September 17, 2026 - Atlanta Wire

Devin Steel: You Can’t Tell the Story of Memphis Hip-Hop Without Him

Atlanta Wire Staff on September 17, 2026

By Lennard James

Every music city has people behind the scenes who help determine what the world eventually hears. They recognize talent before the spotlight arrives, understand audiences before trends become obvious and create platforms that allow artists to move from neighborhood recognition to broader success. When it comes to Memphis and its unmistakable contribution to hip-hop culture, Devin Steel belongs in that conversation.

Simply put, you cannot talk about Memphis hip-hop without talking about Devin Steel.

For more than 30 years, Steel has built a career in Urban and Hip-Hop radio as a DJ, on-air personality, programmer and executive. His journey has taken him from college radio to leadership positions at major stations, but Memphis remains an essential part of his professional story.

Steel spent nearly two decades at K97 (WHRK-FM) in Memphis, where he served in several significant capacities, including afternoon host, Program Director and eventually Senior Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia’s Memphis cluster and Delta Region. Those years placed him at the intersection of radio, music, artists and the culture of a city whose influence on hip-hop would eventually reach around the world. Memphis has always had its own sound.

Long before the current generation of Memphis artists achieved national and international recognition, the city was developing a musical identity built around distinctive production, unapologetic storytelling, street culture, Southern rhythm and authenticity. Radio played an important role in connecting that music to audiences, and Steel became one of the professionals who helped make those connections.

His importance was never limited to sitting behind a microphone.

Programming a major urban radio station requires understanding far more than music. It requires knowing the audience, recognizing emerging trends, evaluating records, developing personalities and maintaining a station’s relationship with the community it serves. A successful programmer has to understand what listeners want today while developing an instinct for what they may want tomorrow.

Steel developed that instinct over decades.

As Memphis hip-hop grew, so did his reputation as someone who understood both the business and the culture. He became a familiar figure to artists, DJs, executives and aspiring entertainment professionals trying to understand how records moved from studios and clubs into radio rotation and larger markets.

His influence also came through mentorship.

The music business can appear glamorous from the outside, but behind every successful artist, DJ or personality are countless lessons about preparation, relationships, professionalism and consistency. Steel has earned respect for sharing his experience and helping emerging talent better understand those realities.

That willingness to develop people may ultimately be as important as any playlist he programmed.

A great programmer can help create a successful station. A great mentor can help create an entire generation of professionals.

Steel’s career has also demonstrated his ability to evolve.

Radio has undergone enormous transformation during his three decades in the industry. Traditional broadcasting has been challenged by streaming services, podcasts, social media, digital platforms and dramatic changes in how audiences discover music. The days when listeners depended exclusively on radio to hear a new record are gone.

Yet radio still possesses something algorithms cannot fully reproduce: a connection to the personality and culture of a city.

Steel understands that relationship.

For Memphis, radio has historically been more than entertainment. It has been a community gathering place. The voices coming through the speakers become familiar. DJs introduce records, promote events, recognize local accomplishments and provide artists with opportunities to connect directly with their hometown.

Steel spent years helping shape that experience.

His professional journey has now brought him to Atlanta, another city with an extraordinary hip-hop legacy. In 2026, Steel became Program Director of Hot 107.9 (WHTA), placing his decades of experience behind one of Atlanta’s prominent urban radio brands.

The move represents another chapter in a career built on understanding audiences, developing talent and recognizing the relationship between radio and culture.

Steel’s programming philosophy has emphasized listening to the audience rather than simply following industry assumptions. He has also spoken about the importance of personal relationships and face-to-face networking in a business increasingly dominated by emails, social media messages and digital communication.

That philosophy makes sense for someone whose career was developed during an era when relationships were essential currency in the entertainment industry.

Technology changes. Platforms change. Formats change.

Relationships still matter.

Steel’s career is evidence of that.

His journey from college radio to Memphis, from on-air personality to senior programming executive and now to leadership in Atlanta demonstrates both longevity and adaptability. Remaining relevant for more than three decades in an industry that constantly reinvents itself requires more than talent. It requires discipline, curiosity and the willingness to evolve.

But regardless of where his career takes him, Memphis remains an important chapter in the Devin Steel story, and Devin Steel remains an important chapter in the story of Memphis music.

The city’s modern hip-hop history is filled with artists, producers, DJs, executives, promoters, radio personalities and cultural tastemakers who collectively helped create a movement. Steel was positioned in the middle of that ecosystem during an important period of its development.

He heard the records.

He knew the artists.

He understood the audience.

And he helped provide a platform where music and community could meet.

Today, a younger generation of artists can release a song online and potentially reach millions of people almost immediately. But the infrastructure that helped establish Memphis as a nationally recognized hip-hop city was built over decades by people who believed in the city’s sound before the rest of the country fully understood its significance.

Devin Steel is one of those people.

His story represents more than radio. It represents longevity, relationships, mentorship and an understanding of culture that cannot be manufactured.

After more than 30 years in the industry, Steel continues to influence what audiences hear while helping develop the people responsible for what comes next.

You simply cannot mention Memphis hip-hop without mentioning Devin Steel. His fingerprints are on an important era of the city’s musical journey, and as his career continues in Atlanta, the influence of those Memphis years travels with him.

Ashley Puckett Refuses to Quit, and Maybe That’s the Whole Point

Atlanta Wire Staff on September 17, 2026

By: Cole Harrison

There is a particular species of mythology that the music business loves selling us: somebody picks up a guitar, writes three songs, gets discovered in a bar, signs a contract, and six months later is staring down from a billboard while everybody pretends destiny had the whole thing scheduled.

Ashley Puckett’s career is not that story.

Thank God.

Puckett comes from North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, outside Pittsburgh, which isn’t exactly the first place the average country-music executive circles while hunting for tomorrow’s Nashville sensation. But Puckett grew up with country music in her bloodstream while Pittsburgh’s broader musical culture surrounded her with everything else. She listened. She absorbed. And eventually she started singing.

There were vocal competitions, community events, open mics, bars and clubs, the unglamorous places where performers discover whether they actually want this life or merely like imagining it.

At 16, Puckett picked up a guitar and began writing.

Then life happened.

This is the part usually deleted from artist biographies because careers supposedly aren’t allowed to contain blank spaces. Puckett had years when she barely sang or wrote. Music wasn’t moving forward because sometimes nothing moves forward.

She has admitted regretting those years.

But music came back.

Or maybe she came back to music. The distinction hardly matters.

What matters is that when Puckett returned, she didn’t treat the whole thing like some nostalgic hobby. She went after it. Working with producer Bryan Cole and engineer Doug Kasper, along with a collection of accomplished musicians, she eventually made the record whose title now seems almost comically appropriate: Never Say Never.

Released in 2020, the album planted a flag.

“Medicine” gained national attention. Then came “Bulletproof,” a song Puckett would later identify as one of those moments when this ridiculous, improbable dream suddenly began resembling an actual career.

That’s the dirty secret about musicians: sometimes they need proof, too.

Fans imagine artists moving through the world fueled by unlimited self-confidence. Nonsense. Artists wake up wondering whether anybody cares. They stare at streaming numbers. They play rooms where somebody is talking through the quiet song. They wonder whether they’ve started too late or haven’t moved fast enough.

Puckett kept moving.

“What’s Her Name” followed. Then came “Tequila,” a self-written song that reached the Music Row Country Chart and demonstrated that Puckett wasn’t interested in being merely the voice at the microphone. She wanted ownership of the stories.

And then came “Anchor.”

Now we’re getting somewhere.

“Anchor” wasn’t merely another release. Puckett has described it as a turning point because she allowed genuine heartbreak into the writing instead of putting emotional bubble wrap around it.

That’s where songs become dangerous.

Not dangerous in the leather-pants, smashed-television, rock-star sense. Emotionally dangerous. The songwriter puts something real into the world and loses control over who gets to hear it, misunderstand it, love it, or recognize themselves inside it.

People responded to “Anchor.”

And Puckett learned the lesson every worthwhile songwriter eventually learns: listeners can smell emotional dishonesty faster than musicians think they can.

So she stopped sugarcoating.

Which brings us to “Stone Cold Broken Heart.”

Puckett entered 2026 apparently not expecting some massive creative eruption. She wasn’t planning another album. Then songs started arriving.

The forthcoming single began while she was driving a familiar winding road with too much on her mind. She passed a “10 Ton” marker she’d seen countless times and suddenly thought that ten tons were nothing compared with the weight inside her head.

Boom.

Song title.

“Stone Cold Broken Heart.”

That’s songwriting at its best, not twelve people in a conference room analyzing playlist metrics, but one human being driving down a road when language suddenly collides with experience.

Puckett says this new material feels different. More personal. More authentic. More her.

Good.

Because that’s where her entire career seems to have been heading.

From Never Say Never through “Bulletproof,” “Tequila,” and “Anchor,” the trajectory isn’t really about somebody gradually becoming famous. It’s about somebody gradually becoming less afraid of sounding like herself.

There’s a difference.

And Puckett isn’t pretending she’s finished.

She wants the Grand Ole Opry. She wants a Billboard hit. She wants a Grammy. She’s even talked about recording a duet she’s written with Joe Nichols.

Why shouldn’t she?

The music industry is populated by people constantly telling artists to be realistic right up until something unrealistic happens.

Ashley Puckett’s story is therefore less about arrival than refusal.

Refusal to accept the years away from music as the ending.

Refusal to believe geography determines who gets to make country records.

Refusal to let heartbreak remain something privately endured instead of creatively transformed.

And, increasingly, refusal to hide behind safer songs.

Maybe “Stone Cold Broken Heart” becomes another career milestone. Maybe it becomes the doorway to the album Puckett never expected to make. Nobody knows yet.

That’s the beautiful part.

The road remains unfinished.

Ashley Puckett is still driving it.

And this time, she’s paying attention to the signs.

Discount Airline Volaris Launches Nonstop Atlanta-to-Mexico Flights October 2 with Fares Starting at $55

Atlanta Wire Staff 2 on September 17, 2026

Mexican budget carrier Volaris will begin nonstop service between Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Guadalajara on October 2, 2026, with four weekly departures and one-way fares starting at $55. The airline is also adding Atlanta-to-Mexico City flights later this year, expanding international options at the world’s busiest airport and giving Atlanta travelers a low-cost entry point to two of Mexico’s largest cities.

Key Takeaways

Volaris launches nonstop Atlanta-to-Guadalajara service on October 2, 2026, operating four flights per week from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. One-way fares start at $55.
Atlanta-to-Mexico City service is also planned for later in 2026, with December fares listed on the Volaris website starting at $186.
Volaris becomes the 28th airline to operate out of Hartsfield-Jackson, which serves more than 100 million passengers annually.
The carrier originally planned a December 2026 Atlanta launch but accelerated its timeline by two months.
Volaris has operated for 20 years across 73 airports in Mexico, the United States, and South America, with an all-Airbus fleet.

Hartsfield-Jackson Adds Its First Mexican Budget Carrier

Hartsfield-Jackson confirmed the arrival on its official social media channels in mid-September, teasing the announcement with a riddle before naming the airline. The airport posted that its “newest arrival is bringing a little more color to ATL,” noting that the carrier “calls Mexico home” and that “its fleet is made up entirely of Airbus aircraft.” A follow-up post welcomed Volaris directly, stating that the airline brings “even more ways to connect ATL with Mexico.”

The addition of Volaris marks the first time a Mexican ultra-low-cost carrier has established scheduled service at Hartsfield-Jackson. The airport already hosts nonstop service to Guadalajara through an existing carrier, meaning Atlanta travelers flying to Mexico’s second-largest city will now have a choice between a full-service option and a budget alternative. The competitive dynamic on the route is expected to put downward pressure on fares, particularly for leisure travelers and Atlanta’s sizable Mexican and Latin American diaspora community.

Volaris had originally announced plans to begin Atlanta service in December 2026, but the airline moved its launch date forward to October, a shift that suggests confidence in the route’s demand profile. The Guadalajara-Atlanta corridor connects two metropolitan areas with deep economic and cultural ties: Guadalajara is Mexico’s second-largest metro area and a hub for technology, manufacturing, and tourism, while Atlanta’s Latino population has grown steadily over the past two decades and now represents a significant share of the metro area’s consumer travel market.

$55 Fares Position Volaris as the Low-Cost Option on the Route

The fare structure Volaris is bringing to Atlanta follows the ultra-low-cost model the airline has used across its network for two decades. Base fares start at $55 one-way for Atlanta-to-Guadalajara flights in October, with the airline’s unbundled pricing model allowing travelers to add baggage, seat selection, and other services for additional fees. Atlanta-to-Mexico City fares are listed starting at $186 for December departures, though availability and pricing will shift as booking windows narrow.

For Atlanta residents who travel to Mexico frequently, particularly for family visits, holidays, or business, the pricing represents a meaningful reduction in the cost of entry. Round-trip fares on the Guadalajara route could come in under $200 during off-peak periods if promotional pricing holds. That pricing tier opens up international travel to a segment of the market that may have previously found nonstop flights to Mexico cost-prohibitive, especially for families booking multiple seats.

Volaris operates an all-Airbus fleet and currently flies out of 73 airports across Mexico, the United States, and South America. The airline’s Guadalajara hub is central to its U.S. expansion strategy, with more than 100 daily flights reportedly planned from the hub to a growing list of American cities. Atlanta is part of that broader push, and the accelerated October launch suggests the airline views Hartsfield-Jackson as a priority market rather than an experimental route.

The Atlanta-Mexico Travel Corridor Is Growing

The Volaris entry arrives at a moment when Atlanta’s international air connectivity continues to expand. Hartsfield-Jackson already serves more than 100 million passengers annually and connects to more than 150 international destinations through its roster of 27 airlines. Adding Volaris as the 28th carrier deepens the airport’s reach into Latin America, a region that has become increasingly important to Atlanta’s economic and demographic profile.

Atlanta’s position as a gateway for global trade and international business connections has long been tied to Hartsfield-Jackson’s network breadth. But the airport’s international growth is no longer driven solely by full-service carriers and business travelers. Budget airlines serving leisure routes and diaspora corridors are becoming a more visible part of the mix, and Volaris fits squarely into that trend. The airline’s model is built around high-frequency, low-fare service on routes where price sensitivity is the primary driver of demand.

Metro Atlanta’s Hispanic and Latino population has grown substantially over the past two decades. The U.S. Census Bureau’s most recent estimates place the Latino share of the metro population above 12 percent, with significant concentrations in Gwinnett, DeKalb, and Cobb counties. For that community, direct low-cost flights to Guadalajara and Mexico City are not a novelty but a practical service that addresses a longstanding gap in the market. The route also holds appeal for leisure travelers drawn to Guadalajara’s cultural scene, tequila country excursions, and Pacific coast access through nearby Puerto Vallarta.

Hartsfield-Jackson Continues to Build International Capacity

The Volaris announcement is part of a broader pattern of international route additions at Hartsfield-Jackson over the past several years. The airport has actively courted new carriers and new routes, particularly to Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe, as part of a strategy to diversify its traffic base beyond the domestic network that has historically driven its passenger volume. International passengers tend to generate higher per-passenger revenue for airports through duty-free retail, concessions, and premium lounge usage, making new international service economically attractive even when individual routes operate at modest frequency.

For Volaris, Atlanta represents a high-value addition to its U.S. network. The city’s position as a Southeastern hub, combined with Hartsfield-Jackson’s massive connecting passenger flow, gives the airline exposure not just to Atlanta residents but to travelers from across the region who connect through the airport. Whether the carrier eventually expands beyond four weekly flights on the Guadalajara route will depend on load factors and booking patterns through the initial months of service.

Volaris flights from Atlanta to Guadalajara begin October 2, 2026. Fares and schedules are available through the Volaris website and standard travel booking platforms.

FAQs

When Does Volaris Start Flying from Atlanta?

Volaris begins nonstop service from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to Guadalajara on October 2, 2026. The airline will operate four flights per week on the route. Atlanta-to-Mexico City service is planned for later in 2026.

How Much Do Volaris Flights from Atlanta Cost?

One-way fares from Atlanta to Guadalajara start at $55 for October 2026 departures. Atlanta-to-Mexico City fares are listed starting at $186 for December. Volaris uses an unbundled pricing model, meaning baggage, seat selection, and other services are priced separately from the base fare.

How Many Airlines Operate at Hartsfield-Jackson?

Volaris becomes the 28th airline to operate scheduled service at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The airport serves more than 100 million passengers annually and connects to more than 150 international destinations.

Does Volaris Fly to Other U.S. Cities?

Volaris operates across 73 airports in Mexico, the United States, and South America. The airline’s Guadalajara hub serves as the base for its expanding U.S. network, with nonstop service to multiple American cities. The carrier has been in operation for 20 years and flies an all-Airbus fleet.