WS Chronicle

By Busta Brown

Can you imagine being the emcee for a James Brown concert in 1964? That was one of the hottest concert tickets in the world. To top it off, after the show you hung out with the Godfather of Soul backstage. 

“James Brown gave some of the radio personalities a pep talk that I will never forget. He said, ‘You older cats need to stop acting like blankety-blank clowns behind the microphone and go into ownership and management. Tonight, I’m worth $10 million, but I’m a miracle. You don’t find situations like mine every day, going into ownership and management.’  

“After James’ pep talk, I was inspired to go into ownership,” said Sam Tate. The legendary radio host asked James Brown a question that put a huge smile on The Godfather’s face. “I always had an interest in flying. I said, ‘James, do you mind if I go out and get on your Learjet?’ He smiled and said, go on out there. So, I did. All of the seats in this plane were taken out except two seats right behind the pilot. The two seats in the back and on the floor were nothing but bags and bags of clothes. You know, James Brown would change three times during a show. He was the ‘hardest working man in showbiz,’ with no doubt about it,” said Sam. 

During the 1960s, Tate was one of WEAL’s most popular radio personalities, and a dynamic emcee as well. When the big concerts came to the Greensboro Coliseum, Sam the Sham was there. “When the Jackson 5 came and I went backstage and just happened to go into Michael’s dressing room. He was a nice little kid and quite shy. It was hard to get him to talk. He talked right above a whisper. All of the Jackson 5 was very nice,” shared Sam. He continued, “When Otis Redding came to town, after the show I would take him to some of his favorite hangouts in Greensboro.” 

Sam Tate grew up on a farm, and that’s where his dream of becoming a radio personality began. “My real passion has always been radio broadcasting. As long as I can remember. I’ve been fascinated with microphones. They used to catch me walking around on the farm – I had it so bad I would pretend I was broadcasting with an old stick of corncob as my microphone. I grew up in church as well, and I never will forget doing an Easter program and gave my first little speech and I’ve been running my mouth ever since, man.” 

Tate was born in New York City, but at the age of three his family had moved around. After serving in the Army, Sam attended North Carolina A&T State University. “WEAL was only one mile from the campus and I would walk over there in between classes. One day I knocked on the back door. This old guy, Bob Nicholas – I’ll never forget. He came to the door. I said I’d like to maybe apply for a job. He said, we’re not hiring now.  I came back and just hung around the station – Saturdays, Sundays, weekends and everything else. A couple of the older guys sort of took me in under their wings and let me sit down behind the mic and the board. And I would sit there and do a role play, like I was doing some shows.”

Tate’s big break came at Christmas. “Nobody else wanted to work, so I was signed on first thing Christmas morning. I was on Easter Sunday as well,” said Sam. He was always there when someone took a vacation, so by the end of the summer “my boss realizes there’s only one person who can do anybody’s job around here. That little guy who hangs around the radio station all day. Somebody got fired and my boss said, ‘Get Sam ready.’ So that’s how I got into the industry.” 

In 1983, he revisited what James Brown told him in 1964 – You need to own your own station. “I actually built Blowing Rock, North Carolina’s first radio station, and the local museum did a special display of my broadcast career in the museum the entire month of June. It was quite an honor! People from Florida, Durham, Greensboro and everywhere participated,” shared a proud Sam Tate. 

The station offered him a syndication deal, but God had other plans, “The Holy Spirit had impressed upon me that God wanted me to be syndicated, but he wanted me to syndicate his Gospel.” Sam’s obedience paid off big time. His Gospel Gems Radio Show has been on for 34 years in 78 cities. The show gives his listening audience some good old classic gospel music, such as James Cleveland, Mighty Clouds of Joy, Shirley Caesar, Sam Cooke and more. For more info and how to listen, visit gospelgemsnetwork.com. 

In 2023, Sam Tate had a stroke, but it hasn’t stopped him. “I refuse to just sit down and just die.” He’s now living at Carolina Estates Retirement Living community in Greensboro, “I came here and right now am  just still recuperating.” 

As a former pilot and flight instructor, the Army veteran has been a true blessing for the residents. He’s helped them check off something special on their bucket list. They not only got to ride in a Cessna 172 airplane, but they learned how to fly it. “I took residents from 73 to 92 years old. I talked them into going out there and taking flying lessons. Then we went back the week before last. It gives them some excitement and something to look forward to. So, they’re flying, man. Now they can take it off their bucket list.” 

He also produces “Flashback Saturdays” at the residence. “I produced the show and coached the seniors on how to interview their peers. I help them get the energy out and everything.” It airs at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday mornings on 101.7 WDFC.

What’s next for Sam Tate? 

“I’m approaching 80 years old. I have some family property back home in addition to the family farm, I have about 51 acres. I want to build a Christian retreat and the theme will be to “Spend time with God.” So often we get so busy even doing the Lord’s work, we fail to get away and spend time with God. Moses, Jesus, everybody went to the mountain and got away to spend time with God. I applied for a tremendously big grant! So, there’s gonna be a retreat for churches and families and all, a retreat for veterans with PTSD. Statistics have shown that getting out there and getting your hands dirty in the gardens and fields and everything is good therapy. We’re going to buy anywhere between 100 and 150 airplanes, Cessna 172s, and teach our youth how to fly for free, man. Do something to get them off of the videos and texting and everything. Let them learn how to do something that can help them in life. I’m really excited about that. I’m going to bring Young World Radio as well.” 

With so much on his plate at nearly 80 years old, I asked what scripture gives him the endurance to keep pushing. “Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” 

My Phenomenal Person of the Week is Brother Sam Tate.