Devon O'Day
Encyclopedia
Devon O'Day is an American radio personality
, former plus-sized model
for the Ford Modeling Agency, songwriter
, and an author
.
Reared in Pineville
(the home of "cheese grits"), she is a long-term Tennessee
an, and was a New Yorker along the way. O'Day has traveled extensively.
A graduate of the University of Louisiana at Monroe
, then Northeast Louisiana University, she did post-graduate work in the writer's program of continuing education at New York University
, and worked as a plus-sized model at the prestigious Ford Modeling Agency in New York City.
In NYC, Devon O'Day studied voice-over and commercial acting at the Weist-Barron School, although voiceover work
soon
became her main focus.
Her radio career began in 1977 at KRRV-FM in Alexandria, moving to KPAL-FM in Pineville, KNOE-FM in Monroe
, and continued with an eighteen year stint at WSIX in Nashville
as part of the #1 morning show in the U.S.
, Gerry House and the House Foundation.
, she hosts Country Hitmakers on 100 radio stations across the country, as well as launching Country Spirit nationally (a weekly gospel/inspirational radio show), and narrating the "Impact Songs" series for the Bravo network. She also hosts weekend shows on SIRIUS
Radio's Spirit Channel. Her voice is heard on campaigns, promotions, and programs for The Billy Graham Crusade
, Women of Faith
, United Methodist Communications, KFC
, Hilton Hotels
, Drexel Heritage Furniture, United Way, and many others. Her voice has been heard on CBS
, PBS
, NBC
, TNN
, CMT
, Lifetime, RFD-TV
, MSNBC
, and Fox
.
She has been the voice of choice to narrate specials at the request of such artists as Garth Brooks
, The Dixie Chicks, Kenny Chesney
, Trace Adkins
, John Michael Montgomery
, The Isaacs
, Bill Gaither, and Trisha Yearwood
.
Her songwriting career includes credits by George Strait
, Hank Williams, Jr, Lee Ann Womack
, Kim McLean
, Dolly Parton
, Ray Stevens
, Trace Adkins
, Neal McCoy
and more. Though now an ASCAP songwriter, she holds a "Million-Air" award from BMI
.
Her first book, My Angels Wear Fur, was published by Rutledge Hill Press in 2001. In late 2006, Goodbye My Friend: Celebrating the Memory of a Pet, a gift book/CD for pet loss with text by O'Day and music by Kim McLean
was released. She continues to write books on animal subjects, magazine articles, and 'ghost' projects for recording artists in the country and pop fields upon request.
O'Day joined Kim McLean
in founding Hippie Chick Twang, a record label, media company, and music publishing house in Nashville
. She lives with her horses, dogs, and cats just outside Nashville. It is not clear if she has ever been married.
Her sister is the Los Angeles
-based TV/film
actress/cook-book author Faith Ford
, and her brother-in-law is Campion Murphy
.
Radio personality
A radio personality is a person with an on-air position in radio broadcasting. A radio personality can be someone who introduces and discusses various genres of music, hosts a talk radio show that may take calls from listeners, or someone whose primary responsibility is to give news, weather,...
, former plus-sized model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
for the Ford Modeling Agency, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, and an author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
.
Reared in Pineville
Pineville, Louisiana
Pineville is a city in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is adjacent to the city of Alexandria, and is part of that city's Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,829 at the 2000 census....
(the home of "cheese grits"), she is a long-term Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
an, and was a New Yorker along the way. O'Day has traveled extensively.
A graduate of the University of Louisiana at Monroe
University of Louisiana at Monroe
The University of Louisiana at Monroe is a coeducational public university in Monroe, Louisiana and part of the University of Louisiana System.-History:...
, then Northeast Louisiana University, she did post-graduate work in the writer's program of continuing education at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
, and worked as a plus-sized model at the prestigious Ford Modeling Agency in New York City.
In NYC, Devon O'Day studied voice-over and commercial acting at the Weist-Barron School, although voiceover work
Voice-over
Voice-over is a production technique where a voice which is not part of the narrative is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations...
soon
became her main focus.
Her radio career began in 1977 at KRRV-FM in Alexandria, moving to KPAL-FM in Pineville, KNOE-FM in Monroe
Monroe, Louisiana
Monroe is a city in and the parish seat of Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 53,107, making it the eighth largest city in Louisiana. A July 1, 2007, United States Census Bureau estimate placed the population at 51,208, but 51,636...
, and continued with an eighteen year stint at WSIX in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
as part of the #1 morning show in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Gerry House and the House Foundation.
, she hosts Country Hitmakers on 100 radio stations across the country, as well as launching Country Spirit nationally (a weekly gospel/inspirational radio show), and narrating the "Impact Songs" series for the Bravo network. She also hosts weekend shows on SIRIUS
Sirius
Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. With a visual apparent magnitude of −1.46, it is almost twice as bright as Canopus, the next brightest star. The name "Sirius" is derived from the Ancient Greek: Seirios . The star has the Bayer designation Alpha Canis Majoris...
Radio's Spirit Channel. Her voice is heard on campaigns, promotions, and programs for The Billy Graham Crusade
Billy Graham
William Franklin "Billy" Graham, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian evangelist. As of April 25, 2010, when he met with Barack Obama, Graham has spent personal time with twelve United States Presidents dating back to Harry S. Truman, and is number seven on Gallup's list of admired people for...
, Women of Faith
Women of Faith
is a Christian women’s organization that has been holding non-denominational conferences at various locations around North America since 1996. According to their Web site, Women of Faith is a faith-based women’s organization encouraging women of all ages and stages in life to grow in faith and...
, United Methodist Communications, KFC
KFC
KFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. KFC has been a brand and operating segment, termed a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global...
, Hilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels & Resorts is an international chain of full-service hotels and resorts founded by Conrad Hilton and now owned by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton hotels are either owned by, managed by, or franchised to independent operators by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton Hotels became the first coast-to-coast...
, Drexel Heritage Furniture, United Way, and many others. Her voice has been heard on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
, NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, TNN
The Nashville Network
The Nashville Network, usually referred to as TNN, was an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming included music videos, taped concerts, movies, syndicated programs, and numerous talk shows...
, CMT
CMT
- Medicine :* California mastitis test* Certified Massage Therapist* Cervical motion tenderness, a sign of pelvic inflammatory disease* Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease* Chemically modified tetracyclines* Circus Movement Tachycardia...
, Lifetime, RFD-TV
RFD-TV
RFD-TV, or Rural Free Delivery TV, is a United States satellite and cable television channel devoted to rural issues, concerns, and interests. The channel's name is a reference to Rural Free Delivery, the name for the United States Postal Service's system of delivering mail directly to rural patrons...
, MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
, and Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
.
She has been the voice of choice to narrate specials at the request of such artists as Garth Brooks
Garth Brooks
Troyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...
, The Dixie Chicks, Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney
Kenneth "Kenny" Arnold Chesney is an American country music singer and songwriter. Chesney has recorded 15 albums, 14 of which have been certified gold or higher by the RIAA. He has also produced more than 30 Top Ten singles on the U.S...
, Trace Adkins
Trace Adkins
Tracy Darrell "Trace" Adkins is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1996 with the album Dreamin' Out Loud, released on Capitol Records Nashville. Since then, Adkins has released seven more studio albums and two Greatest Hits compilations...
, John Michael Montgomery
John Michael Montgomery
John Michael Montgomery is an American country music artist. He has produced more than thirty singles on the Billboard country charts, including two of Billboard’s Number One country singles of the year: "I Swear" and "Sold "...
, The Isaacs
The Isaacs
The Isaacs are a country and bluegrass gospel music group consisting of mother Lily Isaacs, and daughters Becky and Sonya Isaacs and son Ben Isaacs, along with John Bowman as an instrumentalist and songwriter. Joe Isaacs, formerly a singer and banjo player in the group, has left since his 1998...
, Bill Gaither, and Trisha Yearwood
Trisha Yearwood
Patricia Lynn Yearwood, professionally known as Trisha Yearwood , is an American country music artist. She is best known for her ballads about vulnerable young women from a female perspective that have been described by some music critics as "strong" and "confident."Trisha Yearwood signed with MCA...
.
Her songwriting career includes credits by George Strait
George Strait
George Harvey Strait is an American country music singer, actor, and music producer. Strait is referred to as the "King of Country," and critics call Strait a living legend. He is known for his unique style of western swing music, bar-room ballads, honky-tonk style, and fresh yet traditional...
, Hank Williams, Jr, Lee Ann Womack
Lee Ann Womack
Lee Ann Womack is an American country music singer and songwriter, who is best known for her old fashioned-styled country music songs that often discuss subjects such as cheating and lost love....
, Kim McLean
Kim McLean
Kim McLean is a singer-songwriter originally from Greensboro, North Carolina of Irish-Cherokee heritage...
, Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
, Ray Stevens
Ray Stevens
Ray Stevens is an American country music, pop singer-songwriter who has become known for his novelty songs.-Early career:...
, Trace Adkins
Trace Adkins
Tracy Darrell "Trace" Adkins is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1996 with the album Dreamin' Out Loud, released on Capitol Records Nashville. Since then, Adkins has released seven more studio albums and two Greatest Hits compilations...
, Neal McCoy
Neal McCoy
Hubert Neal McGaughey, Jr. is an American country music singer of mixed Irish and Filipino descent. Known professionally as Neal McCoy, he has released ten studio albums on various labels, and has released 34 singles to country radio...
and more. Though now an ASCAP songwriter, she holds a "Million-Air" award from BMI
Broadcast Music Incorporated
Broadcast Music, Inc. is one of three United States performing rights organizations, along with ASCAP and SESAC. It collects license fees on behalf of songwriters, composers, and music publishers and distributes them as royalties to those members whose works have been performed...
.
Her first book, My Angels Wear Fur, was published by Rutledge Hill Press in 2001. In late 2006, Goodbye My Friend: Celebrating the Memory of a Pet, a gift book/CD for pet loss with text by O'Day and music by Kim McLean
Kim McLean
Kim McLean is a singer-songwriter originally from Greensboro, North Carolina of Irish-Cherokee heritage...
was released. She continues to write books on animal subjects, magazine articles, and 'ghost' projects for recording artists in the country and pop fields upon request.
O'Day joined Kim McLean
Kim McLean
Kim McLean is a singer-songwriter originally from Greensboro, North Carolina of Irish-Cherokee heritage...
in founding Hippie Chick Twang, a record label, media company, and music publishing house in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. She lives with her horses, dogs, and cats just outside Nashville. It is not clear if she has ever been married.
Her sister is the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
-based TV/film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
actress/cook-book author Faith Ford
Faith Ford
Faith Ford is an American television and film actress, known for having played the roles of Corky Sherwood on Murphy Brown and Hope Fairfield-Shanowski on Hope & Faith.-Early life:...
, and her brother-in-law is Campion Murphy
Campion Murphy
Campion E. Murphy is a film and television actor, writer, and producer, as well as a personal trainer.He began his career in the film and television industry as a Production Assistant with Paramount Studios...
.