“The Fly Jock,” Tom Joyner, Retiring at End of 2019

Radio heavyweight Tom Joyner is hanging up his mic.

In 2017, the then 67-year-old recently shared the news on his morning show that he plans to retire in 2019, according to AJC.

Stars recognize the accomplished career of “The Fly Jock,” Tom Joyner:

In 2017, Tom Joyner told listeners “We will continue to be reachable, relevant and ready to super serve our audience in true Tom Joyner Morning Show fashion. The celebration will be epic as we remember the guests, the laughs, the tears, the bits, the unforgettable moments we’ve shared together … and, of course, we’ll be making new memories along the way.”

He then added, “When we go off the air each morning, I never say goodbye…and I’m not saying it now! Here’s to much more good radio!”

The respect Joyner’s peers have for him is unmatched, with The Daily Show correspondent and Kiss 104.1 afternoon host, Roy Wood Jr. sharing on his own show, “To call him only a radio DJ is a disservice. Radio has only amplified his mouthpiece and mission to encourage and uplift the black race. He doesn’t spin records and chase a paycheck. He figured out a way to use his platform to help people and save lives.”

“In this world of fake news, I hope it’s a lie,” Wood added. “Jay-Z said he was going to quit three albums ago!”

Joyner has been hosting The Tom Joyner Morning Show since 1994, facing off with radio rivals such as Rickey Smiley, Russ Parr and Steve Harvey over that time. In 1998, he became the first African-American to be inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.

Radio host and personality, Rickey Smiley, is slated to take Tom’s air slot in January 2020.