Who's Who at WONN

Graham Mela

Graham, nicknamed ‘Cracker’ Graham, worked at WONN in the early 1950’s, starting there as host of the nightly two-hour rhythm and blues record show “The Ebony Special” from 10 PM to midnight.

Folks who remember him say he looked a lot like baseball great Yogi Berra, and that whenever he went into a business (he was also in sales), he would be mobbed like a movie star. So, it was no surprise that station management was encouraged to move him to the more prestigious (and more-listened to) morning drive shift.

Sadly, ‘Cracker’ Graham passed away in 1966. As WONN’s (and Lakeland’s) first local radio celebrity, he led the way for popular morning show hosts who came later, like “Lonesome Lem” Buddy Penn in the 1960’s and 1970’s, and “Banana Man” Pat Morgan in the 1980’s and early 1990’s.

Station History