Buzz On

David Linton

Brooklyn born David Curtis Linton (the cat’s out the bag on the middle name) is an icon in urban entertainment. His experience includes radio personality and programmer, plus senior record company executive, consultant and entrepreneur. David chronicles his experience in the following:

Radio: (WSHA-Raleigh; on air/PD/GM), WDUR-Durham (on air personality), WPTF-Raleigh (hosted weekly Public Affairs program). College Administrator: I served as the Special Assistant to the Chancellor in charge of Media Development at Elizabeth City State University where I started and named WRVS-FM. A great experience from filing the FCC application, naming the station to the flipping the switch signing on what became the first Public Radio Station in Northeastern North Carolina (now 45,000 watts). Records: I started in records at Warner Bros in 1988 in Dallas (hired by Ernie Singleton & Ray Harris); I moved to Los Angeles first as the local for WB and later became National Director, Reprise Records (under Michael Johnson). When Michael left the Company was I allowed by Ray Harris to run the promotions department (only after his choices to replace Michael didn’t want to move to L.A.). I left Warner Bros to be VP Polygram Label Group which morphed into Island/Def Jam, taking with me my partner and brother Ronnie Johnson who was my national in fact he was a part of my deal. I then joined Clive Davis, Jean Riggins & Lionel Ridenour at Arista Records as VP Black Music Promotions & later joined Capitol Records as SVP R&B Promotions & Marketing, getting them started back in black music after a 7 year hiatus. Artists I worked with: Prince, Frankie Beverly, Whitney Houston, Quincy Jones, Big Daddy Kane, Take 6, Notorious BIG, P-Diddy, Toni Braxton, OutKast, The Winans, James Ingram, George Clinton, Usher, Chaka Khan, CeCe Winans, Ray Charles, Biz Markie, Faith Evans… I could go on…

My favorite person in the whole world is my wife Eleanor