Who's Who at WONN

Roy Riley

Roy was an air personality at Lakeland’s WONN in the early 1970’s. After NBC sports commentator Joe Garagiola acquired the station from longtime owner Duane McConnell in 1971, he bought Winter Haven’s WHFL-FM 97.5 two years later and decided to switch it to new call letters, and a country music format.

On the day WHFL became “Polk County’s Voice” WPCV, Roy was given a stack of records and told to go to the FM (which was still operating out of the Florida Citrus Showcase in Winter Haven) and turn off the music playing and begin spinning the stack of country discs. It was a history-making assignment that not only made Roy the first-ever deejay on WPCV, but also the beginning of 97 Country.

His other career stops included WDVH in Gainesville, Cypress Gardens’ WGTO (in the early 80’s), and the Florida Radio Network in Orlando where he was a sports anchor.

Roy passed away in the 1990’s after developing severe health issues.

Station History