A Sign of Change
By Tanisha GabrielMonday, June 8, 2009
Driving around O-Town you may have noticed those big bright yellow signs staring back at you that read: "Smooth 103.1 WLOQ."
What a minute -- wasn't it Smooth Jazz 103.1? Yes, it was -- but after talking to Brian Morgan, a radio personality at WLOQ, I find out that the station has broadening their play list. They will still be playing jazz, but also music from Bob Marley and John Mayer will be accompanying the jazz music -- basically anything smooth. And smooth is definitely what this radio station is about, from its music to Brian Morgan's voice.
You can often hear his calm, yet energetic voice on 103.1 from 2PM-7PM bringing you home with relaxing music while you are stuck on I-4 trying to retain your sanity. He's even been complimented on his voice by a Grammy Award-winning artist.
"I met Norah Jones at the House of Blues," Brian says with a smile. "She is such a nice, accommodating young lady. It was backstage after a concert and she said--" Brian changes his voice slightly to imitate Jones, "'Wow, you have a really good radio voice.' And she gave me a hug."
If the queen of smooth tells you that you have "a really good radio voice," then it certainly must be true.
Later, Brian surprises me and Robin Austen, his co-worker and another WLOQ DJ, when he tells us how he got his job at WLOQ.
He breaks away from our interview, leaving me in suspense for a moment to give away free airline tickets to a caller. My eyes wonder around the station taking in the breath taking view that surrounds the control room. I can see why it is so easy for the DJs to remain so relaxed and... well, smooth.
Brian tells me how his past radio and television gigs led him to WLOQ. He has been working in the Orlando area as a radio personality since 1985, and his extensive experience more than qualified him for the gig -- but how he landed it was unconventional to say the least.
"I won a prize by listening to WLOQ because I always listened to WLOQ," he explains. "I came in to pick it up and I recognized some people and I said, 'Hey, by the way -- do you got any job openings?' And they did. That's how I landed my job here at WLOQ -- winning a prize on the radio!"
Talk about being in the right place at the right time!
Although 103.1 has changed its name to "Smooth 103.1 WLOQ," their great tradition of giving away prizes has not. And Brian Morgan would probably agree with me when I say that can be life-changing. One day, you could just be an eager listener hoping for a prize and the next you could be a DJ. You never know.
