.

Kevin & Taylor - Kevin Avery and Taylor Scott have been the only morning show that 104.7 The Fish has had in its 12-year history.  The show, while holding true to the station's Christian tenor, is of major market caliber and mass appeal, and competes with the market's leaders in ratings.

Art Terrell - Art became known to Atlanta listeners in the early days of Hot 97-5 during the mid-90s.  He has held down afternoon drive on Kiss 104 for several years, with a great voice and charismatic personality.

Rhubarb Jones - Rhubarb came from Montgomery many years ago and became Atlanta's first big Country morning star on Y106.7, where he remained until 2008.  He is well-known and respected for his radio work as well as his charitable activities.  Still a dedicated radio advocate, Rhubarb teaches communications at Kennesaw State University.

Crash Clark - Chris Crash Clark has been a mainstay of Atlanta radio for many years.  He has reported traffic on many stations and altered his delivery--and sometimes his name--on each.  But he always sounds like he doesn't take life too seriously.  Several years ago, he was a 99X employee and got into a little misadventure at a station promotion in a bar.  PD Leslie Fram was not humored and fired Crash.  After a period of exile in Boston with former 99X personality Toucher, Crash came back to Atlanta and joined CBS Radio, where he now does traffic as Crash D on V-103.

Si-Man - Silas Si-Man Alexander has been one of Atlanta radio's most resilient members.  He was in middays on V-103 in the late 90s when David Dickey, then running Kiss, brought him over for afternoon drive.  Si-Man fit in well and was sounding great when he had the opportunity to do a morning show on what was then Majic 102.5.  The lure of doing mornings attracted Si, but the station's small signal (equivalent to 6,000 watts) was not competitive with V-103 and Kiss.  When 102.5's partial transition to Talk occurred, Si shifted to evenings, and then moved over to the 107.5/97.5 signals 4 years ago.  He is still sounding terrific, and his famous "Si-Man BAby" cry remains in full effect.

That wraps up part 3 of our 4-part series.  Next week, we will reveal the last 11 Atlanta radio icons, all from the AM side.

Thanks for reading.  I would love to hear from you at roddyfreeman@bellsouth.net.  Follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/atlantaairwaves, and we'll follow you back.

Links:
Rodney Ho's AJC Radio & TV blog:  http://blogs.ajc.com/radio-tv-talk/.
Atlanta Radio Insider: http://atlradioinsider.blogspot.com/.

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