Combining household cleaning with old school tunes would prove to be the perfect formula for success for Mary Kingcannon.

While growing up in Denver, Mrs. Kingcannon recalls Saturday mornings enjoying the sultry sounds of Al Green and Marvin Gaye with her mother and two brothers.

"I just always loved music," the former Augusta radio DJ said. "I would get so excited when we would open up the windows and turn up the music on our eight-tracks and 45s."

Saturday mornings were filled with soul music and Sunday mornings were all about church and gospel music. Both morning rituals would help her find her way toward a 25-year career in radio. The gospel radio veteran ended her 17-year career at WTHB/FM-AM last month, but she said she plans to continue reaching her faithful fans through community service until she makes her return to radio.

Reaching out to people was Mrs. Kingcannon's goal before she ever entered a radio station.

After marrying her husband, the Rev. David Kingcannon, she pursued a degree in therapeutic recreation at Denver Technical College. She began working with AIDS patients and those suffering from alcohol and drug addiction while pursuing her degree, but music was still waiting in the wings.

She frequently visited her favorite radio station, KDKO, on the weekends. Eventually, radio programmers at the station let her lend her voice to church announcements.

"I would go up there during the gospel morning show, and one day the owner asked me to be a DJ," she said. "He said he loved my voice."

At 24, Mrs. Kingcannon's voice landed her a job as the soul radio station's gospel program director. Though she had apprehensions, her husband's support helped.

Mrs. Kingcannon soon realized she was doing more than spinning gospel records.

"It was my ministry. It became my pulpit to the community," she said. "While people drove in their cars or listened in their living rooms or at work, I would remind people when you're down to nothing, remember God is up to something."

She honed her interviewing skills at KDKO by speaking with premier music artists including gospel legend Andrae Crouch.

After eight years there, Augusta would become her new home when her husband began pastoring at Trumpet in Zion Fellowship.

The couple, along with two children, Joseph, 3, and Destiny, then 3 weeks old, were welcomed to Augusta with open arms, Mrs. Kingcannon said. She started at WTHB as soon as she moved to Augusta, and the connection with listeners soon followed, said Sheila Eldridge, vice president of Perry Broadcasting of Augusta.

"She is an icon in the market," Ms. Eldridge said. "She's had a long commitment to the Augusta community."

She decided to push pause on her radio career to help raise her first grandchild in early October. Since then, she has been master of ceremonies at several fundraising and community events.

Though she's enjoying her time off, she still plans to return to radio.

"I may even own my own radio station one day. You never know," she said. "I know radio is powerful. A song can be played and a word can be spoken that will change people's lives."

Reach Stephanie Toone at (706) 823-3215 or stephanie.toone@augustachronicle.com.