Middle GA Podcasts

Almanac was a program of farm and market news each weekday at noon on WMAZ radio in Macon. On Christmas Eve 1966, host Jimmy Lee featured members of the WMAZ radio and television staff with special holiday songs and stories.
News, commercials and market news were all deleted from this program, but here are the WMAZ staff members who contributed, in order of their appearances:
The Mazy Notes (Jimmy Lee, Donnie Carl, Jimmy Vinson, Ralph Lavender)
David Reeves
Del Ward
Otis Hughes
Skip Holmes
Doris Martin
Donnie Carl
Martha Pell
Stan Carey
Bill Powell
Red Cross
Sylvia Lopez
Also appearing on this special program was the Ray Melton Orchestra: Ray Melton (bass), Bill Daniel (pedal steel guitar), John Wallace (drums), David O’Dell (trumpet), Jim Baker (saxophone), Bernard Carpenter (piano)
 
 

Benjamin Theron Sandifer, served on MTB Squadron 17 in the Philippines during World War II. On Veterans Day 2020, during the 75th anniversary year of his honorable discharge from the United States Navy, his four grandchildren tell his Veteran's story.

Middle Georgia native Gary Matheny has just released his first album, Not Looking Back. After a long career in the pharmaceutical industry, Gary started writing songs and has re-discovered his love for music in his retirement years. And one of the songs on this album is a finalist in the World Songwriting Awards. In this podcast, Gary talks about his musical start in Middle Georgia, his new album and some other musical projects.

October 3, 1960 - The Andy Griffith Show premiered on CBS television, and it has never been off the air in 60 years. On this anniversary podcast we hear from the biggest fan of the show in Macon (where the Mayberry bus always came from), cast member Betty Lynn (Thelma Lou), Allan Newsome (who runs iMayberry.com, Weavers Department Store online, Two Chairs No Waiting podcast and is a Floyd the barber tribute artist), and Abigail Linville (Director of Collections and Exhibitions at Surry Arts Council, where the Andy Griffith Museum is located).

Bobby Pope played many roles in Middle Georgia sports from the 1964 until he passed away on September 6, 2020. This special tribute podcast highlights Bobby's career as a radio and TV broadcaster, Athletic Director at Mercer and more.

On this Middle GA podcast, you'll hear a portion of "My Shield," a new single by B. Keith Williams. Keith will talk about the song, his career and some of his previously-released original music. 

Bobby Skel (Robert Skelton) had several records that charted both regionally and nationally in the mid 1960's through the early 70's. He recorded at Macon, Georgia's first recording studio, King Studios, on Mulberry Street next to the Grand Opera House. He later recorded at Master Sound in Atlanta. We conducted an oral history interview with Bobby at  the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1997. This tribute includes portions of that interview and much of Bobby's music, used by permission from the publisher. A native of Swainsboro, Georgia, Bobby passed away at his home in Granbury, Texas, on October 31, 2010, at the age of 68.

The 2nd Atlanta International Pop Festival was held at the Middle Georgia Raceway in Byron over the 4th of July weekend in 1970. More than 30 acts performed over the 3+ days and the festival drew several hundred thousand fans. 20 years ago, GMS Productions of Macon syndicated a 30th anniversary radio special about the event. That program has been updated for the 50th anniversary of the event, that has come to be known in Middle Georgia as the "Byron Pop Festival."

On November 8, 2014, former employees of WNEX radio in Macon held a reunion at the Big House Museum. As part of that reunion, we recorded a panel discussion on the radio station's relationship with Capricorn Records. All of the voices you'll hear are former Big X employees, with the exception of Capricorn Records executive Bobby Wallace. Those voices, in order, are Bill Elder, Aaron Bowers, Greg Rice, Terry Taylor, Oscar Leverette, Ben Sandifer, Bobby Wallace, Dave "King Kong" Kelly, Pete Konenkamp, Nathan Hale, Jack Bowers and Mary Mullis.

Not only was this class the last one under these historic names, but we also had several other firsts and lasts that made this class so special. Hear some of your classmates sharing their special memories. The podcast also includes excerpts from interviews with Major David Carter, Bob Barnette, Isaac Jackson's son and the widows of our two principals. Enjoy this special 50th anniversary podcast, and GO POETS!

The Middle Georgia Honor Flight program takes veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam to Washington, D.C. to see their memorials. We had the privilege of being a media representative for the September 2019 honor flight. On this podcast you'll hear from some of the heroes who were on the trip, members of the Middle Georgia Honor Flight staff, and some interesting people we met along the way. To learn more about the Middle Georgia Honor Flight program visit their website.