Atlantic City Weekly

Share this Story:

On Wednesday, April 28, the Alternative Soul Breakfast Club radio show that I host Sunday mornings on WTTH FM 96.1 - The Touch will celebrate the start of its fourth year with a listener-appreciation event called After Dark at the House of Blues’ Foundation Room. Co-hosts, sponsors and show guests will be on hand to celebrate from 7-10pm. Admission is free, but guests are asked to bring a canned-good donation for the Community FoodBank of New Jersey.

The cliché goes “time flies when you’re having fun,” and as the producer and host of the Alternative Soul Breakfast Club, time has taken me on an incredible ride. I can hardly believe that it’s going on four years since I started to build something special at the 7am hour every Sunday on The Touch.

While being a lot of fun, I have also worked very hard to use radio to reach out to my community and fill some gaps that no other radio or TV stations are filling. I have tried to build a home for diverse music. I’ve had the honor of breaking brand new music by Barbara Sheree, who went on to sing with Patti LaBelle on NBC and to open for Keith Sweat. Currently Sheree can be found on the Billboard dance charts with Beyoncé and Janet Jackson. I’ve had local R&B group 120 drop by and break two singles before they performed on BET’s 106th and Park. There are several other performers, too, like spoken-word artist Michelle Moseley and rapper Illogik, who are close to their time in the national spotlight, but are also pioneers in local entertainment. I promise you’ll hear more from them.

Along with the local and up-and-coming, the Breakfast Club has brought some of the most well-known voices of American culture to the airwaves of Atlantic City. Listeners have heard my conversations with Zane, the New York Times best-selling author and producer of Cinemax’s hit show The Sex Chronicles. I’ve discussed entertainment from Pleasantville to Hollywood with Rodney Jerkins. I’ve talked success, politics and brotherhood with Tom Smothers. I’ve even talked Motown, yesterday, today and forever with Otis Williams of the Temptations and William “Smokey” Robinson.

My conversations with Robinson, Williams and Smothers individually were all life changing for me because of what I learned about entertainment. However, some of the moments that have made me the most proud are the stories that I hope are appreciated by the community-at-large. Annually I bring on Atlantic City health department director Ron Cash to discuss issues like men’s health and AIDS prevention via TV and radio. When President Barack Obama was elected I brought together a panel that included former A.C. councilwoman Barbara Hudgins. I also interviewed Pleasantville Mayor Jesse Tweedle, who was elected the same night as Obama. Coming soon will be the student council members of Atlantic City High School East Campus.

The Breakfast Club has also co-sponsored several concerts on the Boardwalk and open mikes, workshops and panel discussions throughout southern New Jersey. No other media outlet reaches out at all to the African-American community here at the Jersey Shore.

The past three years on radio have been wonderful because of great guests, loyal sponsors, and great listeners. On April 28 I hope to see you all (or those who are age 21 and over) at the Foundation Room at the House of Blues. The event will feature several artists who have had music featured on the Breakfast Club including singer/songwriters Barbara Sheree, and Melvin McKnight. Indie filmmaker Mike Dennis will bring footage from his film Last Night At The Five Spot (which features exclusive live performances by Floetry, Kindred and Jaguar Wright). We also will recognize 120 who represented Atlantic City with their national appearance on 106th and Park, which was seen by over 17 million people. Remember, admission is free, but please bring a canned food donation for the local Food Bank, and please dress to impress.

Raymond Tyler hosts the Alternative Soul Sunday Breakfast Club radio show each Sunday from 7–8am on 96.1FM WTTH - The Touch.