NORTHWEST TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) — Cedrick "Doc" Foster is set to be inducted into the National Black Radio Hall of Fame on Saturday in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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Foster said the honor is especially meaningful after years of perseverance.
"I've been nominated three times to the National Black Radio Hall of Fame. With that old saying, the third time is the charm, so I'm going in as a pioneer,” he said.
Foster began his radio career in 1973 after graduating from Alcorn State University and has been on the air for 53 years.
He has worked at 13 radio stations across Mississippi, Texas, and Tallahassee, spending 21 years at Cumulus Media.
His career has not been without challenges.
Shifting technology reshaped how he worked, including voice-tracking stations remotely.
"Technology is taking a lot of jobs, you know. I know I was voice-tracking a radio station in Mississippi, Columbus, Starksville, West Point, Tupelo area,” he said. “But I was doing the show from Tallahassee."
The National Black Radio Hall of Fame was created in 2010 to recognize the contributions of Black radio personalities who were often overlooked or not recognized with the frequency of other national programs.
Marsha Washington George, vice president of the organization, said its reach has grown significantly.
"This year we have 19 states where inductees are coming from across the country to Charlotte, North Carolina. Our impact has been to keep the history important in the community and the value of the work that the pioneers have done in their community of broadcasting,” she said.
Foster is receiving the Pioneer Award, which recognizes someone who has dedicated at least 20 years of their life to the industry.
Washington George said the recognition goes beyond what Foster has done on the air.
"It’s not only from his career as a mouth on the radio, it's for what he does for the community as well. So we look at what they do in the community from their radio stations and what they do in the community outside of their radio stations,” Washington George said.
Also being inducted posthumously at this year's ceremony is Jimmie Porter, the mentor who gave Foster his first job in radio.
Leon County Commissioner Carolyn Cummings, who convinced Foster to move to Tallahassee, said his contributions to the community extend well beyond the broadcast booth.
“I believe it enriches Tallahassee, Leon County, to have a person of the caliber of Doc Foster here as a radio personality in Tallahassee, so I'm very proud of him,” Cummings said.
Cummings said Foster has given his time and talents freely to the community, DJ'ing everything from birthday parties to banquets and other social activities — often at no charge.
Foster said he takes particular pride in earning the honor as someone who built his career in smaller markets.
"One of the things that I'm so happy about, you know, is like this – a lot of the guys and the ladies that's in that hall of fame have worked in major markets like New York, St. Louis, Chicago, LA. But it's me and just a handful of others have worked in smaller markets,” Foster said.
Foster is set to leave for the ceremony in North Carolina on Friday.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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