Amplify Color Podcast On Legendary Radio Personality Dyana Williams

Fifty years ago, young broadcaster Dyana Williams was hired by urban contemporary music station 96.3 WHUR-FM in Washington, D.C. Her radio handle was Ebony Moonbeams. I heard her for the first time in 1975 when Frankie Crocker hired Williams at Inner City Broadcasting's 107.5 WBLS-FM in her hometown, New York City. Crocker is a radio broadcasting legend, making WBLS the top-rated station in The Big Apple with his innovative adult urban contemporary format.

In 1978, Williams became the first African American/Latina woman rock DJ at the ABC FM affiliate, WRQX-FM, and she's been busting through ceilings, barriers, and bigotry ever since.

Warner Music Group's in-house podcast network, Interval Presents, debuted its latest episode of its newest series, "Amplify Color" hosted by Ryan Cameron, a 2x Emmy winner, the host of “Voice of Atlanta,” a member of the Georgia and Black Radio Hall of Fame, and long-time Atlanta DJ.

In this most recent episode, Ryan Cameron tells the story of legendary radio personality Dyana Williams. Today, Dyana is known as an activist for the rights of Black musicians. She got her start in radio back in the 1970s when she joined the staff of 96.3 WHUR-FM in Washington, D.C.  Her career in radio has left a legacy of fighting for Black musical creatives and is proof that radio personalities can have a positive impact on our world outside the airwaves.

Produced by Double Elvis, the 14-episode “Amplify Color” series tells the stories of how trailblazers like Charlamagne tha God, Wendy Williams, Big Boy, Sway Calloway, and more have left an undeniable impact on the radio industry. The next upcoming episodes will discuss the life of Tom Joyner who was nicknamed America’s “Fly Jock” and was the #1 voice of Black radio for over 25 years and Mr. Magic who created the very first hip-hop radio show.

Please see below for a list of previous episodes.

● Episode 1: The Foundation of Black Radio

● Episode 2: Jack L. Cooper

● Episode 3: WERD (America’s 1st Black Owned Radio Station)

● Episode 4: Petey Greene

● Episode 5: Cathy Hughes

Finally, when Crocker and Williams were on WBLS in New York City, radio was brilliantly innovative, on the razor's edge of music and cultural and social disruption. Listen to Crocker here. He's as smooth as glass.