Tony Rankin can remember getting scolded by his mom. As a young child, for taking her countertop, portable AM/FM radio/cassette recorder off the counter, so he could sit in the yard, back in Montclair, Kentucky and listen to as many radio stations that he could pick up in the small farming town where he lived.  Before sunset and just a little after stations like WGOK-AM from Atlanta, GA, WABC New York and other powerful AM’s, back in the day would come in as he moved the antennae back and forth.  Tony would keep a log, each day, of the different stations.  While in fourth grade, Tony got the opportunity to meet Mort Crim.  That experience, coupled with his love of music, particularly old school music, was the start of the passion for the radio industry that this man has had for the last 30 years.

Tony obtained his 3^rd class restricted radio telephone operator’s license before he entered high school and followed with his first radio job at a small sunrise/sunset station, WCND, in Shelbyville, KY.  Tony, then went on to Morehead State University and, thanks to his high school speech teacher, he was able to get a scholarship to study radio/TV and was given his own college radio show.  That was 1979.  Now, almost 30 years later, Tony’s passion for radio and music continues to drive him.

In that 30 year span, Tony has worked all across the country from Kentucky to San Diego, Louisville to Nashville, and Chattanooga to Detroit, then Las Vegas.  Now, for the 4^th time, he has returned to the city of Detroit, where he used to hear the stories told by his college roommate about radio in this musical city.  Names like “Electrifying “, Mojo, Chris McClendon, Bill Bailey, Skip Dillard, Rosetta Hines, and so many more.  “This is the best radio town in America”, says Tony, “People here in Detroit treat you like family……it feels like home.  And with Detroit’s Motown heritage, you would be crazy not to want be on the air here.”

And that must be true because this is Tony’s 4^th time doing radio in the city he loves so very much.  The last time was in 2002 when Rosetta Hines gave him a chance to work at The Heritage Station WGPR.

Tony left to put an old school/R&B station on in Las Vegas in 2003 and just returned to Detroit in the fall of 2007.  This time working for Metro Traffic; a company that does news, weather, sports, and traffic service for TV and radio.

“It’s great experience, good work, and it pays the bills, but it’s not being on the air.” Thanks toTony’s love of radio, still burning deep inside him, and Carol James, program director at WGPR 107.5, his life long dream, once again, is being fulfilled every weeknight from 7pm till midnight.

The blood, sweat, and tears this man has given for the business for all those years, in all those cities comes out through his smooth baritone and his trademark ending, “Good night, Ma” will keep you listening each and every night.  Check him out tonight on 107.5 WGPR.