10 Questions with ... Debbie Dee

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

I started my career behind the scenes and doing feature stories at a TV station in Wisconsin, after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in 1992. I then moved to Wichita, where I landed a job as an on-air personality. Two-and-a-half years later, my journey would continue in the wonderful world of radio, as a part-time radio personality on Hot 103 Jamz and Gospel 1590 in Kansas City. One year later, the opportunity to do full-time on Gospel 1590 opened and I stepped through those doors and it's been home ever since. This year, I celebrated my 21st year anniversary on-air as an employee of the Carter Broadcast Group. I'm proud to say I work for a company that is 67 years black-owned-and-operated.

1) How difficult is it to balance work and home?

Ha! That's a great question, because sometimes I don't. But when I do, I balance home and work through a lot of prayer, a lot of preparing and help from others.

2) What are all the formats you've worked in?

I worked in Urban radio in Wichita, at Power 93.9 and on Hot 103 Jamz when I first moved to Kansas City. I have incorporated many things into gospel, such as on-air time management, keeping my breaks short and getting as much music in as possible.

3) Why did you choose radio as a career?

I always loved the creative and technical side of broadcasting. I was in middle school when I decided to study broadcasting. I attended a high school that specialized in broadcasting, which was John Marshall High School in Milwaukee. After studying Radio and TV there, I decided to continue my broadcasting education by pursuing a degree in Communications at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. And the story continues ... I'm still in broadcasting, because I love being able to put a smile on someone's face, or give them information that they can apply to their life, or just being able to inform them of what's currently going on in the world.

4) Would you share some of the things about you that would surprise people?

I grew up in Milwaukee and when we were teens, we had a special style of dancing that was called drilling, which was like a form of choreographed dance that looks a lot like the moves New Edition did back in the day. People would be surprised that I grew up doing just that, dancing, drilling, and breakdancing with a Drill Team called Curiosity. The most surprising thing about that is I can still do all the same dance steps that I did back then. I just need to make sure I keep the Sports Creme or Ben-Gay close. Sometimes, age is more than a number. It's sore muscles, aching backs, etc. LOL!

People would be surprised that I know how to knit, sew, draw portraits of people, play basketball, ride a motorcycle by myself, braid designs into people's hair, and that I love to bake. I call myself a "Prissy-Tomboy" because I can put on a dress and strut in my high heels and at the same time, I can put on my tennis shoes and play just about any sport.

People would also be surprised that I own my own set of pink tools and I can fix and put just about anything together with them.

5) What are your challenges?

My biggest challenge is making my time management and planning skills work so that my day is effective without too many distractions. I am a single mom who also takes care of her parents, a house, the car, community service, PTA board meetings, church, events, musicals, basketball practices and games, track practices and meets, cook, clean, spend quality time with my son, family and friends, etc. (whew!) and still get up at 4a daily to do show prep, do social media, set up interviews, schedule music, produce, engineer, and promote my show and to do it all with a smile. :-)

6) How do you connect with listeners?

I connect with my listeners through Facebook, Twitter, live call-ins and when I am out in the community. I'm known for my smile and laugh, and I love to share that with those who listen to me every day. It helps them feel comfortable enough to come give me a hug, ask for prayer or just see me as a part of their family.

7) Did you ever think about going into any other professions?

I always loved school and have always thought about becoming a professor. I also, wanted to become a computer graphic artist and a WNBA All-Star basketball player. Okay, maybe that is extreme, but the other two are true. LOL! Who knows, in my next life, I might even become a sportscaster since I love talking about sports.

8) Who have been your mentors?

My mentors were Walt Baby Love, AJ Jones, Greg Jordan, Lamont Carlis and you, Sam, I remember the first time I met you at the Black Expo in Kansas City and told you I wanted to work for your stations and wanted to know what you thought of my aircheck.

9) How does a typical work day go for you?

A typical day for me starts early, and ends late and everything in between sometimes become a blur. LOL! But if you really want to know, I start with prayer (Lord knows I need to pray to get my day started) and then I start checking for updated breaking news stories, check social media and interact with my listeners, I prepare for my morning show, "The Debbie Dee Morning Show," I schedule music, have music meetings, production and then breathe for two seconds before I continue my day as a mom, daughter, homeowner, and just keeping things going to make it to the next day to start all over again.

10) What you love more than anything else?

I love being a mom more than anything else.