Ms. Kay is also well known for being host of the popular radio talk show “What’s the 411? with Sharon Kay”, in its 17th year.
Additionally, Sharon is the General Manager of JAZZY 88 WFSK at historic Fisk University. She was sought out in late 2005 to fill a major role for the institution, making her the first female to serve in that capacity in the station’s history. WFSK (formerly WRFN) signed on the air in 1973. The station is among the oldest HBCU's licensed stations in the nation.
In 2009, she was named the cities (Nashville’s) Best Radio Station General Manager at the 13th Annual Achievement in Radio Awards, making her the first African American to receive the award.
Ms. Kay’s syndicated program “What’s the 411” has been a part of the African American Public Radio Consortium (AAPRC) satellite programming options available to public, community & HBCU stations.
Sharon has been a media professional now for 40-years with stints in radio, television, newspaper, and web-based services. She began her radio career on AM1250 WREN Radio in Topeka, Kansas in the late 1970’s, where Sharon broke color and gender barriers while at that station.
Since moving to the Nashville market in the mid-1980's she has served as a news anchor & talk show host for WLACAM-1510 Radio, and at 92Q Cumulus Media, as well as a weekend associate producer at WSMV TV, and writer and photographer for several newspaper groups.
She has served on and chaired numerous local, national & international boards, volunteered with dozens of organizations over her media career and has a long history of being a community advocate. Sharon is currently a board member of Students Taking at Right Stand S.T.A.N.D., Borderless Arts and a member of the TN. Radio Hall of Fame and the National Association of Black Journalists. (NABJ).
Sharon has three-grown children, 11-grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
(an extended version of this bio is available up request)
What's the 411? with Sharon Kay Show Producer The X-Man
Known to many as a radio personality, program director, minister, mentor, father and husband, Xuam (pronounced ex-umm) Lawson schedules guests and is the show's engineer.
Listeners are familiar with his role as the side kick on What’s the 411? with Sharon Kay.
“We have good on-air chemistry, even though we’re in two different generations, said Kay. He loves talk shows and seeking knowledge so naturally we could talk, and talk they did. As co-workers at 92Q, Kay noticed that she and Lawson we would end up (as a volunteer for the station) being at many of the same community or promotional activities talking about the issues in the community and how to fix them.