Georgia Radio Hall of Fame: 2015

Johnny Brown was born in 1926 in Sebring, Florida, moved to Newnan in 1935, graduated from Newnan High School and attended the University of Georgia.  In 1946 he began sports writing and eventually became sports editor at the Newnan Times. He was an announcer and later, General Manager, at both WCOH and WNEA. He served on the Newnan City, Coweta County School Board and was a Coweta County Commissioner. In 1996 he was honored by the Georgia Press Association; the multi-purpose building at the Coweta County Recreation Department was dedicated to him as well as the Northgate High School Gymnasium.

Wayne Brown was born in Washington, D.C. in 1957, and graduated from Syracuse University. In 1978, his first job in radio was as a security guard at WCBS-AM in New York, and worked his way up to become General Manager. In 1991, he became manager of Broadcast Partner's stations in Charlotte. He came to Atlanta in 2000 to manage Radio One's Atlanta stations. Brown served on the Board of Directors of the Atlanta March of Dimes, True Colors Theater Company and Atlanta Association of Diabetes Walk America. Wayne is remembered for mentoring young people pursuing careers in entertainment and broadcasting.

Don Carle was born in 1938 in Philadelphia. His family relocated to Macon and he graduated from Lanier High School. In 1956 he went to work on the air at WBML in Macon and then moved over to WMAZ. In 1967 he moved to WQXI in Atlanta where he worked as a newsman and salesman. He moved to WKLS then to WPCH where he was General Sales Manager. He also worked at WGKA and WMLB IN Atlanta. Carle loves antique cars.

Hugh Christian was born in 1943 in Athens, attended the University of Georgia, and served in the Air Force where he achieved the rank of Captain. He also was instrumental in USAF broadcast networks in Europe. Following military service, he returned to Athens and joined the family business: radio. Hugh served as General Manager of WRFC in Athens, WPUP in Royston, WFOX in Gainesville, and WDDK in Greensboro. For 14 years, he was Executive Producer of the UGA Football and Basketball Network. Hugh also managed two restaurants in downtown Athens: Gus Garcia’s and Angelo’s.

Jay Clark (Roger Croft) began his radio career in Adel Georgia, then he moved to WMTM in Moultrie. His first Top 40 experience was at WPGA in Perry. That led to a position at WMBR in Jacksonville. He moved back to South Georgia to accept a position at WVLD in Valdosta; he stayed for 18 years then moved over to WAAC. He began as a morning man and eventually became General Manager. Clark also was the voice of the Valdosta Wildcats. He retired in 2005.

Craig Crissman’s first job in radio was in 1957 at WEYE in Sanford, North Carolina when he was 18 years old. In 1959, he moved to WWGP in Sanford to learn news reporting. His training paid off and he joined WDNC in Durham in 1960 where he stayed for two years. In 1962, Crissman came to Atlanta to be Assistant News Director at WSB Radio. He left in 1969 to be News Director at WRNG. While at “Ring Radio” he produced a documentary on police brutality - “When Will It End” - that earned him a Peabody. In 1970, Craig went to WGST to do morning news. After two years, he left radio and formed Crissman Productions where he produced industrial films.

Mike Faherty was born in 1938 in Trenton, New Jersey, graduated from Trenton Boys Catholic High School, and attended Rutgers University.  His first job in radio was at WBUD in Trenton. In 1960 he joined KYW in Cleveland. From 1964 until 1981 he worked for rep firms in New York and radio stations in Boston, New York, and Chicago. In 1981 he became VP and General Manager of WSB in Atlanta and in 1989, Cox Executive Vice President of Radio. Faherty was president of the UGA Henry W. Grady School of Journalism.

Chris was born in 1946 in Rochester, NY. During childhood, his family moved to Ft. Pierce, FL. He graduated High School in 1964. His first radio job was at WMYR in Ft. Meyers. Morgan moved to Atlanta and joined WPLO in 1972. He began a ten-year stint at WQXI in 1974. Chris also worked at Lake 102, Country 105.7, 680 The Fan, Kicks, Sunny 100, and Cool 105.7. He hosted the “Sunday Night Oldies Show" for several years at several locations including Johnny's Hide Away. Morgan retired from radio and moved to the mountains of North Georgia.

was a child. He became a fighter pilot in the Air Force and served in the Korean conflict. After his time in the Air Force, he returned to Columbus and began his radio career. Reehling ultimately purchased WMOG in Brunswick, then in 1951, WFPM in Fort Valley. In 1970 he was elected mayor of Forth Valley. He sold WFPM in 1981and retired in 1983. Paul Reehling died in 2014.

Ben Tucker was born in 1930 in Brentwood, Tennessee. At an early age, he began to develop his musical interest first on trumpet and bass and quickly made a name for himself in Nashville. Following a stint in the Air Force, Ben settled in California, playing with Art Pepper and Shorty Rogers and performed with Herbie Mann, Billy Taylor, Dexter Gordon, Buddy Rich, and Quincy Jones. Tucker moved to Savannah in 1971 and in 1972 purchased WSOK, the city’s first black-owned radio station. He also owned WLVH FM. The stations were immensely successful during the 13 years he owned them.

Deane Clark was born in Dayton, Ohio in 1944 but grew up in Toledo where he attended college-prep high school and won a full scholarship to the University of Toledo. His first radio job was at WMHE-FM. He left school at 19 to become Production Manager at WVKO, Columbus. A year later he was back in school and working for WTOD/WKLR-FM as a jock and FM PD. In 1970 he made it to KIRL, St. Louis. In 1973 Deane became PD at WYSP, Philadelphia, followed by eight years at WKLS, Atlanta. Clark is now retired from stage and voice acting.

George Van Voorhis, aka George Mason Dixon, was born September 23, 1953 in Atlanta. He was captivated by the radio industry from a young age and often fell asleep with a transistor radio under his pillow. At the age of 3, his family moved to Jacksonville, FL where he completed his public school education and went on to Jones Business College to study radio station management. He began his radio career in 1973 at WKTZ in Jacksonville and spent 38 years in radio. George retired in 2011 to care for his grandchildren and tend to the family farm.

Greg McClure was born in Atlanta in 1947. He graduated from Southern Tech and was Co-Founder of the student station. After college, he joined the US Coast Guard.  His first station was WDGL in Douglasville. He then went to WFOM in Marietta, as Program Director; then to WWID in Gainesville.  In 1985 Greg went to Y106.  After that, he spent Fourteen Years with WSB Radio/TV. In 2009 he worked with Clear Channel doing Traffic Reports for WSB and retired in 2014. McClure devoted many years to The March of Dimes and Parents without Partners.

Bob Noble was born in Brunswick on August 5, 1932. In 1939, his family moved to Savannah. While in high school, he worked as a weekend DJ at WCCP & WDAR.  After graduation in 1949, Bob entered Emory University and became a member of the Emory Radio Workshop supervised by WSB’s Elmo Ellis. In 1950, Bob became part of WSB Radio’s “Night Beat” program. In 1954, he returned to Savannah as News Director for WTOC-TV.  In 1965, he moved to LA and then in 1971 to Orlando where he was anchorman for WFTV’s “Eyewitness News,” until he retired.

Mary Catherine Sneed was born in Dover New Jersey. She got into radio by accident; her Auburn sorority volunteered her to help build a student station. From college, she worked at WVOV in Huntsville. She moved to Nashville and became music director at WSM, then program director at WSM FM. When her husband accepted a job in Atlanta, she did news at WSB. Later programmed WSB FM’s and consulted some of the Cox stations. She became VP of Operations for Summit. In 1995, Summit was acquired by Radio One; Sneed was named COO. In 2006, she left Radio One to consult.

Christie Tanner fell in love with radio at Tulane University’s, WTUL. At 19, she left school and began her radio career in Tallahassee, Florida. She gained experience in West Palm Beach, Memphis, Providence, and Boston and worked in a variety of formats. That prepared Christie for her dream job at 94Q in Atlanta. Tanner’s last position was co-hosting the morning show on WSB-FM. She’s been a full-time voice talent for18 years and now works from her studio amongst “The Big 5” on a wild game estate in the Bushveld of South Africa.

Allen Tibbetts was born on January 10, 1956, in Rome. His first radio job was in 1973 doing weekends on WTIF in Tifton while a high school junior. In 1974 he moved from the night shift to mid-days and was named PD and in 1976 became morning show co-host. Later, Tibbets became part owner of WTIF/WJYF. In 1990 he moved to Athens as PD and morning show host on WRFC. Allen moved to mornings on WGMG/Magic 102.1 in 1996 and remained in that position for 16 years. He was named ‘Favorite Radio Announcer’ 5 times by the Athens Banner Herald readers. Tibbets retired in 2014.

Larry Tinsley was born in Decaturville, Tennessee, and raised in Knoxville. He received his Bachelor of Science from Lambuth University in Jackson, Tennessee. His radio career began 47 years ago, at 2011 GRHOF Legacy Inductee James Brown’s Knoxville’s WJBE. In 1971 he came to WAOK in Atlanta as an announcer. In 1981 he became WAOK program director. Today Larry is the host of top-rated “Sunday Morning Praise”, each Sunday morning from 6:00 AM until NOON on WVEE-V103 in Atlanta. He is married to Pecolia and has received numerous lifetime achievement awards. Tinsley received a Gospel Announcer of the Year Stellar Award.