Dwayne Addison Interview

Dwayne Addison
On-Air personality
Go Mix Christian Radio
Owner and Operator of Rock City Radio

Career Capsule: I attended the Columbia School of Broadcasting in Washington DC.

I have been blessed to work at the following radio stations since the early 90’s: WYRV AM 770, Cedar Bluff, VA, WGTH 105.5 FM & 540 AM, Cedar Bluff, VA
Spirit FM – WPIB 91.1, Bluefield, WV, JOY AM – WAMN 1050, Bluefield, WV, WZAP 690 AM, Bristol, VA, My Bridge FM – WLGT 97.5 & 104.5, GOMix Christian Radio Network – 88.7 FM, Goldsboro, NC, Rock City Radio – Internet Radio – rockcityradio247.com – Greenville, NC

Dwayne, tell us what’s new at Go Mix… any news, changes etc… and what’s new with YOU?

I am excited to announce that I recently joined the team at the GO Mix Radio Network. They have 10 transmitters that reach thousands with The Gospel of Christ in NC and VA with their flagship station Go Mix that play’s Today’s Southern Gospel. They also operate a Classic Southern Gospel streaming station called GoMix Gold and a soothing instrumental streaming station called Serene.    

How do you balance work & family, how important is it for someone in Christian Radio to ‘have a life”?

This can be a challenge for sure. I am a single dad with two awesome kids, and I do a weekday morning show from 9-12 on my internet station Rock City Radio playing Today’s Christian Music, and then I also do a show at 8pm on Go Mix 7 days a week! It’s hard to believe that my son is now 18 and graduating from high school next month and my daughter is 10 and headed to middle school! Life is so short and in the blink of an eye the kids grow up on you, so you have to be intentional when it comes to setting time aside to have a life outside of work. I once heard a General Manager give a speech and he talked about how he was always the first one there and typically the last one to leave each day and his kids grew up never wanting for anything financially but then he went on to say that his kids now resent him as adults for all the things he missed like dance recitals, concerts and ballgames because he was always at work. I couldn’t help but think what his kids really wanted was time with their dad and how sad it was that he had missed those opportunities to be present in their lives. There has to be a healthy balance between providing for your family financially and spending quality time with them.

Overall, what is the best programing advice you’ve been given? The worst?

I guess the best advice I have received over the years has been to make sure you are doing your best to provide the listeners with a top-quality listening experience. Just because it’s a Christian format doesn’t mean we should be content with anything less than sounding just as good or even better than the secular station across town. Some of the worst advice I have been given was when a station owner once told me not to stray away from the Top 20 on my daily show because his listeners only wanted to hear what they know and that was the Top 20. I understood what he meant, and I certainly did what he asked me to do but I kept thinking about all the great music from the past that was no longer being played. Also, if we only play the most recent singles then that’s all the listeners are going to know but that’s just my opinion. It’s one of the reasons I enjoy operating my own internet station because I can play the Top 20 and then have Throwback Thursday and have segments that feature Classic CCM from the 80’s, 90’s and 2000s! I love the Imperials, Mylon & Broken Heart, Petra, White Heart, Russ Taff and so many others artists that I grew up listening to as a teen and that music should never be forgotten.    

What is something you’ve learned due to the pandemic, about Christian Radio?

I’ve been blessed to work in Christian Radio since the early 90’s and I’ve heard the testimonies of countless listeners who heard the exact song or program at the exact time they needed to hear it. There’s no doubt in my mind that God can use Christian Radio to touch listeners right where they are at home, work in their car. The pandemic only made this more apparent when so many folks where shut in at home and turned to Christian Radio for positive encouragement.

What are your thoughts on AI in Christian Radio?

I’ve already heard news reports about companies possibly laying off employees due to AI and I think that’s dangerous ground. Some radio stations have already become so automated it can be hard to find work as a disc jockey so AI could make it even harder if stations begin utilizing this technology.    

Where will new up and coming Christian Radio air talent come from?

I remember growing up as a teen in the 80’s and I loved listening to our local radio stations and eventually I began to dream about what it would be like to be on the other side of the radio. Thankfully I had parents who believed in that dream and supported my career choice and I’ve had a long radio career because of that. I would like to think that there’s still teens and young adults out there who feel the same way I did when I was growing up. I think it’s important that stations still have on-air personalities that produce great sounding shows that draw listeners in and will cause some listeners to desire a career in radio.     

Generally speaking to the industry what are the biggest obstacles facing Christian Radio?

I’ve heard recent news reports that some auto makers and no longer equipping vehicles with the option to listen to the AM dial. I started my career on a AM station and served for 7 years as a General Manager of JOY AM in Bluefield, WV and we can’t lose AM stations! Also, stations need to keep as many on-air personalities as possible. I understand how saving money is important but I was drawn to radio by listening to disc jockeys who were on live in the evenings and overnights but sadly this seems to be a thing of the past at most stations. 

Who are your radio heroes and influences?

I grew up listening to Paul Heil on The Gospel Greats program and of course Casey Kasem on the American Top 40 Countdown Show