Smokestack Lightnin’ first aired in September, 1991, as the brainchild of Paul Newnum, its founder, and two other equally insane visionaries, Tommy Thompson and Marvin Rooks, who all helped create and nurture the show’s sound.  Soon, Rob McKinney, the fourth “founding member” and tech man extraordinaire, brought his radio and musical experience to the show.  Now, over thirty years later, the show has expanded to an international audience from the United States, Europe, and Canada, to the cities and outback of Australia and innumerable points in between.

In the picture are (L to R) Paul Newnum, Marvin Rooks, Tommy Thompson and Rob McKinney from back in the begining.  

Four men smiling at a social event or party, standing close together indoors with dark background.

Who we are

Paul Newnum

A smiling man with glasses and a beard sitting in front of audio equipment, wearing a black shirt.

Paul Newnum is the mastermind and one of the founders of the show.  It was Paul’s love of the blues, connections to radio in the Orlando market and smooth voice that has made him a listener favorite.

Rob McKinney

A smiling man with short gray hair wearing a blue shirt, holding an acoustic guitar, sitting in a room with a computer, microphone, and various items on shelves in the background.

Rob McKinney joined the Smokestack Team after a couple of years. He had been working in I.T. and in commercial radio since 1985. When the show started streaming he was a natural fit. Rob programs and produces the show as well.

Thank you to these folks for their past efforts:

A smiling older man with gray hair, wearing a striped shirt, standing in front of a stone wall.

Norman “Tommy” Thompson

A man with glasses, a white beard, wearing a gray shirt, standing outdoors near a stone wall.

Marvin “Marv R” Rooks

A man with glasses and a beard, standing indoors with a bookshelf and a camera in the background.

Larry “Web Comedian” Anderson