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Tom Joyner made it official and introduced Rickey Smiley as his successor, as he prepares to retire as host of The Tom Joyner Morning Show at the end of the year, closing out a successful 25-year run. At the same time Smiley also announced that Eva Marcille and Gary Wit Da Tea would be among the cast members joining him to broadcast out of his Dallas studios beginning January 2, 2020.

Joyner reflected on his accomplishments and the future, commenting, “I’m happy to see the landscape of Urban AC morning radio continue to expand with Rickey, and I’m proud of the doors the Tom Joyner Morning Show opened. Twenty-five years ago, there was no template for a syndicated Urban radio show and we worked hard to prove that we could successfully produce and market a national platform that would entertain, inform and empower African-American listeners. We broke some ground, raised the bar for what audiences expected from Black radio all while partying with a purpose. Yeah, we’ve done a lot — but there’s still a lot left to be done. I’m confident that Rickey’s activism, along with his love for radio, the community, and HBCUs, will pick up where we left off.”

Smiley said, “It’s an honor to continue the legacy of my boss and frat brother Tom Joyner. Not only has he been a friend to my family and me over the years, but we consider him family. Tom’s mentorship has instilled in me valuable wisdom that I will carry with me through this new morning show.”

David Kantor, CEO of Reach Media and Radio One, commented, “Tom changed the entire Urban radio marketplace. He entertained and educated multiple generations of listeners over the last 25 years. While there is and will always be only one Tom Joyner, we are excited that Rickey will be moving to Urban AC in January. Like Tom, Rickey’s talent, community consciousness and commitment to his audience will serve his listeners well.”

Reach Media’s other current morning Urban AC program, The Russ Parr Morning Show, will also continue in syndication into 2020.