After almost 12 years away from full-time radio I’m back and I missed you! Now that’s where we are now but it didn’t start here so let’s go back to where it all started.
I was born the son of a slave and we struggled to make ends meet. Ok now that I have your attention we can move on. Well I'm the youngest of 5 children( 2 older brothers & 2 older sisters making me the “ baby” I hate that sh*%! No time to be spoiled with parents from Hallsboro,NC from meager accommodations. My dad & mom raised our family in Fayetteville, NC on his Army income. He retired in 1977 with the rank of SGM after 25 years of service. My mom is the glue to the family and is an angel right here on earth. You can’t find 1 person to speak ill of my #1 lady. Well maybe back when she was burning my sister’s hair and scalp with those home perms from the PX on Fort Bragg you could’ve got them to drop dime on her. Or when she used to dash us with cold water if we didn’t get out of the bed on a Saturday morning you might get something said then. But seriously she’s my #1 cheerleader and all I want to do is make her proud of me. Where’s the tissue? On to the beginning of my love affair with radio.
Early years of radio in Fayetteville, NC takes me back to WIDU-AM with Dr. Don Reed. The reason I remember him and that station is because they were so bad. They had contests like “ The Big Leg Contest” for the ladies and “The Ugly Man Contest” for the fellas. I can’t make this up this is for real. Google him if he’s still living. That was circa 1978. Then the magic happened, D103–FM came to Fayettnam!
D103 started play rap music like the Sugar Hill Gang, Run DMC, New Edition’s Candy Girl and the DJ’s were cold blooded! That’s an old school saying for those who can’t recall the slang. All the DJ’s were good but there was 1 who stood apart from them all. Besides Venus Flytrap on WKRP in Cincinnati on TV this DJ influenced me by how he carried himself. It was Gilbert Baines and this mofo was cooler than the other side of the pillow. He was the mix show DJ and did all the Sunday Soul Skating Parties. He would show up in a 3 piece suit!! I started calling being the guess DJ and sending songs to the girls because I was to shy to talk to them. This was about 1982-84 and that’s when I fell in love with radio and music.
After securing a full athletic scholarship to Livingstone University and later Clark Atlanta University I was ready to try something new. Things got crazy in the “A” and I transferred my dreams to A&T. I worked at 90.1 FM A&T’s radio station and it felt like that’s where I needed to be…period! From 90.1 to producing the morning show for 102 Jamz. I was on my way…then I got FIRED! Long story so ask me later.
So after I was fired I worked from 94-96 at 107.5 WKZL. I made more money there than when I was at 102 but I wasn't happy so I left in 96 to go sell cars. I worked on Wendover Ave. in Greensboro as a car salesman and later as a Finance Manager for the same company. If your having car problems call them not me. I later came back to work PT for 102 Jamz and 97.1 when we became 1 company in or about 1997.
I stayed with the Finance Manager gig with the dealership and radio on the side for the next 6 years. I got married in 2003 and soon after I was in a new career as a Drug Dealer! Ok, just seeing if your awake but seriously I was selling drugs legally as a Pharmaceutical Rep with a major company based out of France and still working for the love of my trade at 97.1 WQMG. It's sad but by this time the marriage was beyond whack but I was so in love. Probably would have worked but her boyfriends were getting jealous of me.lol. Not everything was bad about the marriage and the bright spot was adopting her youngest daughter my baby.... Lennox.
Now it's 2007 and my dream came true when "The Quiet Storm" became available during the summer. I made a choice to finally do what I love and not focus on the money and I think it's going just right. 2008 will hold a lot of good things for me personally and professionally. Living the single life again and just enjoying life. Marty The 1 Man Party is Back after 12 long years and doing it especially for the ladies in "The Quiet Storm". I hope you enjoy the show and please feel free to be apart of it each evening from 7 til Midnight.
