For over 35 years Walt 'Baby' Love has continued to bring his own unique blend of Christian faith, inspirational personal experiences and motivation to millions of listeners each week. He currently hosts four uplifting radio programs – The Urban AC Countdown, Gospel Traxx, African Americans Making It Happen and the Countdown with Walt Baby Love, which reached its 25th year on the air in August 2007. Walt is heard on 132 stations domestically and 15 others around the world.

 

“If you put your faith in God, trust Him and do your part, God will do his part – making a significant difference in your life. He has certainly made a change in mine.”  These words are the philosophy that Walt follows on a daily basis.

Walt calls Creighton, Pennsylvania home, having grown up on a farm in this small town near Pittsburgh. After graduating from high school, Walt enlisted in the U.S. Army and soon became a paratrooper. He served two tours of duty as a member of the 82nd Airborne Division, spending time in Southeast Asia, specifically northeast Thailand, before being reassigned back to his native Pennsylvania. Walt achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant before being honorably discharged from the Army in 1967.

 

He got his first job as a part-time on-air personality at WWGO radio, located in Erie, Pennsylvania while still on active duty. Walt landed his big break at KYOK radio, which serves the Houston, Texas metropolitan area. He later became the first Black broadcaster at Top 40’s Powerhouse KILT radio and was the first Black employed by the Lin Broadcasting chain. 

 

Within two years, Walt became the first Black on-air talent at RKO radio, hosting programs at both CKLW radio, located in the Canadian providence of Windsor, Ontario, and WOR FM located in New York City. Additionally, during his 30+ years in radio, he has held on-air positions at WNBC, WBLS and 99X, located in New York as well as KHJ, KMPC and KFI located in Los Angeles.

 

In addition to being an on-air personality in the radio industry, Walt has also been an Operations Manager at Chicago’s WVON AM and its sister FM station and has worked at KGFG/KKBT and KUTE 102 FM of Los Angeles. In addition to working at radio stations, Walt has also worked at Radio & Records newspaper where he was the Urban Radio and Music editor for 21 years.   

 

He was ordained in the ministry at the First House of Prayer, located in Chicago, in June 1997. He was later ordained as a Deacon in the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) denomination at FAME, First African Methodist Episcopal Church of Los Angeles. In 2003, Walt earned the designation of local elder in the AME Church and today, he is an associate minister at FAME. He earned a Master of Arts degree in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary located in Pasadena, California. 

 

Walt currently resides in metropolitan Los Angeles with his wife Sonya and son Stephan.  He and his wife also manage the Walt and Sonya Love Lupus and Cancer Research Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization created to raise monies in finding a cure for lupus and cancer.

 

Achievements

 

Walt’s Countdown has received Billboard Magazine’s Best R&B Syndicated Radio Show award five times and is the longest running urban syndicated radio show in history.  Check out this timeline for more of Walt’s over 35 years of experience.

 

2007

 

Published The Gospel According to Rev. Walt “Baby” Love:  Inspirations and Meditations from the Gospel Radio Legend

 

Commemorated 25th year of the Countdown with Walt ‘Baby’ Love

  

2005

 

Master of Arts in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary of Pasadena, California

 

2004

 

Nominee- Radio Hall of Fame

One of the 30 Most Influential African Americans in Radio – Radio Ink Magazine

 

2003

 

Martin Luther King, Jr. Observance – U.S. Army– Hunter Air Field

Community Activist Award – Fuller Theological Seminary

Celebrated Leader in Gospel Music – Gospel Heritage Foundation

Outstanding Achievement – Praise and Worship Conference

Community Activist Award – Fuller Theological Seminary

  

2002

 

Radio Personality of the Year – Black Broadcaster’s Alliance

Nominee – Radio Hall of Fame

 

2001

 

Best Gospel Radio Personality of the Year – Stellar Award

 

1983

 

The Countdown with Walt ‘Baby’ Love premiered in August