Departing WLNK

We wanted to take a moment to thank you, our Charlotte area listeners, for what has truly been an amazing, life-changing, glorious run. I never dreamed, back in February 1992, that our show would still be going in 2021. Heck, I didn’t expect to last 6 months in the business. It was a lark before grad school, a lark that turned into a life. When I walked into the studio for my very first day as Bob’s partner, I had no idea what was to come, and no expectations beyond the certainty that I’d be fired within months, if not weeks. All I thought was, what an adventure! I may have been clueless about radio, but I did get that part right: it has been an adventure, every step of the way.

Thanks to you, I’ve had the first stable home of my whole life. Thanks to you, my kids have been able to grow up in one place, to have roots and traditions and a sense of belonging. Thanks to you I’ve gotten to hear the most amazing stories, hug a million babies, and laugh to the point of tears. I was little more than a traumatized kid with a Philly-size attitude and enough relentless ambition to scare a monster when I first turned on my mic. But you made me see the world in a different way. You shared your lives with us, your secrets. You let us see your private struggles, you let us laugh with you and sometimes cry with you and through that, you showed us that it was okay to be just a person who’s been through some stuff. The word for that is grace – and grace is what you have given all of us at Bob & Sheri. I asked Max, who has been with us since the beginning and refused to spy on us even when the weaselly middle manager du jour demanded he do so (which may sound so nuts but is absolutely true) if he could share how he feels about all of this. Here’s what he said:

“There is no question that the best part of my radio career has been working with the Bob & Sheri show. I’d had a half dozen full time radio jobs before joining Bob and Sheri, some good and some not so good.  Almost immediately I felt a part of something special as they treated the audience respectfully while putting on an entertaining radio show. (Not something common in our business.)  I cannot begin to tell you how many of you have reached out to tell us that listening to our show helped you through difficult times, and you allowing us to do this show has helped us through our difficult times as well.  Words cannot express the level of our gratitude for you here in Charlotte, and we are still doing the show for you!”

We had some wild times, didn’t we? What we were able to as a show is so insane and unlikely that even we have the decency for feel sorry for some of the people who’ve about lost their minds trying to manage us. How did we pull it off? We had you. It’s no BS when I say that ours is the most listener-focused show in radio. No matter what we were told to do – or not do – we always defaulted to what we thought best served you. We didn’t always succeed – the suits did manage to kill one of our favorite features, the Chatroom – but we put up some pretty legendary fights. Our last great battle campaign began in 2015 and ended with us taking the show independent in 2017. If not for that, we’d suffer the same fate as far too many of our radio colleagues and friends: we’d be marched out of the building carrying our stuff in a cardboard box. Game over.

My friend and brother and radio partner in crime, Bob Lacey (who refuses to admit that we hatched the plan for this unbelievable career when we met in the Baby Souls Waiting Room) has this to say:

“1079 The Link is in the same building that houses WBTV and WBT radio. I have worked for all three stations over the years. The building is on top of a hill on West Morehead Street, just up from Pinky’s Restaurant and Panther Stadium. I went to work there the day I turned 22 and have been on the air with all three stations. I have spent more time in that building than any other place in the world. I learned to interview people there, how to write copy for TV shows, and most importantly how to develop as a radio performer with Sheri. In a life filled with excitement and occasional crushing sadness, the building has been the most stable thing I ever knew. You have not experienced pain like the pain of burying a child. I took two weeks off, and went back to the building, walked into the studio, and began talking again with Sheri Lynch. My wife Mary, Sheri, and that building saved me.

Yes, I’ve interviewed a lot of stars there. Dan Rather to Madonna to Maroon Five.
But what I really loved was talking with listeners and Sheri and Max and Todd. I found the lives of non-show biz people way more entertaining. They built my career. On PM Magazine
Moira Quinn and I had a 56 share of the audience, which meant over half of the TV audience was watching us five nights a week. Produced in the building. Google PM and I think some of the shows are still up. They look so slow!

I got my stuff from the building the other day and will never be back in there again. I’m ok.
I’ve got a great wife, family, partner and friends, plus I’ve got those of you who have supported me over the years. I think we are taking most of you with us. I deeply thank you.

To the building I’ll quote a lovely song lyric my friend Rockin’ Ray used to play. “Just say so long, so long darling, because lovers never say goodbye.”

We are blessed and fortunate because the Bob & Sheri show goes on. What originated in Charlotte is now heard in 70 US markets and around the world on Armed Forces Radio. You made that possible. But here’s the thing: we’re not going anywhere. You’re our people. You’re stuck with us. And whether you hear our show on the radio or a digital stream or via podcast, it’s still the same show that you helped create. So, goodbye and good luck to our first and now former station – and we really do mean that. And Charlotte? We’ll be seeing you every single day – because this is home and always will be.

Ashleigh Fiorino