The City of Athens is shining the local spotlight on a man whose voice once echoed over our radios, sharing news of the community’s sick, deaths and events.

The radio show “Sick Call” premiered on February 15, 1953. Jay Hudson became co-host in 1973, and his son, Corey, joined him in 2000. In 2018, Mayor Ronnie Marks presented Jay and Corey with keys to the city in honor of the show’s 65th anniversary.

The Athens community was grieved to hear that Jay passed away last week.

“What a loss for our community,” Mayor Marks said. “He and his voice exemplified classic. Southern. Character.”

The show began at MJMW and later moved to WKAC. The song “Someone to Care” became synonymous with the show. Kirk Harvey with WKAC said “Sick Call” and then Jay became Athens traditions.

“Generations have listened,” Harvey said. “Jay still filled in once in a while. He was a fine person. The show is local, and you get to connect with a local voice like Jay’s and local news. Before HIPPA laws, when you went to the hospital, you signed a paper saying it was okay for your name to be on ‘Sick Call.’ He read a hospital list every morning.”

Despite technology and the ease of obtaining information from a cellphone, “Sick Call” perseveres. It airs at 8 a.m. Monday-Saturday on wKAC 1080 AM. Jay’s voice will no longer fill in, but his son’s voice will echo over the airwaves.”