Willie Lofton

Willie Lofton, otherwise know as Bill Lee, did not have his mind set on radio when he first considered a career. A graduate of Struthers High School, he first studied accounting when he enrolled at Youngstown State University in the 1970s. He also wanted to be a news reporter. "It didn’t turn out that way!" he says. His goals changed when he joined the Black Broadcasting Coalition and got part-time employment as a rock and roll disc jockey at WFMJ. He's been in the business ever since.

In 1988, Willie re-enrolled at YSU to earn a communications degree. At that time he was working at WANR in Warren playing music and hosting talk and sports shows, a job that gave him experience in many musical genres excluding country western and classical. That changed, however, in 1993 when he became a volunteer production assistant at WYSU. Willie says that the interesting names of artists and pieces of classical music captured his attention. The classical hours are still his favorite programs on WYSU.

Since 1995, Willie has produced the jazz show that airs late every Saturday night. His deep, smooth voice has been a staple of the program since it first aired.

Outside of work, Willie likes to read, sing in his church choir, and visit with his brother. He is happy that he found and stuck with WYSU. "I just like broadcasting, period,” he says. “No matter what it is! And all the people here [at WYSU], they know their music!"