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Former WBGO Host Walter Wade Calls Rhonda Hamilton a "Jazz Angel"

Rhonda Hamilton
WBGO

Walter Wade worked for WBGO for more than 20 years, several of them as host of the popular Filet of Soul program.

Wade remembers listening to his eventual radio colleague Rhonda Hamilton early in her career when she hosted an evening program on Jazz 88 called Ancestral Streams.

"I was like a nightly listener because at that point in time she was on at night.  Alot of that stuff (she played) was breakthrough for radio.  It was the perfect night-time show and it was the perfect voice for such a show.  Rhonda's voice is great anytime around the clock.  She was the first person I met when I came down to the station."

Walter Wade
Credit Enid Farber for WBGO
Walter Wade worked with Rhonda Hamilton at WBGO for more than 20 years

Wade, who is from Newark, sat down recently with WBGO's News Director Doug Doyle to talk about his legendary friend.  Rhonda Hamilton is moving to California and will be hosting her final show on WBGO Wednesday, July 31.

"In my mind Rhonda is one of the nicest people you'll ever met, let alone one of the nicest people on the air.  I like to call her "Jazz Angel" because she's always in a positive mood.  And it just comes across in her delivery on air.  Her voice is very melodious and inviting and it's perfect to capture the audience."

Click above to hear the entire interview with Walter Wade.

Doug Doyle has been News Director at WBGO since 1998 and has taken his department to new heights in coverage and recognition. Doug and his staff have received more than 250 awards from organizations like PRNDI (now PMJA), AP, New York Association of Black Journalists, Garden State Association of Black Journalists and the New Jersey Society of Professional Journalists.