For most of our alumni, today's guest needs no introduction. He's a WJPZ Hall of Famer, he's the VP of Urban Programming for SiriusXM, and he's got as charismatic an individual as you'll find in our group. From the Class of 1995, we welcome Neon Dion Summers.
Dion talks about finding WJPZ on a high school visit and watching BB Good in the studio. That made the decision to go to Syracuse easy. At SU's Summer Institute Program, he quickly befriended Damian "Governor D" Redman and others, all chomping at the bit to join WJPZ as soon as recruitment opened. Dion's talent and passion quickly got him past overnights, and eventually cleared to do the "Top 8 at 9" as a freshman. His desire to teach and pay it forward landed him on the executive staff, becoming Chief Announcer, and, by his junior year, VP of Programming. As a kid obsessed with radio, Dion mentions "finding his tribe" a number of times in this interview.
We deal with a tough topic in this episode, or as Dion calls it, "the black elephant in the room." He was a Black man, adding more hip hop and R&B to the playlist. This was at a time, 30 years ago, where black music was crossing over into the mainstream like never before. But when Dion added these titles, he got some pushback. Was it merely a philosophical disagreement over the musical direction of the station, or was it something more? For the first time at the station, he didn't just feel like a member of the staff. He felt like a black member of the staff. And while Dion is quick to point out the support he had from fellow black staffers and other allies, it hurt. But rather than throw his hands up and walk away, he pushed through, learning valuable lessons about tough conversations he still uses today. This is a perspective we haven't heard yet in the podcast. And in an effort to cover the entire 50 year history of the WJPZ, we appreciate him sharing this. Going forward, the alumni association is going to prioritize diversity. You'll hear more about it at this year's Banquet.
After the break, Dion talks about his career after graduation. He got a gig at his hometown radio station, Q92 in Baltimore - thanks to his demo tape from WJPZ, and a connection by classmate Melanie Kushnir.
Following Baltimore, he spent 3 1/2 years in Miami - who wouldn't want to move to a spot on South Beach at the age of 30? But by the mid-2000's, it was apparent that terrestrial radio was changing. Then-ClearChannel was removing the autonomy of its program directors. Dion wanted a change, and heard about XM radio, still in its early years. But it believed in empowering its programmers. It was music to this PD's ears, and he took a leap. He's been there for 17 years, now overseeing all of SiriusXM's urban programming.
Throughout today's episode, Dion talks about the power of radio- the power to influence culture, and touch the lives of both listeners and artists. And for him, it all traces back to WJPZ. He's quick to shout out his mentors - folks like Kendall B, Rocket Ross, and Dave Gorab (who he now works with at SiriusXM regularly). But we also spend a fair amount of time on those Dion has mentored - especially Mina Llona from the Class of 2008. She was effusive of her praise for Dion in her episode of this podcast, so we get to hear the other side. Dion heard then-student Mina doing a break one alumni weekend, and immediately knew he had to connect with her. Yes, they were both people of color, but they shared the same passion, programming philosophy, and more. They soon developed a great friendship and Dion was eventually able to hire her.
We wrap up with some funny stories - Dion's reaction to getting the CD single of Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You," for example. And did you know that Dion was on a short-lived UUTV sitcom with Steve Donovan and Jen Nycz? He explains.
Join Us in Syracuse for Banquet on March 4th: https://bit.ly/WJPZ50BanquetTickets
The WJPZ at 50 Podcast is produced by Jon Gay '02 and JAG in Detroit Podcasts
Want to be on the show? Email JAG at jag@jagpodcastproductions.com
Connect with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/
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