We recently connected with Mark Gibson and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Mark thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

Recently I was confronted with a situation with a radio staff member, and eventually decided to step away from doing any further shows with the station. I had worked for the station on and off for more than 25 years of my life…and the entire time I was volunteering my time and talent. I had worked for commercial stations previously and began to become very agitated with the politics and “cut throat” mentality of other air personalities for extra pay. I have over 35 years of radio experience with various stations and their management style. Providing each station with quality programming, and eventually prayed about not leaving the industry, just the locations.

No doubt that I love doing radio, but when questions arose over trust it also questioned my integrity, so my wife and I prayed about next steps. We were lead to begin our own internet radio station that would play music that sounded like the music that we all grew up with in church. It was the format I had been doing for years, I decided to play music that not only was I familiar with, but that an entire generation knew nothing regarding. In August 2022, my wife and I began our dream and vision…Black Gospel Classics Radio.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Born and raised and educated in Washington, DC, I am the 4th born of 5 sons. I am an identical twin (Paul) who passed in 1992. Graduate of Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, NC (B.A. in Political Science); Indiana University of PA in Indiana, PA (M.A. Student Personnel Services); Shaw University School of Divinity in Raleigh, NC (M.Div); and Campbell University in Buies Creek, NC (D.Min). As a high school Junior my guidance counselor told me that I would never be admitted into college and that I should not bother applying to any institution of higher education. I retired recently from working as a higher education administrator after 35 years of working in a field I was told I would never attend. Married with 5 children (one son deceased) and two grandchildren. I currently serve as the Senior Pastor of Redeeming Love Church in Raleigh, NC.

I began in the radio industry in 1986 when I called a radio station for a request to be played. The announcer on duty thought I was someone else and asked if I had ever thought of radio. I grew up listening to Donnie Simpson and Melvin Lindsey in Washington and loved their music selection as well as their voices. So when asked had I ever thought about radio I replied that I had, but didn’t have the skill set to do it. He offered to teach me because he loved my voice via the phone. The late Bill Alston taught me everything about being an outstanding announcer. I have been doing announcing since September 1986.

Black Gospel Classics Radio was born out of a desire to provide listeners with music that sounds like Gospel Music. While the name says Black Gospel Classics, it is not limited to Black artist, it simply provides music from the Black experience with the traditional Black rhythmic cadence often found in the Black Church.

I am most proud that the listeners of my previous stations and beyond are now able to enjoy the classics of Black Gospel 12 hours a day during the week, and 4 hours on Sundays. At the present time we are commercial free, so our listeners get a day full of uninterrupted music from back in the day. Often times we get emails and Faceboook posts that thank us for the music and how it has encouraged them, helped through some difficult situations or reminder of when they were growing up and hearing the songs of yesteryear.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

When I was in high school, I was told that I would never attend college, and that maybe a trade skill or military would be my best option. I was able to, with the grace of God, persist and graduate with four degrees. It gave me the ability to reevaluate my perspective on using what was intended as discouragement from others who knew very little about who I am, and my ability to overcome obstacles. I lost both my twin brother and my oldest son to death, which caused me to unknowingly slip into dormant depression that would haunt me later in life. I was also told that taking on so many tasks at one time would cause me to be unsuccessful in every aspect of my life; however, my wife Margo (co-founder of Black Gospel Classics) was the motivation and support system I needed to launch this station.

One commercial station that I worked for more than two years, told me that my show and voice was just a fill in for their Sunday morning spot. I took their station on Sunday mornings to #1 in the ratings for the market, and took their commercial totals from $2,000 per Sunday to over $10,000 per Sunday. When I approached them for a raise in my salary, they declined and mentioned that I was not good enough to get any additional money. I look back and see those setbacks as setups for a major breakthrough for my passion of Gospel radio.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to unlearn that my worth and value cannot be tied to opinions of those who have little if any idea about my struggle. I began to chart my life based on what others either spoke to me or how they treated my gift. I had always thought that I was not good enough to play sports, date, succeed in education, and even broadcasting because of my desire for others to approve what I was attempting to do. Even with the start of Black Gospel Classics, there were folks who began to discuss the cost for doing such a venture; however, I have always held to the notion, that if God gives vision, God will make provisions for it to come to pass.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.blackgospelclassics.com
• Instagram: pastormark.gibson
• Facebook: Mark Thomas Gibson Black Gospel Classics Radio
• Twitter: @bgcradio1
• Youtube: Mark Gibson