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In 2018, Brian Wilson was asked if he wanted to fill-in on mornings on Cumulus Nashville news/talk station SuperTalk 99.7 WTN. More than six years later, he’s set to retire from the station.
Last week, Wilson revealed he would host his final regularly-scheduled show on the heritage news/talk brand on Christmas Eve. And he’s been blown away by the reaction from the audience.
“I couldn’t believe it,” he admitted. “Thousands of comments on social media. I’ve tried to read every one of them and respond in some way to them, to let them know what it meant. But I mean, you do your job every day, you’re speaking words, and they just kind of evaporate into the atmosphere. And you wonder, are you really having any impact on people’s lives? Do people really care about what you’re doing?
“Well, if I had any doubts about that, I was disabused of the notion, because I’m telling you, the reaction has been sweet and affectionate and just I’ve been very touched by the thousands of people who took them the time out of their busy lives to write me a note,” he continued. “Sometimes it was several paragraphs … there were many, many, many people who wrote very thoughtful things that just touched me deeply. It really did. And I was quite surprised by it.”
Wilson, 69, thought he had reached the end of his broadcast career in 2018 when he departed WMAL in Washington D.C., a sister station to SuperTalk 99.7 WTN. But when an opportunity came head to Music City for a brief stint hosting mornings, he never could have imagined it would turn into a job he would hold for six years.
Working with a producer like Chris Weber and a news anchor like Ken Weaver drew Wilson — a professed music lover and guitar player — even more toward the Tennessee capital.
“It was such a professional operation that when they said, ‘Well, would you like to would you like to sign on and continue doing this?’ I said, yeah. So I did,” said Wilson. “I did a three year stint, and then we renewed for two more.”
Before signing an extension, however, he shared with the company that he was likely going to be done with his news/talk radio journey at the conclusion of the new deal, which expires next February.
“They’ve known, really for three years, that when this election cycle was over that I would step away. Honestly, for conservative talk radio, this election could not have turned out any better. And I just think it’s the right time to contemplate once again what semi-retirement is going to be like and and sort of step back a little bit.”
He did note that had Kamala Harris, and not Donald Trump, won the 2024 presidential election, he still would be readying to step away.
As the industry has seen in recent weeks, it is rare when a host gets to dictate the terms of their departure. So Brian Wilson took the opportunity to make that decision for himself, rather than the other way around. He shared that during his time in television — which included local stops in places like Washington D.C. and nationally for Fox News — he has made sure not to burn bridges on the way out the door. He believes that strategy has helped him greatly in his 50-year broadcasting career.
“At the end of the day, sometimes it’s just better to graciously exit a situation on good terms. If I had left in an ugly way at Channel 5 (in Washington D.C.), then I would never have been given the opportunity to go to Fox News Channel. And if I left at the end of my contract at WMAL, in some kind of pissy way, I would have never had the opportunity to go to WTN. So, my deal is if you’re not wanted, move on and trust that things are going to work out. And for me, amazingly, they have.”
When asked if this really was the end of the road, especially after thinking similarly in 2018 before signing on with SuperTalk 99.7 WTN, Brian Wilson admitted he can’t be 100% sure that this will be his last hurrah in the news/talk radio world.
“I would not be shocked if other if something came up that was interesting to me, like I say, I’ve never sought these things out. But it seems that when I have been available, something has always come up.”
As for what’s next for the retiring Wilson? He said he was motivated by a charity started by his sister in Amarillo, Texas that helps foster children as an idea of what he’d like to tackle after his broadcasting career is over.
“I looked at that and I thought, ‘Well, what a great way to spend your retirement by trying to do some good in the world.’ So I’m still looking for what that is for me, but it is my intention to try to give back in some way for a career that that has given me immense blessings,” Wilson shared.
“I would like to do something that on the way out the door with the good days that I have left. To do something that is positive in the world that helps people in need. I don’t know what that is yet, but that’s my real desire.”
Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing bi-weekly industry features and a weekly column. He has previously served as Program Director and Afternoon Co-Host on 93.1 The Fan in Lima, OH, and is the radio play-by-play voice of Northern Michigan University hockey. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
