photo by steed media service

Few black entertainers have enjoyed the continued success that Tom Joyner has had over the years. Whether it’s his pioneering achievements in syndicated radio or the millions of people he has befriended through his acclaimed program “The Tom Joyner Morning Show,” Joyner has proven that he’s the hardest working man in radio.

“I was the first African American in syndication and the first out the box setting the pace for all [who] come behind, opening that door for all those to come through,” he says. “It has always been a challenge and we have accepted the challenge by growing the staff to a group of people that have taken me to new levels of radio height and beyond.”

Though Joyner has seen his dreams materialize into unimagined success, he has also gone through the trial and error process in some of his entrepreneurial endeavors.

“I’m a witness. I’m doing good right now, but you’ve got to know I’ve had more failures than I’ve had successes,” admits Joyner. “It’s just that the last few successes have been really good. When you follow your passion, don’t be a fool for it; be flexible with your passion and know when it’s time to find some other passions.”

This year’s annual Tom Joyner’s Family Reunion, which took place in sunny Orlando, Fla., was once again a jubiliant celebration, underscoring Joyner’s commitment to advancement through giving back and working together.

“The basis of any good community is family and we believe in that,” he says. “We believe in super serving the African American community.” - jason thompson

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