WHISP TURLINGTON
Morning Show Co-Host / Station Benefactor
Whisp Turlington began his 50-plus-year career in radio at 108.9 The Hawk, long before anyone knew what they were doing. After cutting his teeth in Val Verde, Whisp made the leap to the big time in 1984, joining WMTN — New York’s Classic Rock.
From there, Whisp became a household name thanks to his nationally syndicated morning program, The Whisp Turlington Show, along with his weekly rock and roll call-in interview series, RockNights with Whisp Turlington, where rock legends, fringe figures, and confused callers all had equal access to the airwaves.
In 2021, Whisp’s tenure at WMTN came to an abrupt and, according to Whisp, “deeply unjust” and “politically motivated” end. Following his firing, he returned to glory at the station where it all began: 108.9 The Hawk.
Today, Whisp serves as host of The Whisp Turlington Show and is the station’s primary financial backer — a role he describes as “purely supportive,” despite the fact that it allows him to weigh in on programming, personnel, and volume levels. He insists he holds no official authority at the station and makes this point frequently.
GEOFF “THE ANGRY MAN” GARLOCK
Morning Show Sidekick / Senior Curmudgeon
Geoff “The Angry Man” Garlock has been on-air at 108.9 The Hawk since September 10, 2001, making him one of the station’s longest-serving voices and most persistent sources of frustration.
As the Hawk’s resident curmudgeon, Geoff is best known for his on-air rant segments, including I Gotta Say It and The Thing I Don’t Understand, where he weighs in on modern life, classic rock, and whatever just made him angry moments earlier. Despite his deep and unwavering hatred of The Beatles, Geoff also provides genuine rock education through his long-running segment, Good Rock Facts with Geoff “The Angry Man” Garlock.
Once the co-host of The Geoff & Whisp Show, Geoff now serves as the well-beloved (and frequently aggrieved) sidekick on the Hawk’s morning broadcast, The Whisp Turlington Show, where he remains an essential counterbalance to Whisp’s confidence and unchecked nostalgia.
Fun Facts:
- Geoff’s car was stolen by singer-songwriter Arlo Guthrie
- He lives full-time in the Hawk’s Rock & Roll RV studio
- Geoff also performs in his one-man Aerosmith band, “Deuces Are Mild” around Val Verde.
ART SPART
Traffic Director
Art Spart has served as Traffic Director for 108.9 The Hawk since 1997, delivering up-to-the-minute traffic reports to Val Verde and the Hawk’s sister stations with calm authority and minimal follow-up questions.
When he isn’t tracking accidents, construction, or unexplained road closures, Art leads a second life as a full-time cryptozoologist and monster hunter. Working largely at night, Art is responsible for the identification, tracking, and elimination of many of Val Verde’s most dangerous creatures — ensuring the city sleeps safely in their beds, unaware of what almost happened.
Despite the obvious overlap between traffic incidents and monster activity, Art insists the two roles are “completely separate… No more questions.”
KEGSTAND
Morning Show Dirtbag Sidekick
Kegstand is the much-loved and deeply questionable dirtbag sidekick on The Whisp Turlington Show, where he brings chaos, volume, and an unshakable commitment to partying hard. A fixture of the Val Verde nightlife, Kegstand can most often be found at local establishments Shooter’s and Zazzers, kicking back a vodka & cranberry — or twenty.
Whenever the moment calls for the lewdest possible retort, Kegstand is there, delivering exactly what Hawk listeners didn’t know they needed but now expect. His instincts are unreliable, his timing is impeccable, and he has never once let the audience down.
Fun Fact:
- Kegstand’s birth name is Bocephus
SCOTTY LEAF
Producer
Scotty has served as the producer of The Whisp Turlington Show for over 40 years, quietly running the broadcast from his booth with minimal interruption and even less explanation.
A man of very few words, Scotty prefers to communicate with Whisp Turlington and Geoff Garlock through a combination of hand gestures and poorly written show notes, which the hosts attempt — and fail — to interpret on-air. These notes are frequently incomplete, misspelled, or delivered too late to be helpful.
Despite decades of close working proximity, the hosts only recently learned that Scotty is British. They also only just discovered that his last name is Leaf.
Scotty has declined to comment.
BIG TRUCK
Afternoon Host
Big Truck is Val Verde born and bred, a fact his deep southern accent immediately gives away the moment he opens the mic. A lifelong Hawk loyalist, Big Truck brings local pride, volume, and questionable logistics to every broadcast.
Alongside on-air host and music director Greg Lemonsour, Big Truck co-hosts the Hawk’s afternoon drive time show, Truck & Greg, airing weekdays from 3–7pm. Together, they guide Val Verde home with classic rock, live reads, and very frequent detours.
When he’s not behind the microphone or Hawkcasting live from a local Val Verde business, Big Truck can be found in his big rig, hauling big loads across the region — anywhere from Shartlesburg to Naughton — before making it back in time for the next shift.
GREG LEMONSOUR
Music Director / Afternoon Host
Greg Lemonsour is 108.9 The Hawk’s Music Director and resident record snob, forever digging through local record stores in search of the dustiest grooves or a pristine German pressing of Television’s Marquee Moon. His taste is exacting, his standards are high, and his patience for incorrect rock opinions is nonexistent.
If Greg happens to pass by the studio while a questionable rock discussion is underway, he will physically insert himself into the broadcast, pushing his way to the nearest microphone to ensure everyone hears the correct take.
Alongside Big Truck, Greg co-hosts Truck & Greg, airing weekdays from 3–7pm, guiding Val Verde through the afternoon with classic rock and frequent corrections. On Saturday evenings, Greg hosts Goin’ Deep with Greg Lemonsour, where he finally gets to play what he wants to — no compromises, many explanations.
Catchphrase:
“Are we good? Are we okay?”
BOSS RON DALTON
Owner / Operator, Verde Valley Radio Partners
Boss Ron Dalton is the former owner and current operator of Verde Valley Radio Partners, the broadcast group that 108.9 The Hawk belongs to. While Whisp Turlington may pay for everything, Boss Ron remains firmly — and loudly — in charge.
A traditionalist to his core, Boss Ron believes in strong signals, firm handshakes, and mandatory classic rock compliance. His management philosophy is simple: if you’re not playing Molly Hatchet’s “Flirtin’ With Disaster” at least twice an hour, something has gone very wrong.
Though rarely heard on-air, Boss Ron’s presence is felt throughout the station — particularly when the playlist drifts, the hosts get comfortable, or anyone suggests trying something “new.”
MELINDA & JEFF TILT
Middays Hosts
Melinda and Jeff Tilt host Hawk Middays, airing weekdays and now commonly referred to around the station as “The Divorced Middays.” Despite being married at the moment, the two have been married and divorced 26 times — and that’s only since Whisp Turlington returned to the station in 2021.
Together, they guide Val Verde through commercial-free middays, allowing listeners to work uninterrupted without hearing a single ad. This programming decision remains a point of ongoing disagreement between Whisp and Boss Ron, as Whisp is paying for everything.
Hawk Middays also features the All Request Liquid Lunchtime, a segment that frequently requires emergency hosting assistance from Whisp, Geoff, or any available on-air staff, as Melinda and Jeff tend to begin fighting shortly after the requests start coming in.
Despite — or because of — their complicated personal history, Melinda and Jeff remain one of the Hawk’s most unpredictable and talked-about broadcasts.
Catchphrase:
“We’re fine.”
MIKKI MACKMACK
Saturday Night Host / Hair Rock Historian
If you love mid-to-late ’80s hair metal, then Saturday nights on 108.9 The Hawk belong to The Hair House, hosted by much-loved Hawk on-air staffer Mikki Mackmack.
Each week, Mikki delivers wall-to-wall anthems from Warrant, Poison, Slaughter, White Lion, Mötley Crüe, Y&T, no-makeup KISS, and more — all killer, no apologies. The guitars are loud, the choruses are huge, and the vibe is permanently set to 1988.
While it has been noted that Mikki may be half human / half mutant hawk, this has never once interfered with the rock. If anything, it enhances it.
In addition to hosting The Hair House, Mikki also brings essential context to the Hawk airwaves with On This Day in Rock History, heard most weekdays and always delivered with passion, confidence, and wingspan.
We love you, Mikki. We’re glad you’re alive again.