LaDonna Tittle

LaDonna Tittle (born November 29, 1947) is a American radio personality,^[1] model and actress. She is best known for her radio career in during the mid–1970s until the early–2000s, Most notably in Chicago at several stations; WBMX-FM (1973–78), WJPC-AM (1978–89) and WGCI-FM (1992–2000).

Biography

Born to Juanita, a record shop owner and businessman James O. Tittle^[2] in Chicago, Tittle grew up in the Robert Taylor Homes public housing project in the Bronzeville neighborhood on the south side. The oldest of five children, Tittle attended Dunbar Vocational High School and studied Art Education and Drama with a minor in journalism at Chicago State University; in which she graduated in 1971.^[3]

Tittle began her career in radio at WBEE-FM station in Chicago in 1971. In 1972, Tittle moved to Milwaukee where she worked as a weekend radio personality at WNOV radio for a year. Shortly after returning to Chicago in 1973, Tittle received a job as WBMX-FM^[4] radio midday and evening host where R&B and Soul music was showcased. She started her career at the station reporting news and working overnight; eventually moving to weekday afternoons a year later. Due to her growing popularity, Tittle was sought after by Johnson Publishing Company's WJPC radio station.

They offered to double her salary from her present job, which she accepted in 1978; co-hosting alongside Tom Joyner and DJ Bebe D'Banana. In April 1979, Tittle was featured as a JET magazine's "Beauty of The Week" while wearing bathing suit made out of the radio station bumper stickers. Tittle worked at WJPC until the station was sold in December 1989.

Thereafter, Tittle work at WNUA-FM, a blues station and smooth-jazz radio station in Joliet, Illinois before getting full–time work at Chicago's WGCI-FM in 1992. For the first few years, Tittle worked between the stations FM and AM stations until automated overnight broadcasts came into play; which resulted into her being laid-off in 2000. After a year hiatus from the public, Tittle launched her television show The LaDonna Tittle TV/Radio Show on Chicago's CAN-TV in 2001.^[5] The show began as a platform to chat with entertainers until she decided to shift to cooking after viewing a soul food exhibit in 2003. Tittle also starred in R.Kelly's 2005 melodrama "Trapped In The Closet" as Rosie the nosy neighbor.

Personal

Tittle was married to Ronald Horton, a Vietnam army volunteer from 1966 until his death in 1973. Tittle dated John E. Johnson of the Johnson hair-care product family for a short while after her husband's death.

References