Gospel Time radio show host, 79, dies

Annie W. Robinson declared ''if Jesus can't fix it, nobody can,'' every Sunday morning for more than four decades across local radio airwaves.

Her voice was silenced on Tuesday, after a short battle with cancer, at Akron General Medical Center. The Akron Broadcasters Hall of Famer was 79.

'Dubbed the ''Gospel Queen,'' Mrs. Robinson started hosting her radio program Gospel Time in 1964 on 1350-AM [when the now WARF sports radio station was WADC, sponsored by the Automobile Dealers Co.]. Her show was a Sunday morning mainstay through the station's format transitions from automotive to country to urban contemporary to sports.

WARF Program Director Keith Kennedy said it would be difficult to find a family in the Greater Akron black church community that hasn't listened to her gospel music show.

''I don't know too many people who didn't start their Sunday mornings with her,'' Kennedy said. ''You wouldn't believe the number of people who have been calling in and saying they listened to the show as a child and now they're sharing the show with their children. She really bridged the gap between generations in families.''

Click on the headline to read the story by Colette M. Jenkins, Beacon Journal religion writer