R.I.P.: Wanda Smith, Beloved Longtime Morning Host At V103 Atlanta

Atlanta radio host Wanda Smith, who brought a bubbly, comedic side to V-103′s morning shows for more than 20 years, died Saturday, a day after her birthday.

Her daughter Janice confirmed the news to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday night.

Smith, 59, worked with host Frank Ski at V-103 for two stints, first from 1998 to 2013, then again in 2018. She also worked with Ryan Cameron from 2013 to 2017. The show was No. 1 in Atlanta for much of that time.

(1963-2024)

“Wanda was special for her ability to connect with the average, everyday listener, especially the women of Atlanta,” said Jean Ross, the longtime news anchor for the Frank and Wanda morning show. “She was your ‘sister girlfriend’ on the radio.”

Cameron said “she never met a stranger. She was very much in tune with the community.”

Ski hired Smith as part of his morning show in 1998 after seeing her at a comedy club. “I was the serious person and she provided the light,” he said. “And whenever there was a natural disaster or people needed help, she was immediately on air to get help. We’d do diaper drives. She really understood the needs of the single mother.”

“She was a comedian before she was a radio host,” said Gary Abdo, who owned those clubs. “What drives a comic to do what they do is internal and it never goes away. She was a legend here.” She never complained about hosting comedy shows until midnight, then waking up at 4 a.m. for the morning show.