THE MOUTH, JANUARY 4TH 2022 –– In this year’s 1st edition of ‘Backstage At Boot Camp™ where we shine the light on some of radio’s next generation of stars, today’s spotlight falls on Laura Gilbert, aka Laura G, PD for WSJR-FM and midday host on ‘BHT-FM/Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. She also handle’s fill-in for WKHX-FM in Atlanta as needed.
The first time we met Laura was during a National Radio Talent Institute in Atlanta sponsored by The University of Georgia. It was obvious to us then, as is now, that success in radio was part of her destiny. Growing up in Atlanta, she remembers her dad driving her to school every morning as they listened to the former Morning X on 99X (with Leslie Fram, Steve Barnes and Jimmy Baron). “I was so fortunate to be surrounded by so many iconic radio stations and exposed to such great talent,” she says. “I later caught the radio bug in college. I started doing the live graveyard shift from 2 am – 5 am on Georgia State’s student-run radio station, WRAS Album 88, and as they say – the rest was history.”
She also holds a special memory of her first trip to Morning Show Boot Camp. “I met Bobby Bones one night along with group of fellow Boot Camp newbies and I got to spend a few hours chatting with him about his career, the industry, and how he got into radio. He was so personable and humble and even reached out when I got my first full-time gig. It was so cool… definitely a “highlight of my career” kind of moment.”
And who does she credit with opening the radio door? That would be radio’s Adam Bomb. “Adam brought me on as an intern in 2016 and always did everything he could to help push me to the next level. Adam helped me get my first part-time job in radio as a Remote Tech at Cumulus in Atlanta. He taught me how to run a board, edit audio, engage with listeners, write blog posts, handle artist interviews, and ultimately helped me build my radio portfolio. I am forever grateful for him and his mentorship over the years.”