By Tashi McQueen, AFRO Political Writer,
Report for America Corps Member,
tmcqueen@afro.com
Former Sen. Larry Young, host of “The Larry Young Morning Show” will be celebrated on Oct. 27 for his diligent work in the community and on air as a radio personality.
Young will officially retire from WOLB Talk 1010 on Dec. 31.
The Rev. Al Sharpton, civil rights leader and founder of National Action Network, and Cathy Hughes, founder and chair of Radio One, will be the guest speakers at Young’s anniversary and retirement dinner at Martin’s West.
“Mr. Young has been a fixture in our Baltimore landscape for so long,” said Councilwoman Odette Ramos (D-MD-14). “He’s been working hard to lift the voices of our communities.”
Young was born in Baltimore on Nov. 25, 1949. He attended Baltimore City Public Schools and attended the University of Maryland.
From 1975 – 1988 Young was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates. He then went on to join the Maryland State Senate from 1988 – 1998. He represented Baltimore City in both roles.
“I would describe Larry Young as a strong fighter,” said Marvin “Doc” Cheatham, another champion of civil rights in Baltimore and beyond. “While he served in the Maryland House of Delegates and Senate, he always fought for the issues of the community. He was our voice in Annapolis and always considered the people.”
Young began his radio career in 1996, on Saturdays from 1 – 4 p.m. “The Larry Young Morning Show” premiered in June 1998.
“Talk radio can be a major influence,” said Young. “We can help make a difference, create the environment for change and give space for the people to have a say.”
Young spoke about the importance of having Black talk radio stations.
“Black media desires to tell both sides of a story and highlight narratives not often told,” he said. “Without Black talk stations, we would not hear Black stories, deeply rooted in the concerns of our community.”
Over the years, Young has met with Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Tyler Perry, Louis Farrakhan and numerous “movers and shakers” of Baltimore. He has launched gubernatorial debates, created specials on pressing topics for Baltimore’s growth, like STEM-based careers, and provided a platform for notable Black leaders.
“We will miss ‘The Larry Young Morning Show,’” said Mark Cannon, Young’s former co-host and mentee. “We’re going to miss having a platform for the Black community to hear from politicians and talk about our pressing issues.”
Though Young spoke about the highlights of his career, he also told the AFRO of the challenges he faced on air. Young said throughout his career he was led to amplify the voices of women and millennials. He started a women-only talk show, and tried other tactics, but ultimately never reached the demographic the way he hoped.
Young is concerned about radio’s durability, with podcasting on the rise. He believes switching talk shows to FM radio and targeting audience gaps will ensure talk radios stick around.
“It has been a historic and proud 25 years,” said Young.
In considering the future of Black radio, Young spoke about the job’s demands and what Black talk show personalities should be doing to stay relevant in their service to the community.
“A prospective talk show host should ensure they keep a close ear to the ground,” he said. “I read four to seven magazines daily, keep up with news, learn from our sharp callers and put myself as close as I can to the issues of the Black community.”
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