Sarah Lee Comes Home To Charlotte

• Sarah Lee Owensby is headed home to Charlotte, hired by iHeartMedia as the new morning co-host at Country WKKT (96.9 The Kat), effective October 15. She will plug in next to Country Radio Hall of Famer Paul Schadt to form Paul Schadt and Sarah Lee in the Morning, which will roll weekdays from 5-10am and Saturdays from 7-10am, beginning October 22. Owensby succeeds longtime Kat morning co-host Meg Butterly, who stepped down on August 24 after nine years.

“We are delighted to bring Sarah Lee home to Charlotte,” said Meg Stevens, RVP of Programming for iHeart’s Virginia-Carolina Region and PD of The Kat. “Her knowledge of the area, extraordinary work ethic, and intellect make her the perfect fit to join country radio’s renowned host Paul Schadt in the morning.”

Owensby most recently worked for Black River Entertainment as an artist social media manager. The move back to Charlotte also returns her to her radio roots — she broke in as “Intern Lee” with the syndicated Ace & TJ Show when they were based at WNKS (Kiss 95.1); she later crossed the street to Clear Channel Rhythmic rival WIBT (96.1 The Beat), hired by then PD (and now her husband) Rob Wagman to co-host Brotha Fred’s AM Mayhem. She later went on to co-host mornings with Nick Cannon on CBS Radio’s former WNOW (92.3 NOW)/New York and she was a member of Orlando & The Freak Show on WLLD (WiLD 94.1)/Tampa for a while.

“I’m ecstatic to return to Charlotte and work on-air with one of my idols in the genre my parents raised me in,” said Owensby. “Paul Schadt is not only a talent that I have respected for years, but he is a legend in the format, a mentor, a peer and a friend. It is my deepest honor to be able to call him partner, and a dream come true to wake up the Carolinas on 96.9 The Kat.”