Roy Nilson

Roy was one of the first Programming geniuses in Tampa Bay. Originally with WALT Radio, he was brought to WLCY at the start of the Rock & Roll era to create a monster. Create a monster he did, WLCY was head and shoulders ratings wise above the competition.

Nilson was known as “The Shy Guy” on his afternoon drive slot, featuring drops from Charlene Mathias, also known as “The Weather Chick”. She would come on in typical “blonde fashion”, and their bits were hysterical.

A little known fact about Ray, he was a member of MENSA, had a genius IQ. He was well versed on much about this area, and is credited as being the person who coined the phrase “Great Tampa Bay”. That phrase was used for many years by WLCY.

Shortly before his death, Roy called Tedd Webb on his Sports Huddle radio show on WFLA and informed him the domed stadium which would house Major League Baseball, was being built where the old gas plant had been located. Roy also warned “years before the gas plant, there was a bricked up river bed. The place is contaminated, not fit for humans”. Ironically, several construction workers sued the city after the stadium was built,. Claiming to be ill from their time spent on the premise.

Roy Nilson was a brilliant man, a man whose finger prints are still being felt in Bay area radio. Roy was a regular at Dave’s Aqua Lounge on Gandy Blvd.

Sadly, Roy, a long time smoker, died from lung Cancer at age 52 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, Florida on January 7th, 1987.