R.I.P.: Gary McKee, '70s-80s Top-Rated Atlanta Morning Host

Gary McKee

Gary McKee, a top-rated Atlanta radio host in the 1970s and ’80s known for his high-energy morning shows, has died at 81 from complications related to Alzheimer’s disease, his daughter Cassidy confirmed.

McKee dominated Atlanta’s airwaves during his peak years on WQXI-AM and 94Q (now Star 94), where his morning show drew as much as 20% of the metro audience. At the height of his career in the 1980s, he earned more than $400,000 annually and became a widely recognized media figure, appearing on billboards and television specials.

Colleagues and listeners remember him as a defining voice of the era. “He just owned the market,” said Dennis Winslow, a former 94Q host. Reg Griffin, another Atlanta radio personality, compared McKee’s influence on local radio to Johnny Carson’s dominance of national television.

Known as the “Morning Mouth of the South,” McKee built his success on humor, fast-paced banter and strong chemistry with co-hosts Yetta Levitt, Bob Carr (Willis the Guard) and Gary Corry (Red Neckerson). His memorable one-liners and comedic bits became part of Atlanta radio culture.

Born in Illinois, McKee began his radio career at 17 and later graduated from Eastern Illinois University. After serving two years in the Army during the Vietnam War, he worked in Pensacola and Cincinnati before joining WQXI in 1971 at age 26. Drawing on a theater background, he crafted an on-air persona he described as “a little salty, a bit of a wise-ass,” while maintaining high expectations for his team behind the scenes.

McKee often cited his years working with Levitt, Carr and Corry from 1978 to 1987 as the highlight of his career. Levitt described their on-air partnership as seamless and instinctive.

After Levitt’s departure, ratings declined, and McKee’s priorities shifted following his relationship with his future wife, Anita. “I stopped doing that,” he said in a 2014 interview, referring to connecting with his audience. “I just fell head over heels in love.”

Following his time at 94Q, which eventually changed formats and dropped him, McKee hosted a talk show on WSB-AM and later worked at B98.5 and Z93. Despite those roles, he acknowledged he never fully recreated the success of his earlier years, according to Rodney Ho at ajc.com.

Throughout his career, McKee maintained that his motivation was never financial. “I’ve always worked for fun,” he said. “And when you work for fun, you can’t help but be good at it.”

In 2007, he was inducted into the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame.