Macon Magazine

June/July 2024 | maconmagazine.com 79 RIGHT Ellis and "Big George" Threatt. BELOW Ellis with boxer Sugar Ray Leonard in the 80s. Photos courtesy of Ellis. MAMA ABOUT TOWN L ove for radio began in her hometown of Detroit, says Shirley "Mama Mia" Ellis, as a young girl fueled by local celebrity DJs that included BET's legendary show host Donnie "The Love Bug" Simpson. "I couldn't wait to go home after school and listen to the radio. I just loved it," said Ellis enthusiastically when asked how she and radio got together. Her childhood decision to become a DJ came true, and since then, Ellis has become one of the most trusted, revered, and respected voices of the local airwaves since arriving in Macon in 1982, and it wouldn't be long before she was inducted into the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame and National Black Radio Hall of Fame. " LY N N L O V E " A N D " S I S T E R E L L I S " Ellis coupled working in TV with working in radio as an R&B air personality. WMAZ TV was her rst Macon telecommunications gig. Hired as a camera operator, she also became a sales assistant and copy writer. Shortly thereafter, she met WIBB AM general manager "Big George" Threatt. He hired her on the spot with a next-day start date. "I'll always give credit to him for giving me a chance. He said he hired me because of my personality and attitude. I was blessed because of him," she said. Little did Threatt know how much he was also blessing the community with that hire, said a couple of her former co-workers. One of those coworkers is AJ The DJ, who gave Ellis her rst o cial on-air name – Lynn Love. According to Ellis, he combined her middle name, Lynn, with how she struck him, as a caring and loving person. She was smitten with the opportunity to join the sta and beams with joy when recalling her time working with AJ along with Threatt, "King Juan," and the late Bobby Clark, to name a few. When lling in at WIBB for one of her favorite people, Bernice "Queen Bee" Cotton, Ellis became "Sister Ellis" and displayed great skills as a gospel show host, shared Cotton. Their work friendship evolved into a deeply personal one, and today they remain good friends. "Mama Mia is a force. I really admire her. She always put a smile on my face and really made a favorable impression on me. She's bigger than radio and the airwaves," Cotton said. C O L L E G E R A D I O Ellis also spent years at Fort Valley State University as the school's TV/radio station manager. She was initially hired to run the new campus TV station. Surprised that the campus didn't have a college radio station, she began to work tirelessly to create WFVS- 96.9, which continues broadcasting today. Both stations made marks that still stand to this spirit. The powerful platform gave her a chance to put her gift as an evangelist into practice. By simply playing the right song at the right time and combining words of encouragement and advice for a good life, Cotton made a di erence. She believes gospel and radio were tailormade for each other and shows like hers helped to carry many a weary soul through the day. "Gospel music will stand when nothing or no one else will. There's a message in every song. It has especially been a source of hope of Black people throughout history. That music is how we got over." These days Cotton stays busy as a youth mentor and community minister. Instead of the airwaves, she now broadcasts the "good news" in person to young people and others that need a helping hand with navigating life's ups and downs. "Love is the key. We should always treat others like we want to be treated," Cotton suggests. "I just want to leave a positive legacy for my children and grandchildren." In addition, Cotton credits her hometown place of worship, Smith Grove Baptist Church, in Sandersville as her musical and spiritual foundation – and her husband and family as a source of support. When asked if gospel and radio are here to stay, she noted, "Those two are here to stay. Through the gospel songs is victory because the songs are sung unto The Lord."

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