By VICKI BROWN
Originally from Wickliffe, Ohio, and later a resident of Charlotte, North Carolina, Darryl Badley had never even heard of Walterboro, South Carolina. Now, he is a resident who loves his new hometown.
“Compare Charlotte to Walterboro, it’s like night and day. But I really love it here and the small-town life,” said Badley, who happened upon Walterboro while traveling to see family. He stopped in Walterboro and fell in love with the city, he said.
As President of Badley Holdings, LLC, he also serves as the lead pastor at Unity Walterboro and is president /CEO at the Christian Warrior Radio Network, where he hosts “The Praise Connection” radio program.
His booming deep bass voice can be heard across the airwaves every day in Walterboro: Christian Warrior Radio Network is an online station that can be picked up by phone or computer. Listeners can go to cwradio.net or download the mobile app.
“The Praise Connection” is live on Facebook, where Badley hosts and interviews different people.
“I developed the Christian Warrior Radio Network as the nation’s only radio station dedicated to providing inspiration and information to our community and to veterans,” said Badley, who studied mass communications, music, and music education at Virginia State University and at the University of South Carolina. He had just started the station in Charlotte when Covid made its appearance.
“I followed the pattern of other companies and radio stations that went online,” he said.
Badley decided to have his station specialize in inspiring and creating an outlet to veterans, a target group who had a soaring suicide rate during Covid. “My target audience began as an outlet for veterans, mainly because 92 percent of veterans claim to follow Christianity, and the suicide rate is so high for them. So, I try to provide information for them and a way to connect with them,” Badley said. “But the station is really for everyone.”
A former 92Y Unit Supply Specialist in the U.S. Army, Badley was unfamiliar with any type of segregation, especially in churches. “In the military you have no color…everyone is green!” he said, laughing. “But I found that in the south here, while all races work, eat, and even socialize together, on Sundays we go our separate ways and segregate ourselves into churches of one color. But I wanted my station to be for all races and music tastes.” Badley says he plays a variety of music that can be played all day. If you don’t like one song, he says to just hang on, a song you do like will be playing shortly.
With his talents and education, Badley felt that God had chosen him for a special assignment at this point in his life. “When I came to Walterboro, I really couldn’t believe that there was no radio station in this town. I decided this is where I needed to be and what I needed to be doing. God said, ‘Why not Walterboro’? so this is where I am.”
Badley has big plans for the future, but for the time being he works at his church and is searching for a permanent location for his radio station. But he can often be seen in the community serving as an MC for local events and fundraisers.
“I want to provide a voice for the community that offers resources, help and hope to everyone,” said Badley.
