Teri Cunningham is her real name. Kinda. Her maiden name is Eikey but she married Rick Cunningham, so, Cunningham it’s been for decades.
You might even know the Pleasanton neighborhood resident by that name because of her job in real estate and the advertisements connected to the career.
Or maybe you don’t. Maybe you know her as “Nadine” because of her popular radio shows on Tuesday and Saturday mornings. She programs and DJs a one-hour country music broadcast, and she even kicks in a bit of a southern bell’s twang while telling tales about the performers she’s chosen for that particular show.
See, Teri is a Wheeling gal through and through, and that’s why she staunchly celebrates the Jamboree’s 90-year history on and off the air, and also why she’s come to appreciate everything her hometown has that most take for granted. But her father, the late John Eikey, gave her an advantage when teaching her a few important lessons that, in fact, are reminiscent of what late celebrity TV chef Anthony Bourdain advised one day.
Bourdain insisted on something about consuming cream sauce and a pint of beer and checking in with friends and even checking in with yourself, and Teri’s late father – known as “Uncle Snook” to most – added encouragement for her to catch life as it slides on by.
What are your and your husband’s favorite things to do in the Wheeling area?
Living in Wheeling, we have a lot of close friends, and we have dinner with them many times each week at one of our wonderful parks, Wheeling and Oglebay. Summertime here is the best with great music on Sundays at the Anna Kuchinka Amphitheatre, and there’s Tuesdays and Wednesdays with live music, too.
Since we live along (Big Wheeling Creek), we spend time fishing and we do a little kayaking, but our favorite hangout is The Big Crick Yacht Club.
What is the most important “life lesson” your father taught you before he passed away?
It was something from a long time ago … to enjoy the little things, and to not wish time to pass quickly.
And to sit on the porch and just enjoy the day.
Why country music?
Why not?
I have to admit … Rick and I love all kinds of music, and we can rock and roll with the best of them. But with country, you can hear the beginning of American music. You can hear the influence from folks that immigrated here from all over the world. They worked all day on the farms and then someone started playing the fiddle and everyone sang. It was something like that, and singing along was their main entertainment.
Now country has changed and it keeps changing more every day, but there’s still few that embrace that early music. While I don’t make my whole show about that, I love to stick in one or two just for fun.
Who’s Nadine?
When I first was asked to do a show, I worried about using my real name because so many people join clubs and organizations just to get their name out there. The last thing I wanted was people thinking that was why I was on the radio.
I never mention what I do for a living, and that’s because my show is all about the music. It’s all about the Wheeling Jamboree. So, sitting on the deck having a drink and thinking on it, Nadine popped into my head.
At the time, I did not know a Wheeling Jamboree artist did a cover, so when I Googled it I found Billy Payne. And I just knew … I am Nadine.
Which menu item that you order from a local eatery do you wish you could make at home?
That’s a tough one. If we were on the eastern shore, it would be Maryland Blue Crab. Plus, everything at Abby’s. Lol!
OH. WAIT. The shrimp and corn chowder at Uncle Pete’s …
