2014 Legacy Inductee
Dickie Shannon
1946 - 2007
Bob Plymale was born on July 11, 1946 in Quitman, Georgia. He always said that one of his high school teachers inspired him to pursue radio as a career; taught her students to enunciate words and use proper English. He landed his first job at WTIF in Tifton, despite having no experience. He started on the air the same day he was hired. After only a few minutes of instruction and fifteen minutes of dead air, he began a forty year career in radio. After a year he accepted a job at a station in Valdosta, changed his name to Dickie Shannon, and attended Valdosta State.
In 1974 he applied for a job at WBBQ in Augusta. After hearing his audition tape, GRHoF Career Achievement inductee and WBBQ program Director Harley Drew asked Shannon to come to Augusta for an interview. He boarded a Greyhound to Augusta with $5.00 in his pocket and landed the job. He started at WBBQ the same day 2013 Career Achievement inductee Bruce Stevens; ironically, they were both fired the same day in 1999 by new owners who thought the two were overpaid. Shannon joined Beasley Broadcasting as program director and air talent on WGOR; his tenure there after five years.
Dickie lent his popularity and notoriety on WBBQ to many charitable organizations and causes in the CSRA (Central Savannah River Area). He led a drive to collect food and clothes for the victims of Hurricane Hugo; played a key role in the establishment of the annual Aiken Lobster Race to benefit developmentally challenged children, participated in the annual Alzheimer’s Memory Walk, and many other worthwhile community events. After a brief illness, Dickie Shannon passed away in 2007.
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