DJ/On-Air Staff
Robynn Jaymes
Robynn is on the air with Brett Sharp 6 to 10 each weekday morning. They have been on the air together 6 years now.
This storied radio career began in college, at Liberty University, where Robynn was studying Television performance and production. The University started a campus radio station and Robynn credits (or faults) a young college student by the name of Dana Roberts for getting her started on the air. During her first air shift on the campus radio station, WLBU (which only broadcasted to two other buildings on the entire campus), the record quit playing, Robynn turned on the microphone, and then sat there and stared at it. Fortunately, Dana intervened, started the next record and a career was born. It is difficult to believe now, that Robynn Jaymes could EVER be at a loss for words!
By her senior year of college Robynn had joined one of Lynchburg’s country radio stations as a part-time announcer working weekends. Following her graduation from L.U. she joined the air staff full time on the overnights. Over the next 17 years Robynn moved up through air shifts and the management ranks, becoming Music Director in 87, Assistant Program Director in 1990 and, eventually, Program Director of the station in 1993.
Then came the Awards!
Robynn won Gavin Music Director of the Year back to back in 1994 and 1995, and Gavin Program Director of the Year in 2000. (Gavin Magazine)
She won Billboard Magazine honors for Air Personality of the Year in 1995, Program Director of the Year in 1996 and Radio Station of the Year honors also in 1996.
Locally, she has received Air personality awards from both The Roanoker and The Burg magazines, voted on by the local readers of those publications.
Robynn has served on a number of committees in Nashville throughout her career including the Board of Directors for the Country Radio Broadcasters and the Academy Of Country Music.
In August of 1994, Robynn lost her father to an on-going battle with cancer.(There is a book titled "Songs That Changed Our Lives" by Bruce Burch that includes the story of Robynn and her father.) It was a life-changing event that motivated Robynn to become an advocate for the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. during the 1990's.
In 2002 she had her own breast cancer scare and began a new phase in communitry service, concentrating and devoting her spare time to the American Cancer Society. She is currently serving as the President of the Roanoke Valley's American Cancer Society Leadership Committee and is a fierce advocate in the fight against cancer.
In 2007 Robynn was recognized by the American Cancer Society as "Local Communicator of The Year" for speaking out to the community about early detection and getting timely check ups. In 2008, Robynn was surprised to learn that she had won "Regional Communicator Of The Year", an award that was presented to her at the South Atlantic Division offices of A.C.S. in Atlanta, GA.
The timing of this award came on the heels of her mother, affectionately known as "Mama Jaymes", being diagnosed with lung cancer in April of 2008. Robynn tackled this battle with her mother just like they do everything else, with their faith.
Mama Jaymes is still battling cancer and Robynn is still speaking out at every opportunity she can to encourage all those affected by cancer to Celebrate, Remember and Fight Back.
THE TWO-MINUTE DRILL!!
Where are you from? Born in Cincinnati, Ohio
Family? Mama Jaymes, (she rocks the free world!) 2 big brothers still in Cincy,a sister, in Jacksonville, Florida, 5 terrific nieces and nephews scattered up and down the East coast, and 7 precious great-nieces and nephews! And remaining alive in my heart, my dad, Bob, who was my cheerleader and a wonderful father that loved me.
Animals: 1 cat, Danoso. It's his house, he just let me stay there.
Best moment in your career so far? There are so many. Doing a show introduction for the living legend George Jones at the Salem Civic Center was pretty awesome. Interviewing Waylon Jennings in the studio is right up there too. There was the time when the Star Country listeners came together days after 9/11 to create the "Dylan Fund", donating $118,000 to the American Red Cross and sent a little man to the Kenny Chesney concert. The response was overwhelming and humbling and shows what a community can do when they when they come together. http://www.roanoke.com/roatimes/news/story117978.html
And I would have to say the response by the Star Country listeners to our "Cure Kids Cancer" on air marathon each year. The heart and soul of Star Country is the hearts of our listeners. Thank you for that.
Best part of your job? Knowing that everyday I come in to work, I am going to laugh. Whether it's at Brett with Brett, or at myself even, something is going to happen to cause me to laugh.
Best advice anyone has ever given you? This is pretty cool. A friend once said, "when you get to the end of your life and you look back on it, what was your contribution to life? What did you do that mattered?" It's a huge measure to live up to and I don't always do a good job of it, but I keep trying each day to somehow make a difference.
Name five songs that would best describe you? 1. "This One's For The Girls" (Martina McBride) 2. "The River"(Garth Brooks) 3."Lesson's Learned" (Carrie Underwood) 4."I'm No Stranger To The Rain (Keith Whitley) 5. "Who I Am" (..."Lillie Maye's granddaugher", Jessica Andrews)
If you could do any of it over again, change anything, would you? I'd probably learn to live in the moment more. We spend so much time making goals and planning for the future, we, I, forget to enjoy the ride.
