Dennis Winslow talks with Beth Bacall, longtime personality at the now defunct 104.7 The Fish/WFSH.
Bacall had a storied broadcasting career at legendary stations like KFRC and KYCY in San Francisco and Jammin’ 105.1 in New York City, and anchored afternoons at The Fish for over 13 years.
She’s a talent coach, a network personality, has won awards from Gabbys to an Industry Achievement Award from the Christian Music Broadcaster’s Association, and has some great stories and advice.

Howard Toole started as a jock in 10th grade in Augusta and quickly earned first-class ticket right after high school. He continued his radio journey at WRFC in Athens while finishing his degree at Georgia, then moved on to Louisville and New Orleans as an air personality and PD. Soon, he switched to sales, and ended up in Atlanta when Plough Broadcasting flipped WPLO-FM to Disco V-103. From there, he worked in Dallas, San Antonio, and returned to Athens as a GM. Along the way, he bought his first station in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Now, he’s settled in Rome, Georgia, as managing partner of a six-station cluster—each station sounding much larger than its small-market size. Howard runs a lean operation, of necessity, relying on a core team plus a network of 80+ voices he can call on when needed, along with modern digital tech and AI voices, including one of his overnight hosts -- AI Gunner. Yup. He is A.I. We'll dive into Howard's unique approach, his use of technology, and hear more about AI Gunner in Wavelengths #30.

He's a UGA graduate who got his radio start in Augusta, then spent 12 years in Houston, 6 in Memphis, then 16 years in Atlanta as Market Manager and then Regional VP for Radio One, and now, he's retiring after an incredibly successful career. He'll talk about his career, the new realities of radio today, and pass on great advice for young broadcasters today. It's all here, in Georgia Wavelengths # 29.

Steve Craig has spent 30 years so far in Georgia radio -- all in Atlanta-- and almost all in Program management and on air, all at highly rated and well respected stations. Now, he’s back at 99X as PD and middays, and successfully reclaiming the heritage station's position, and the ratings, of the Original 99X.

Here, in Part 2, Dennis Winslow hears from Steve how the staff was put back together, how they all get along (again), and how the 99X music philosophy has evolved.

Steve Craig has spent 30 years so far in Georgia radio, all in Atlanta, almost all in Program management and on air, all at highly rated and well respected stations, and now, he’s back at the station he started in Atlanta radio at – with a slight change in dial position—and leading the charge that’s so far done a pretty good job at reclaiming the heritage position, and the ratings, of the Original 99X. this podcast -- Part 1 --covers the original birth, and the demise of the first 99X. Then, in Part 2, hear how the station came back to life, and how the music philosophy has evolved.

He started in programming, but Steve Hegwood had a bigger vision. After a very successful career as a high-level programming guy - he was the VP/Programming for RadioOne when they launched what is now Hot 107.9 in Atlanta — he found he had a taste for ownership. He built a company by parlaying a translator whose programming originated on a leased HD channel, into a group of stations, all carrying the hip-hop programming from his original Atlanta station, Streetz 94.5. And, his primary signal in Atlanta is STILL on a translator -- possibly the most successful translator in the country. Steve Hegwood’s story is fascinating, and we’ve got the details in this Wavelengths podcast from Friends of Georgia Radio.

A bigtime record executive comes back to Atlanta to do what he loves best—radio. And, a pretty crafty GM sees the possibility early on and parlays a collection of translator licenses into a new tower site and vastly increased coverage. Oh, and by the way, this little-but-mighty noncommercial station was streaming well before the other Atlanta operators saw the future. How has WCLK earned its reputation as one of America's best? It’s all here— as FoGR’s Dennis Winslow is in conversation with WCLK’s Wendy Williams and David Linton, as the station celebrates 50 years as "Atlanta's Jazz Station."

More great radio stories from their Fox 97 Morning Show days. Plus, both offer advice for building a successful morning show. Hosted by the Fox 97 PD who brought them to Atlanta, Dennis Winslow.

A conversation with Fox 97's iconic morning duo Randy and Spiff…where they spent 14 years right up until the station flipped out of the oldies format. That didn’t stop ‘em, they went on to Atlanta iHeart oldies Cool 105.7, then over to Lite 94.9, then to news talk GST, and finally to WYAY/106.7 when it was doing oldies. A total of 21 years in Atlanta radio, and still as entertaining and funny as ever!

For 25 years, Bob Neil ran Cox Radio and Cox Media Group, successfully leading one of the prestige media companies in the country while increasing its size from 13 to 83 stations. Now retired, but still consulting, Bob re-caps his career, tells some great behind the scenes stories, and looks to the future of the medium we all love.

Beginning in 1960 when the Al Evans family bought WVLD in Valdosta, the little AM with a limited signal in a market of around 30,000, sounded like it belonged in a much bigger market. And the talent it attracted proved it! Ron O'Quinn, Wayne "Kevin O'Connell" Buttram, and Bob Raleigh-- who were there is different decades-- reminisce about "the little station that could"!

Smaller market radio can be rewarding, and challenging-- especially if your stations are in the coverage area of multiple, bigger markets. Yet, Jeff Batten's Batten Communications, KJ Allen's OconeeComm, and Bill Maine's WDUN/WGGA Jacobs Media owned cluster in Gainesville, have somehow decoded a lot of the secrets to being successful AND making money. All three have a great perspective on how to thrive.

In the late 1970s, there were only a small handful of commercial stations featuring jazz programming. But WQXI-FM ("94Q")-- a extremely successful Atlanta pop rock station--- added a 5-hour jazz show Sunday nights 7 to midnight, and generated double digit shares-  Sometimes 20+ shares Adults 25-54!  Here's the inside story from Don Benson, the PD who put it on, and from Fleetwood Gruver and Russ Davis, the first two hosts, who both went on to CD-101 in New York, one of the biggest jazz stations in the country. It's all here, in FoGRPod #19 from Friends of Georgia Radio. Dennis Winslow hosts.

We gathered three incredibly bright Georgia college students who finished two weeks of intensive workshops and radio training at the GAB’s Radio Talent Institute at Grady College at UGA. We’ll find out what they learned, whom they met (A Who’s Who of Georgia and national radio leaders), and what they will do with all their new knowledge. Dennis Winslow talks with GAB President Bob Houghton, Brenau and UGA's Massimo Bellew, Piedmont University and now Habersham Broadcasting's Madison Gott, and Ft. Valley State's Justin Harris.

Mike Roberts and Carol Blackmon anchored mornings at heritage Urban powerhouse WVEE from the late 80s thru the late 90s – dominating morning ratings and winning accolades and awards. (Mike’s a Georgia Radio Hall of Fame and a GAB Hall of Fame inductee, and Carol was inducted into the National Black Radio Hall of Fame, and recently honored by the Library of Congress as she joined the Black Women in Radio Class of 2023.)

Back together again in the latest FoGRPod Podcast, Carol reveals how she almost came to blows with one of the biggest names in music during a live interview on V103.  And Mike reveals that he had a case of nerves every time he was interviewing legends like Smokey Robinson, Nancy Wilson, and all the other celebrities who came through the door at V103.

The voiceover business-- then and now--- with three of the most successful voice talents in the industry. All worked in Atlanta radio, all still live here, and all are still working. How they got started, the challenges of the business today, and a few secrets, plus advice for young talent who want a career as a voiceover talent today--- it's all here in FoGRPod #16 with Randy Reeves, George Robinson, and Jeff Winter.

ABC/CapCities imported PD Neil McGinley to Atlanta from flame-throwing CHR WKBW in Buffalo to their new country property, WKHX 101.5 in Atlanta.  And Neil imported a morning guy from a top-rated rock station in Houston, where he had a reputation as a “shock jock.”  Together, they built a heritage country morning show brand in the heart of the South.  Back together again, in one of the last recorded interviews before Moby's death on September 20th of this year, they share the story of their partnership – the high points and the pitfalls – in this face to face podcast interview with Dennis Winslow.

Brian Philips-Chief Content Officer, Cumulus

Over 30 years ago, Susquehanna radio put their Top 40 “Power 99” to bed, and birthed a new station – the original “99X.” With a legendary morning show – “The Morning X” – and a unique roadmap (there really wasn’t one in the beginning), the station carved out a place in Georgia radio history but eventually was itself replaced. Fast forward, and the visionary program manager Brian Philips who was most responsible in those early days came back as Chief Content Officer for the company that now owned the signal, and this year – he proceeded to re-birth the iconic brand, with many of the same voices that had been a part of the original 99X. Here, Dennis Winslow gets a great download from Cumulus’s Brian Philips about the old – and the new – 99X.

FoGRPod # 13- “History of WRAS-Part 2”  has some really great guests – two Atlanta natives who both got started at “Album 88” in different eras:

John Asante, who was a show host and News Director from 2007-2009, and then ended up at WNYC and NPR in New York, helping to produce such iconic shows as “Ask Me Another,” “The Takeaway,” and “Talk of the Nation.” From there, he headed for Los Angeles where he is now an award-winning podcast producer.

Gail Harris who is probably one of the longest-serving members of the Album 88 family, as a staffer from 1976 to 1983, and then doing fill-in thru 1993. She also worked in the record industry, at WABE, and was on staff at Peach State Public Radio when they first went on the air. (If you don’t recall the name, it’s now GPB with a network of over 18 stations covering the state!)

Both have some great insights about the iconic station, and good advice for young broadcasters.

WRAS’s Drew Murray and Jeff Walker- In addition to arriving at WRAS during the station’s infancy in the early 1970s, Drew Murray has the distinction of being the very first voice on the brand new “96 Rock” when WKLS flipped from beautiful music. And Jeff Walker is the WRAS staffers who just can’t leave! Jeff was PD in 1981, then GM, then Operations manager and Advisor off and on from 1986 to today. (He even retired once, but it didn’t stick.) Meanwhile, both Drew and Jeff also worked commercial radio in Atlanta, and have a lot to tell about the history of Album 88, including the birth the iconic “Album 88” name. It’s all here in the latest FOGRPod podcast with Dennis Winslow.