In 2008, Larry Stone continues in the role he began in the first season of NFL football in the mid south 12 years ago, as executive producer and gameday host of Titans Radio.
The award-winning broadcaster came to Tennessee in 1997 at the age of 27 to build the new radio network from the ground up. He helped design the sound of the NFL network with its heavy production value and fast-paced style, using skills learned working with the University of North Carolina's Tar Heel Sports for more than eight years. The sound of Titans Radio has drawn accolades both from stations across the mid south who continue to be a part of the NFL's strongest network, as well as broadcast professionals across the nation.
From the team's arrival in Nashville in 1998, Stone worked alongside the ''Voice of the Titans'' Mike Keith to develop those relationships with stations across the region. They are partnerships in which Titans Radio provides unsurpassed programming, promotional and sales assistance to stations across five state. Indeed, the work with the more than 70 stations that make up Titans Radio keeps Stone and the Titans Radio team busy throughout the year.
In radio since the age of 16, Stone brings a wealth of experience in sports programming to Tennessee's NFL entry. Stone served for almost five years as program director, operations manager, and morning show host for WCHL Radio in Chapel Hill, NC. As flagship station for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, WCHL, under Stone's leadership, produced complete coverage of UNC athletic events. This included special events coverage from events such as the 1992 Peach Bowl, the 1993 Gator Bowl, the 1993 NCAA Mens Basketball Championship, the 1994 Sun Bowl, and the 1994 NCAA Womens Basketball Championship. The Associated Press recognized WCHL with 19 awards for news and sports coverage during Stone's tenure.
Titans Radio's pregame show, Titans Countdown, has been recognized with Nashville's ''Best In Radio'' Award in 1998, its first season on the air, and in 2003. In addition, Stone and Keith received the outstanding sports reporter award, the team's second, in 2004 for a Titans Countdown piece on running back Jarrett Payton. The network website, TitansRadio.Com, which Stone supervises also won Nashville's ''Best Radio Website'' Award. Broadcasters voted the Titans Radio team, led by Stone, as a finalist in seven categories in the last two years. In 2001, the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association named Stone as a finalist for Tennessee's Sportscaster of the Year Award, an honor ultimately won by Keith.
As Titans Radio's Executive Producer, Stone oversees all aspects of the on-air product, including game day coverage on the network and the Nashville flagship station 103 WKDF. In August, 1998, the network promoted Stone to the dual role of Executive Producer and Operations Manager. In this role, Stone deals with station relations, promotions and other non-sales areas. In August, 2006, Citadel Broadcasting named Stone Operations Manager of its Nashville group including Titans Radio, 103 WKDF, and 104-5 The Zone. In that role, Stone leads a team of better than 30 broadcasters in programming, promotions and production.
Stone has been a leader in developing the annual Titans Caravan, a joint venture with the Titans, into one of the NFL's premiere outreach programs, including programs designed to reach elementary school students. Stone also believes in the importance of training the next generation of broadcasters and journalists. Annually, more than two dozen college students from across the region intern with Titans Radio. Titans Radio interns Brad Willis, Jonathan Hutton and David Reed all work as part of the Citadel Nashville team. Other assistants have gone on to positions with the Denver Broncos, Nashville Predators, Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, University of Tennessee as well as numerous radio and television stations.
In addition to his work with Titans Radio, Stone also consults with sports properties across the region. In spring 2006, he fufilled a goal of teaching, working with students at Middle Tennessee State University on the principles of broadcast programming.
Stone's radio career began in his hometown of North Wilkesboro, NC, where he worked some three years at WWWC Radio during his time as a student at Wilkes Central High School. Later, he worked at Raleigh's legendary WPTF-AM Radio, hosting and producing weekend news and information programming. Stone also spent more than a year as a top-40 disc jockey at Greensboro's WKZL Radio.
Stone graduated with a double major in Journalism and Radio, Television and Motion Pictures from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1992. In 1997, he received a masters of business administration from UNC Greensboro. He has also undertaken doctoral studies at the University of Tennessee. Stone is single and lives in Hermitage.
