Afternoon Drive 3 pm – 6 pm EST

Shannon Steele grew up in a small mountain town in North Carolina, where his passion for radio began early. At just 12 years old, he spent his afternoons at a local AM station learning the craft of being on the air. By 14, he was DJ’ing school dances, and at 18 he packed his bags for Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, determined to turn his love of radio into a career.

After years of success on the Grand Strand, Shannon accepted a major opportunity in Columbus, Ohio, serving as Afternoon Host and Program Director for one of the city’s top country stations. Throughout his career, he has worked nearly every format imaginable — from Top 40 to Rock to Country — on respected stations including Mix 97.7, Gator 107.9, Wave 104, and the legendary 92.3 WCOL. No matter where radio took him, he always found his way back to his roots: good old country music.

A career-defining moment came on September 19, 2025, when Shannon made his Grand Ole Opry debut as a guest announcer, introducing the legendary Vince Gill — a milestone that underscored his lifelong connection to country music and the Opry tradition.

In the early 2000s, Shannon was personally trained and coached in Los Angeles by his mentor and radio idol, the late great Casey Kasem.

Outside the studio, Shannon is a husband, a father to three amazing young adults, and a drummer on his church worship team.

Today, you can hear Shannon hosting The Kickin’ Kountry Road Show, weekdays from 3–7 pm ET, right here on Kickin’ Kountry 101.