First Lady of Atlanta radio, Kaedy Kiely, spins on

Running errands Wednesday afternoon, I'm sitting in the Midtown Trader Joe’s parking lot and feeling immense joy at not having had to jockey or battle for an elusive space. My iPhone buzzed in the passenger seat with a text message from a former broadcast colleague, the “First Lady of Atlanta Radio,” Kaedy Kiely.

Credit: Kaedy Kiely

“Jeff, look what I found hidden in my house!" She sent a photo of a 1991 Budweiser 96 Rock satin jacket. "Let’s put this up for auction at the Furkids Animal Rescue and Sanctuary fundraiser, including lunch with you and me. Are you in?”

I responded, “How could I say no to you, Kaedy? Sure, I’m in.”

Ms. Kiely and I worked together at 96 Rock for years. In the afternoon, I would do a sports commentary, and the rock music announcer would either agree or disagree with my take on local athletes or teams.

Kaedy has been featured prominently on Atlanta radio since 1983; the degree of difficulty in accomplishing such a feat in a notoriously fickle occupation is immeasurable. When Ms. Kiely began on the Atlanta airwaves, Gary McKee, “Skinny” Bobby Harper, Ludlow Porch, and Neal Boortz were the radio legacy voices.

Forty-three years later, the Boston-born Emory University alum — possessing an English degree — has carved her own radio history. Every weekday afternoon, Kaedy holds court in the Cox broadcast studio, still energized for her air shift (3 to 7 p.m. on 97.1 The River) with a voice almost as familiar to Atlanta as Gregg Allman and Ronnie Van Zandt.

“Hey, I just signed a new five-year contract. The road leads on,” offered the unsinkable DJ.

Big city radio has historically been described as a "sharp-elbowed world," where change is seen as an occupational hazard—a constant cycle of shuffling and dismissing air people, salespeople, and managers as ideas are floated, accepted, or rejected.

WGST Planet Radio, anyone?

Kaedy's professional resume is anchored in Atlanta. Unlike many in radio, she has not been an itinerant broadcaster; she worked at the once-thundering powerhouse 96 Rock, moved to Z-93, and eventually landed at The River 97.1 in 2008.

Credit: Kaedy Kiely/Facebook

Here are some questions for Kaedy, a breast cancer survivor:

Jeff: “When you started in Atlanta 43 years ago, could you have imagined going strong in 2026?"

Kaedy: “I could never imagine being in rock radio for over 40 years! I started I radio in my early 20s when you can’t even imagine turning 30. I never really thought of it till now, but I think part of the success of my tenure is that Rock and Roll never died. I grew up with four brothers and inherited lots of great rock albums, so I’ve always loved the music. If I’d been bouncing around between radio gigs in different formats for years, it probably wouldn’t have worked for me. But having grown up in Atlanta and having a passion for the music and lifestyle hasn’t hurt.”

Jeff: “Your roots are at 96 Rock, once a cultural compass point here, a much-beloved radio outlet. It still holds a place in the hearts of so many, and you are central to those memories.”

Kaedy: “96 Rock was such a special, heritage rock station. Its history mattered. For my first radio gig to be at that radio station in 1983 was such a blessing. All the guys on the air took me under their wings. It always felt natural for me to be around so many men in this business. My family prepared me for that! They were wonderful to me. I’m not sure how anyone could’ve killed that radio station, but they sure did!

Jeff: “Are you optimistic about the radio business and its future? The non-talk genre?”

Kaedy: “I am happy to say we’re still here and I still love being on the radio! In my opinion, the important aspect of the radio I do today is the locality. People want to know what’s happening where they live from people who live there, too. The bonus for me is that I have such a history with the rock listeners I grew up with, and now their kids and grandkids are digging our music.”

Jeff: “Favorite story of a wild colleague or a rock act you were around?”

Kaedy: “One of the most fun aspects of radio in the ‘80s and ‘90s was that it was live by-the-seat-of-your-pants radio! At a great station like WKLS, rock artists would often pop in unannounced, so you’d have to realize anything could happen at any time. One late afternoon the local guys who made it big in the '90s, Jackyl, came bursting into my control room with a film crew while I was live on the air.”

Jeff: “Thanks Kaedy!”

Kaedy’s longevity in Atlanta radio will never be duplicated. When I hear her voice, a local memory is always triggered. Ms. Kiely sounds like home, like Atlanta.