Awake with Drake - hosted by Craig Debolt

11/02/2025

Beloved Spartanburg voice for many, Lou Sartor, is now celebrating the fruits she planted over many years. A tremendous friend of Awake With Drake and me personally. She will be missed here greatly but deserves her glory!!!

The Spartanburg Soup Kitchen announced Tuesday the passing of Executive Director Lou Sartor.

07/06/2024

Remembering Bill Drake’s “Awake with Drake” partner, Thomas (Tom) Manley Herndon.
February 5, 1938 — May 31, 2024
Boiling Springs

Thomas (Tom) Manley Herndon, 86, of Boiling Springs, died Friday, May 31, 2024, at Spartanburg Medical Center. A native of Bennettsville, SC, he was born on February 5, 1938, a son of the late Kenney and Mildred Evelyn Pratt Herndon.

He retired in Radio Sales and Management, starting his career in 1955 at WBSC in Bennettsville, and then worked in Winston Salem, NC, Taylorsville, NC and North Wilkesboro, NC. He moved to Spartanburg and worked with WORD, WKDY and WSPA, before retiring as co-owner and partner with Bill Drake at “Awake with Drake”. He was a member of St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church where he served as a Lector, a member of the Knights of Columbus Council # 6076 4th degree, Grand Knight of the 3rd degree and Faithful Navigator of the 4th degree. He was a member and past president of the Spartanburg Luncheon Optimist Club, past Lt. Gov. to the SC Optimist District and a former member and president of the Jaycees in Bennettsville, SC.

Surviving is his wife, Elizabeth Freno (Betty) Herndon; daughters, Nancy Newton Lynn (Greg) of Inman and Amy Elizabeth Johnston (David) of Boiling Springs; sons, Paul Richard Newton of Washington, DC, and Jeffrey Thomas Herndon (Megan) of Chattanooga, TN; grandchildren, James Thomas Lynn, William Connor Lynn (CiGi Curry), Kristopher Jordan Johnston, Claire Elizabeth Laws (Shawn), Kenneth Michael Emory Herndon (Miranda Jones)and Gerik Matthew Johnston; sister, Martha Claire (Motsy) Campbell (Tommy) of Laurinburg, NC and several nieces and nephew. He was predeceased by his brothers, Brian Douglas Herndon and Michael Bruce Herndon.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, June 8, 2024, at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, 290 East Main Street, Spartanburg, SC 29302 conducted by the Rev. David R. Whitman. A reception will follow the service in the Parish Life Center. Honorary es**rt will be members of Knights of Columbus Council #6076.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, 161 N. Dean Street, Spartanburg, SC 29302 or the Spartanburg Soup Kitchen, 136 South Forest Street, Spartanburg, SC 29306.

An online guest register is available at www.floydmortuary.com

Floyd’s North Church Street Chapel

Craig Debolt

22/01/2017

Excellent memories a cup can bring.

17/08/2015

From Bill's son Dan Drake....

Awake With Drake - a Spartanburg morning radio fixture for decades - aired it's final broadcast Friday morning.

13/08/2015

The Final Awake with Drake show airs tomorrow. Please tune in if Bill Drake ever meant anything to you. And, if you live in Spartanburg County, he did whether you knew it or not! We'll have some VERY special guests with us as well as extra special audio from Bill's historic broadcasts, now archived at the Spartanburg Library. I'll talk to you tomorrow!

10/08/2015

Bill's friend and our U.S. House of Representative, Rita Allison joins us tomorrow morning at 7am on Awake with Drake! Also, the final regular match of Bill Drake's Battle of the Brains airs tomorrow in the 8am hour. Championship airs thursday at 8am. Talk with ya tomorrow!

09/08/2015

Bob Fulton (Voice of the Gamecocks and good friend of Bill's) is Bill Drakes guest in the 8am hour circa 1991. Special thanks to the for all of the digitized content. Relive Awake with Drake classic broadcasts on the show this final week or in the future at the downtown library. Talk to you tomorrow at 6am for your first call to breakfast!

06/08/2015

Thank you to the Spartanburg COunty Public Library! THey have digitized most all of Bill's classic interviews. I am featuring them all through next Friday. JAne Dalton (WSPA-TV) was a special guest this morning as well as baseball legend "Powerhouse" E.C. Hawkins. Battle of the Brains in the 8am hour!

05/08/2015

Bill and Gary Poole all this hour in their funny Meriment PLayers!

04/08/2015

A special message to the Awake with Drake family......

24/07/2015

John and Lynn Poole (amazing Spartanburg pillars) join their good friend Bill Drake today on Awake with Drake in the 8am hour. It'll be Fall 1994 as Bill is broadcasting from the trailers out at the TV station. They had moved us out of downtown and were getting ready to sell the radio stations. John and Lynn Poole discuss their mentally re****ed son, Lee, and his care, life and story. This hour is dedicated in loving memory of
Lee Sterling Poole (May 2, 1982 – November 8, 2009)
beloved son of John and Lynne Poole and brother of Brad.