Andie Summers, the legendary morning host at 92.5 XTU in Philadelphia, has been on the air for more than 20 years. The love of her listeners and the admiration of the entire country music community have earned her numerous awards, including Best Major Market Personality from the ACM and CMA. But Andie's achievements don't end there. She's a woman with a heart of gold and a dedication to service. Her volunteer work for organizations like the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the American Red Cross, and Wings for Success is truly inspiring.

In this episode, Andie shares the secret to how she balances being a wife, mom, and morning show host while still giving so generously of her time and resources. Her hardworking parents instilled in her the importance of keeping her head down and doing the work, making herself indispensable. The biggest lesson Andie has learned is to stay true to herself, no matter what market changes, program director changes, or morning show partner changes come her way.

Andie is a leader in the truest sense of the word. She's genuine, hardworking, and dedicated to making a positive impact on others. She's a shining example of what it means to be a true leader. Let's all learn from her example and strive to make the world a better place in our own unique way.

Time-Stamped Takeaways you won't want to miss!

(2:08) Andie shares the secret to longevity, with over two decades at 92.5 XTU, including changes in station ownership, management, and even partners.

(03:48) Having been through a lot of changes in 20 years at 92.5 XTU, Andie shares the top three changes that have had the biggest impact on her career…so far!

(07:17) Andie defines what she looks for when it is time to make a change with fellow cast members or somebody leaves -- and more importantly, how she knows if someone is going to gel?

(09:37) For somebody starting out today or somebody ready to make their second or third move in the industry, Andie shares some of the things she’d advise them to do or not.

(10:58) At this point, if the Andie Summers show could do ANYTHING that she could dream up, and if budget's not a factor, she tells us what she would most like to do! Her thoughts may surprise you!

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911 was a huge change for me personally.

Yeah.

Little did anyone know that?

My parents were on a cross-country flight at that time.

Oh.

And when we found out that they were cross-country planes, I was freaking out.

Like that's when the human side of me came out.

Welcome to BRANDwidth On Demand, your Guide to Rebooting Radio.

I was the news source and I had to keep it together and make sure that I was

giving everyone the information, and I did that as long as I could until I

just broke down and I was like, listen.

I honestly don't know what's going on, but let me tell you what's

happening in my life right now.

Mm-hmm.

and I still have listeners come up to me.

Like I remember not only the tragic events of that day, but hearing

the emotion in your voice because of what you were going through.

And I was praying for your parents, so it really, that

taught me to just be vulnerable.

BRANDwidth On Demand.

Rebooting radio with a different take on all radio can be.

Now your guides through the media morphosis.

David Martin and author of the book, bandwidth Media

Branding, coach Kipper McGee.

Andy Summers has been waking up country music fans in Philadelphia

on 92 5 XT U for over two decades.

No, I'm not kidding.

During that time, she's earned the love of her listeners and respect

for the entire country music community winning several awards,

including an a ACM and a CMA award.

The best major market person.

As if juggling the crazy hours of a wife, mom, and morning

show host weren't quite enough.

She's committed to volunteerism as well.

Impressive work for her church to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society,

the American Red Cross Wings for Success and many, many others.

BRANDwidth On Demand is proud to welcome a real star.

Andy Summers being,

Hey.

Hey guys.

Thank you so much for having me.

This is such an honor.

Well, we are honored to have you, and since you've been doing this

really for a while with over 20 years at the same station, I gotta at us.

Yeah.

What the heck is your secret to longevity in a market, let alone the same station?

uh, you know, I honestly don't know that it's much of a secret.

I feel like I'm so not radio E when it comes to, because this is obviously a

question I get asked a lot, especially from people in the industry, cuz

it just doesn't happen that often.

Um, yeah.

But I was raised by hardworking parents and they just taught

me, keep your head down.

Like, you know, get the work done, be the hardest working person in the

office and make yourself indispensable.

So I do think.

One of the benefits that I have, aside from amazing parents who

taught me, you know, just great work ethic is when I started in radio, I

started at a very small mom and pop shop in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.

So we were only 6,000 watts.

We weren't rated, so no one really paid attention to us.

They weren't making a ton of money cause it's just a small local radio station.

So I learned everything from day.

I not only did mornings, eventually, I started off doing

nights, but moved into mornings.

I worked with a veteran who had already retired talk radio, and

this was kind of his retirement, so I learned so much from him.

But I was also the promotions director.

I would go out on sales calls and I did all the production.

So, you know, it's a lot.

It was a lot.

But it's young and eager and lived at the radio station that,

that was my only community and, and I loved every second of it.

It's kind of how I knew I would never leave, cuz I just never wanted to leave

Well, clearly you've seen a lot of changes happening in the industry

and at 92 5 x xt, what would you say are the top three changes that

have had the biggest impact on your.

. Andie: Um, you know, that's tough

many, and I'm one of those people that just kind of rolls with the punches.

You know, market manager changes and program director changes and morning

show partner changes and right.

The list goes on and on, which all are, make a huge impact in what we do.

But I think that through all of that, it really reinforced that you

just need to be true to yourself because the audience can see.

your management can see that.

And certainly your partner, the most important person in that room, aside from

your listeners, they can see that too.

So it, it taught me just be true to me.

Continue working hard and all of that good stuff.

So that, obviously going through all those changes made a big difference.

Nine 11 was a huge, uh, a huge change for me personally.

because I was in radio, so when the towers were struck, like so many of us

doing morning radio, we saw it happen on the news and we were trying to get

as much information and regurgitate that to our listeners because of course,

people weren't on their smartphones then They're getting information.

They were getting it from us.

Yeah.

Little did anyone know that?

My parents were on a cross country flight at that time.

Oh.

And then we found out that they were cross-country plane.

. I was freaking out.

Like that's when the human side of me came out.

And I remember I was working with a guy who had done radio

for a long time, a real veteran.

He was awesome.

But to him, I was the news source and I had to keep it together.

And get, pull it all together and make sure that I was giving

everyone the information.

And I did that as long as I could until I just broke down and I was

like, listen, I honestly don't know what's going on, but let me tell you

what's happening in my life right now.

And mm-hmm.

, I still, 21 years later have listeners come up to me.

Like I remember not only.

, the tragic events of that day, but hearing the emotion in your voice

because of what you were going through.

And I was praying for your parents just as you were praying.

Like, so it really, that taught me to just be vulnerable, put it out there.

Mm-hmm.

, the audience needs to know what you're going through.

Yep.

Yeah.

And

speaking of vulnerable, while we're on that, I mean,

how'd you guys handle the.

Um, so that was interesting obviously as it was for everyone.

I worked from home mm-hmm.

for 10 weeks, and my partners stayed in the studio.

So I had a morning show partner at the time and my producer, and

they were able to go in and kind of run things from that side.

I thought it went pretty well.

We took as many calls as we could.

We found out what people were doing.

We talked to a million country fans.

I mean, that's the other great thing.

There's nothing quite like country radio.

Yeah.

Our audience is so personal.

Our artists are so personal.

So yeah, it just, you know, it was real life stuff.

I would be down here in my basement.

Talking about something and my son would come down and shoot me with the

Nerf gun and that, that's real life.

Like this is what happens when you're working remotely.

You know, you have your kids running around and the dog and all of it.

So I, I think that that actually even brought out another layer to what we

were all doing and, and, and isn't that what the whole point of this is?

Right?

It's about making those human connections.

You need that shake up in order to make that happen.

Mm-hmm.

. Good point.

So, , Andy, with your name on the show, what do you look for when it

is time to make a change with fellow cast members or somebody leaves?

I mean, you've had a number of different incarnations.

What are you looking for?

And more importantly, how do you know if someone is going to gel?

Yeah.

You know, my whole career, up until, until my last two or three

partners, they've been arranged marriages, as we like to say, in the business.

Right.

Shotgun

weddings, huh?

No, exactly.

I would come into work and we pulled into one office and my partner would

be pulled into another and they would say, okay, we're letting him go now, but

here's who you're gonna be working with.

And it was like, okay.

, I've never met that person, or gosh, I think I've heard of this person.

So you learn very quickly, uh, how to adapt and roll

because it wasn't my decision.

It wasn't my choice, but if I wanna have a job, then this is what I need to do.

Mm-hmm.

. Uh, so really my marriage is more to the X to you audience than it is to anything.

I have a very emotional relationship with them, so I try to, Um, you know,

when it comes to finding new, new blood in the studio, I like to make sure

that they're gonna be as authentic as I am because my listeners deserve that.

And I think that's one of the reasons that I stayed As long as I have at X to you.

They, this audience helped raise me, you know, I moved away from my friends

and family to take this job when I was in my early twenties, so they saw me.

Get engaged and get married and have babies and go

through ups and downs in life.

And they always have amazing advice.

So that's been fantastic.

But when it comes to finding a really good team, you know it,

that again, is just so personal.

It's not how long have you been in radio?

It's not, have you ever worked in country before?

Or you know, like format doesn't matter.

Think it's just that personal connection because that's what radio is now, people.

Especially, especially today since the pandemic, so many people are still working

virtually and they're not with coworkers.

We are as close as they get to that in the morning while

they're getting ready for work.

Um, hopefully they're listening on Alexa or whatever it is.

So, you know, you need to be their friend.

Mm-hmm.

Andy, for somebody starting out today or somebody ready to make

their second move in the industry, what are some of the things that

you would advise them to do or not?

You know, I think that you really just need to follow your heart.

I think so many people like to follow the money, which that's fine if you're

willing to pick up and bounce around.

And then that's one thing for me that has never been the situation.

I, you know, I love what I do, where I do it.

So for me it's quality of life.

So you have to figure out what is most important to you in your life.

I love living where I live, especially now that we have kids.

I love.

Kids school community, and I clearly have a love affair with my audience.

Mm-hmm.

, it would take a lot and, and my bosses know that it would take

a lot for me to pick up and go.

So that's one thing, but to me, absolutely worth it because I

love what I do and where I do it.

So that's first and foremost, figure out what you love and then, and then

try to make sure that that's part of the equation, you know, and just

having that great work environment because it makes such a big difference.

You have to feel good in your.

because when you don't, the audience can feel that and, and they're number

one, if they feel you're uncomfortable, they're not comfortable and they're

going somewhere else, right?

Mm-hmm.

. Cause they're gonna go to somebody who is mm-hmm.

. So I think that that's really important as well.

So,

time to do a little skywriting.

Okay.

Okay.

Let's say that you could do anything with the Andy Summers

show that you ever could dream up.

Budget's not a factor.

What would you most like to.

This

is such a great question.

That I don't have a great answer for

. Kipper: Well, let's start with just,

promotion, would, would you like to take your listeners on a cruise with all the

country stars that you could think of?

Uh, no.

No, no.

That doesn't sound appealing to me.

Um, okay.

, Dave: would you like to do a, Ben,

concert for one of your charities in.

. Andie: I think that that would be ideal.

Anything that I can do to give back.

So when I started my family, uh, when my daughter was born, I really struggled.

with going back to work, and as I think a lot of moms do, it's so hard to, you

know, I, I just felt like I was putting myself first instead of my daughter,

and that to me didn't seem fair.

So I made a promise to myself early on because this is what

was gonna work for our family.

This is, you know, my husband, it was, he really wanted me to stay in the business.

He was like, I don't want you to lose this opportunity.

Love what you do.

So let's see.

, at least for a while, if we can work our way through it.

So I made a promise when I went back to work after my maternity leave

that I would make a positive impact in someone's life every day, period.

And that's what would make it all worth it.

So if I was able to make someone smile, if I was able to bring them

joy in any capacity at all, then that makes it worth it and hopefully my.

See that I do that and I love doing that.

So honestly, if I could do anything with the Andy Summer show, money is no object.

It would just be to continue pleasing people as much as we possibly can.

I just love, love and happiness.

Then it's all goodness to me.

Superstar of Philly Radio.

Andy Summers with us today.

Somebody you'd like to hear from.

We'd love to hear your suggestions.

Just email show at brand with on demand.com

and you're invited to stay in touch on social.

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That's brand with P L U S Bandwidth

Plus coming up, Andy Shearon things she knows now.

She really wishes she knew way back when she got started and some

things she'd like to know now.

About the future of our business.

Hi, I'm Jeff McCarthy, vice President of Programming for

Duke Wright's Midwest Communications.

I'm Tony Lano from Throwback Nation Radio.

Hi, this is Dave Tyler from Music Master, with even more raving fans.

Hey, I'm Bailey, program Director for K O S P and Midwest Family

Broadcasting and Springfield, Missouri.

Hi, my name's Jonathan Shu.

I'm the program director at the Legend 6:50 AM W.

Sam ready to join these raving fans.

I'm so thankful for Music Master and the team for helping us

grow our station into what it is

today.

Never

stop learning music.

Master's educational webinars have helped us become excellent.

Music schedulers.

Visit music

master.com today.

I cannot thank

the Music Master team enough.

The stuff we know now we

wish we'd known then.

BRANDwidth On Demand.

We're with Andy Summers.

Oh, she's famous..

Philadelphia 92 5 XTU.

Annie, what's the one thing you know now that you really wish you knew way back

when you got started, and what's one thing you'd like to know now about the future?

Um, gosh, you know, I feel like not knowing is what

brings you to who you are today.

So I'm glad that I was clueless, and e when I was going, when I, you know,

started in radio and had to figure out who to rely on and who to look for for me.

. Um, but I think that that is a good piece of advice if you're

just starting out in the business.

Find a mentor.

Find even if you never talk to that person, follow someone's career if that's

what it takes, and, and just kind of figure out how they got to where they

are and what they're doing that makes them the success that you hope to be.

So I guess that's more advice than it is what I wish that I knew.

I guess I wish I knew back then that just being true to myself.

. Just being the true Andy Summers that I am is what is going to

carry me on in this career.

It's not,

you're good enough.

You're good enough, right?

, Andie: exactly, but it's not

It's just about your authenticity and what that's what your audience is looking for.

They want the real you.

They want the vulnerable you.

They want the screw up.

I'm a terrible mom.

Talk about that all the time.

On the air.

When I was in my twenties, I had such a hard time.

admitting to my mistakes.

You know, I wanted everything to be perfect.

I thought I was a stud, but I think you kind of have to go

through that in your twenties.

That's why everyone does.

And then your thirties are like, oh geez, I was an idiot back then.

. And now you're in your forties, and you're like, yeah.

But thank goodness I went through it because it got me to where I am.

So no regrets you for the most part, . All right.

And then what do I wish to know about?

Like what do I wish I knew about the future?

There's something beautiful in not knowing because it gives me less anxiety, I think,

because I just have to stay so present.

You know, there are so many questions about where this industry is going.

Um, I don't necessarily wanna know the answer to that.

. But yeah, you know, I guess, I guess just knowing that I'll ride off into

the sunset on a good note and on my terms, that would be nice to know.

Hopefully I can make that happen.

Yeah,

a terrific talent.

Andy Summers from 92 5 x to you, Philly.

You'll find all kinds of good stuff, including links to her podcast and more.

Just scroll down on.

As always, our thanks to exec producer Cindy Huber for making this

happen and to Hannah B our associate producer for booking and coming up next,

he knows where we're coming from and he knows what everyone is going through.

Yeah.

That has his no money

and only requires one person who's already working

17 other jobs

to do.

Yeah, no problem.

Let me, uh,

, Kipper: but most important.

He's telling us how to get where we gotta go next.

From Jacob Media Digital dot Connector, Seth Wrestler joins us.

That's a wrap.

Kipper make changing up your show a priority.

The next one Minute Martinizing is about keeping your act fresh.

Find it at BRANDwidth On Demand.

I'm Dave Martin.

And I'm Kipper McGee.