Country Music Artist Julianne Hough and Steve Gordon

Julianne was on tour with George Strait and we visited with her "again"
just before the concert in Raleigh on May 16.

OK...So this is my 4th photo with Julianne Hough.
I've got to do one of those dancing pose pictures next time.
This was at the Ft. Bragg July 4th Celebration.
Julianne and her bus passed thru Sanford this trip, I did invite
her to stop but couldn't make it happen.
Maybe "next time" she says. I told her about trying to
win the lottery so I could take her fishing.  Made her laugh.
Julianne says she grew up on a lake...enjoys fishing. Cool huh?

Click here for more of my photos from the visit. 

Katie worked with us for a period of time over the summer of 2008 but has now moved back home to California.  She worked as an audio board operator for many of the evening and weekend sports programs heard both on WWGP 1050AM and our sister station WFJA 105.5FM. 

The Swap Shop program was Katie's first time to actually be heard on-the-air.  I think she was hooked after that.  She sat in with us many times as her schedule permitted.  Katie worked a couple of our remote broadcasts and the two of us had the opportunity to sit in with Johnny Miller on his Beach and Oldies Show numerous times. 

Katie has an amazing knowledge of the music from the 40's, 50's, 60's and on up to the present.  She says she came by it naturally, listening to the music her parents enjoyed.  Her love of music covered many genres and her interest in Country Music was growing while she worked here at WWGP.

Katie is a very special friend and is dearly missed.  She never met a stranger and easily places a smile on the face of everyone she comes in contact with.  If her enthusiasm for life doesn't get you, her laughter and smiles will.

A recent graduate of Berkeley University of California, Katie has a degree in Mass Communications with plans to move into a career in journalism.  San Francisco, California may be her home but she quickly adapted to the easy going, laid back ways of Southern living, well, except for sweet tea.

We love you Katie, and hope you'll hurry back.  Your Mic will always be open.

Steve says he's just gone full circle in his broadcasting career.  Steve began broadcasting in 1976 at another Sanford station, WEYE.  He began working the Sunday morning shift as a board operator and was eventually given an hour to play music and DJ his own show.  He was hooked.

The local Swap Shop program originated on WEYE radio with Frank Parks serving as its first host.  It began as a 15 minute program and soon moved up to a 30 minute program of buying, selling, trading and giving away.

Parks was due a vacation and Steve was given the opportunity to sit in on the Swap Shop program to observe and learn it's operation, just as Katie is doing today.  After a week of taking phone calls, Steve was REALLY hooked. 

Not long after Parks returned, Steve was offered a full time position with WEYE and later became the host of the Swap Shop program.  The program moved from an hour program, to two hours and eventually up to four hours long.  Although a few songs were played during the show, Steve also enjoyed taking recipes over the air from listeners who would share good old southern family secrets.

Steve has never ventured far from broadcasting over the years but has tried a few other things along the way from restaurant ownership to TV management and other radio outlets.  He operated his own video business for several years and still does computer and internet work designing websites, brochures and other graphic work.

Steve has been with WWGP-WFJA Radio for almost two years and once again began work as a board operator for both stations.  He started doing substitute fill in work for Brian Lee, the programs last host and eventually became the host of the Saturday Swap Shop. 

In October, 2008, Steve took it full circle when he once again accepted a full time position to serve as host of the Swap Shop program with WWGP.