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An Atlanta-based radio personality named Cadillac Jack passed away recently. Details about his demise remain undisclosed at the time of writing. According to the AJC Radio & TV Talk blog, he previously suffered a heart attack in February 2017 and underwent surgery.
Jack, whose real name was William Choate, was not only a radio personality but also a television presenter, a podcast producer and host, and a freelance journalist, as per his LinkedIn bio.
In the wake of his death, tributes began pouring in on social media platforms such as Facebook on April 21, 2025.
A user named Nikki Heard shared a picture of Cadillac and wrote in the caption that she and her kids "grew up listening" to Jack, and he was her “favorite radio personality.”
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“An Atlanta Legend has passed away. My heart breaks for Donna and their 3 kids… He will be greatly missed by everyone he ever touched through the radio waves. Please keep his entire family in your prayers,” Nikki wrote.
Similarly, on-air guest host Corey Dylan uploaded a photo of herself with Cadillac Jack and called him her “friend” and “former co-host.”
“We recently reconnected and had a long, fun conversation that I’ll remember fondly. Please keep Cadillac Jack’s 3 kids in your prayers,” Corey wrote.
She also urged people to “reach out to someone” if they are “struggling” with “mental health.”
More about Cadillac Jack as the community mourns his death
Cadillac Jack worked in both radio and TV as a journalist, host, presenter, and producer. He was based in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area but had his roots in Hickory, North Carolina.
He was fondly called Caddy by friends, family, and fans.
Cadillac, aka William Choate, studied at Western Carolina University and had experience in the fields of sales, marketing, advertising, and writing.
He had led nearly 500 episodes of the podcast Cadillac Jack: My Second Act, under the banner of Appen Media Group since January 2020.
Before that, Jack was employed by Cumulus Media for 25 years and served as the Kicks 101.5 morning show host on the radio since 2006.
Choate worked as a freelance assistant manager for Jack In Your Box Productions from August 2021 to 2024.
However, his most famous gig was being the afternoon drive radio host for The Bear 92.5 since November 2021, which was part of the Georgia Radio Alliance.
Cadillac Jack also hosted on-air shows at Owensboro, Kentucky, and Houston, Texas. He wrote a book titled Monkey’s Fly.
Caddy was married to his The Bear 92.5 co-host Donna Kaye Choate, who also had over 25 years of radio sales experience and produced 375 podcasts. The couple had three children.
In April 2023, Cadillac told Country Insider that their goal was to create “the most local syndicated show ever,” while Donna shared i.
He was both “funny and real” as they were facing the same challenges as their listeners, such as “raising a family” and “juggling life and work.” She also mentioned being “excited and grateful” for the new chapter.
Cadillac Jack was in the news in August 2024 after settling his four-year-old lawsuit against his former employer, Cumulus Media, with the help of a mediator.
He sued the country music radio station twice in January and October 2020 for abruptly firing him. Other accusations included gender discrimination, contract breach, and interference with business decisions, among others.
Tributes continue pouring in for Cadillac Jack
In the aftermath of Cadillac Jack’s passing, tributes continued to pour in. On-air personality Dustin Fordham took to Facebook and shared a carousel of images honoring the deceased.
Dustin called Cadillac his “friend” and praised his contribution in teaching the next generation how to be a “better on-air talent.”
Fordham shared how Jack loved his family and was there with him when his son Nathan was born.
“I’m heartbroken for several reasons right now over this, but most of all, I just hate to hear anyone lost their battle to any kind of illness. The craziness is over, rest in peace, my friend!” he concluded.
Social media marketing manager Jennifer Peiser White took to Facebook and called the “unexpected news” of Cadillac Jack’s demise “gut-wrenching.”
She shared how her daughter loved the late radio personality, who made her dreams come true on her 9th birthday by meeting her in person.
“There aren’t enough words to express the way we are feeling after hearing the news today. I haven’t broken the news to LG yet, and not sure I am. I am not ready to have that conversation. Please keep Caddy’s family in your prayers,” she wrote.
The post came with a series of pictures and videos featuring Cadillac Jack. He is survived by his wife Donna and their three kids.
