DOUG BANKS

Doug Banks began his radio career in quick order, trading high school's radio station performances for a local area commercial station, WDRQ–FM. After high school, he successfully found his way to Los Angeles joining KDAY-AM for several years, before relocating to St. Louis and Majic 108, KMJM-FM. Banks then moved back to the L.A. area, to join KFI-AM. That paved the way to a morning show slot in Las Vegas at KLAV-FM, and later, KDIA-AM in Oakland, California, and WBMX-FM (now WVAZ) in Chicago.   

From 1986 to 1995, Banks did nights, mornings, and afternoons for WGCI-FM in Chicago. It was at WGCI where Doug became good friends with Tom Joyner and they became known as "Turntable Brothers".  After Tom Joyner started his nationally syndicated show with ABC Radio Networks, Tom chose Doug Banks to be his "fill in" when Tom would take vacations.

In 1995 the ABC Radio Network offered Banks the opportunity to do a nationally syndicated show of his own. Originally, Banks started with an afternoon show from the same studio as the "Tom Joyner Morning Show." In 1997, Banks moved to AM Drive, along with new sidekick DeDe McGuire. The program rose to become one of the top-rated syndicated urban programs in America, with WBLS-FM in New York City as the flagship station. The show had a long and successful run until 2008. Banks relaunched the show, this time in afternoon drive under the new name, The Ride with Doug and DeDe. 

In July 2010, Banks moved his show to American Urban Radio Networks and renamed it The Doug Banks Show. Doug's final broadcast was on Friday April 8, 2016,  when he did his show live from an event in Chicago. 

In 2022, Doug Banks received a Legends induction into the Radio Hall of Fame.