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Popular DJ and King of Memphis Radio, Bobby O'Jay, recently passed away on May 3 at 68. The cause of death has not been revealed until now.
The news was confirmed by radio host Bev Johnson, who said that O'Jay was at work when he passed away. O'Jay's niece Wanda Thomas noted that his family is in shock. She stated,
"We're doing as well as can be expected. We just listened to him this morning, you know, and he sounded like the picture of health. It's a process."
Wanda also said,
"He was our 'I want to be just like him when I get grown.' He was our celebrity. Our chain has definitely been broken. My fond memories is what's going to keep us, gets us through this time."
Bobby O'Jay was a hero to many in the community
Bobby's real name was Joe Louis Jones. He made his career debut in 1972 in Montgomery, Alabama, and got his dream job in February 1983. He attracted millions of listeners by speaking about his personal life and topics close to his heart.
O'Jay was nominated for the National Radio Hall of Fame. He spent almost four decades on America's first black radio station, WDIA, and was one of the most famous voices on the radio in Memphis.
Bobby's career on the radio allowed him to interview some famous personalities like Muhammad Ali, Whitney Houston, Rufus Thomas, Johnny Cochran, and others.
He helped WDIA get inducted into the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame in 2015. WDIA was America's first radio station programmed only by African Americans. It also empowered a major portion of the population that remained unrecognized until the late 1940s.
WDIA became famous when its first radio program, Tan Town Jamboree, became popular among listeners. The show was hosted by A.C. Williams, the station's first full-time African employee, in 1949.
Netizens pay tribute on Twitter
Bobby O'Jay became a familiar name among people because of his radio shows. Twitter was flooded with tributes when people heard about his death:
O'Jay was one of nine siblings and further details about his personal life are yet to be revealed.
