Tom Joyner Retires After 25 Years

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Tom Joyner Retires Afer 25 Years

Today is the last day you’ll hear an unmitigated radio icon on your airwaves. Tom Joyner is officially retiring today, December 13, after 25 years. The syndicated air personality/host of “The Tom Joyner Morning Show,” is hanging his hat as host of America’s No. 1 syndicated urban morning show, “The Tom Joyner Morning Show.”

As previously reported Rickey Smiley has been named as the radio legend’s successor. Smiley also announced that Eva Marcille and Gary With Da Tea would be among the on-air cast members joining him to broadcast out of the Dallas studios beginning January 2020.

“I’m happy to see the landscape of Urban AC morning radio continue to expand with Rickey, and I’m proud of the doors the Tom Joyner Morning Show opened. Twenty-five years ago, there was no template for a syndicated Urban radio show and we worked hard to prove that we could successfully produce and market a national platform that would entertain, inform and empower African-American listeners,” said Joyner in a statement.

“We broke some ground, raised the bar for what audiences expected from Black radio all while partying with a purpose. Yeah, we’ve done a lot but there’s still a lot left to be done. I’m confident that Rickey’s activism along with his love for radio, the community, and HBCUs, will pick up where we left off.”

“It’s an honor to continue the legacy of my boss and frat brother Tom Joyner,” said Rickey about getting Tom’s blessing.

“Not only has he been a friend to my family and me over the years, but we consider him family. Tom’s mentorship has instilled in me valuable wisdom that I will carry with me through this new morning show.”

Joyner also spoke with CBS This Morning and said he’s continuing his strong support of HBCUs. So far he’s raised more than $60 million to support historically black colleges. In his next chapter, he said he wants to continue that and concentrate on “putting [money] in the hands of college students to help their tuition at historically black colleges. That’s my goal. All after 12 noon.”

Congrats on 25 years, Tom!