Gunner spent 36 years learning his craft at stations AM 1470 in Maryville TN, went on to 94.3 in Knoxville before he was discovered and moved to The Hit Kicker, 100.3. He is currently working at 107.7 WIVK, where he has been for the past 25 years as the afternoon personality.
Gunner was the 1st radio personality who went to Iraq after the IED’s scared off all the major news outlets. He lived 3 months with the 489th Special Operations in the combat zone. He worked with armed forces radio to start a station for our troupes. He got to pick the frequency, and he chose 107.7.
When Gunner returned, he came up with and executed “Voices from the Front”, a 60 minute program he initiated to allow communications (on the air) between troupes and their families while they were deployed in Iraq. For 4 years he Coordinated and hosted the program starting with the 278th Armored Calvary Regiment until they returned home. He then started the program up with the 844th Combat Engineers, the Knoxville Delta Marines and the 190th Combat Engineers (The Bomb Squad) in Afghanistan. Listeners called in after the families to thank the troupes. The program was so successful that Commanders said they were running months behind to line up the broadcasts.
Gunner has worked with charities such as St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Dream Connection, Horse Haven, 2nd Harvest Food Bank, Knoxville Area Rescue Missionary, and his favorite, Tennessee Alzheimer’s, which he helped get started 22 years ago and continues to organize all events for them. He has also done live broadcasts at schools around the East Tennessee area to surprise the “Teacher of the Month” for the past 15 years.
Gunner constantly works with the military, individually and with groups, with PTSD. He hosts the Veterans Day Parade every year in Knoxville.
Gunner has been a part of 11 CMA’s and 4 ACM’s since broadcasting. He was also a finalist for the Marconi Awards
