NATCHEZ &8212; For two local radio announcers, a connection with listeners is its own reward.

Henry Davis Jr., a.k.a. Gospel Slim, and Darrell White, or Mr. Melody, both won statewide awards earlier this week.

Davis won the Mississippi Gospel Radio Announcer of the year at the Mississippi Gospel Music Awards presented Sunday.

White won Statewide Disc Jockey of the Year at the Jackson Music Awards Monday.

Both announcers work at the WTYJ 99.7 radio station in Natchez.

Davis, who is on the air Sundays 6 p.m. to midnight, said stepping on the stage to accept his award was &8220;almost like heaven on earth.&8221;

He has worked at WTYJ for about five years and said his listeners give him motivation.

&8220;When the listeners say &8216;you played what I needed to hear,&8217; it&8217;s a really great feeling,&8221; Davis said Thursday. &8220;Listening to them makes my day.&8221;

White said he felt much the same way about his listeners.

&8220;It&8217;s an honor in itself just to be nominated,&8221; White said.

In fact, neither he nor Davis would have won awards without their audience.

People sent postcards to Jackson to vote for their favorite announcers, he explained. So the way announcers won was to motivate their audiences to vote for them.

&8220;It answers the question, how effective is the station as a vehicle of communication,&8221; White said.

Mr. Melody, as his listeners know him, has worked for WTYJ on and off for years, he said.

Being a disc jockey is more than simply announcing news and an upcoming song, White said. It&8217;s about connecting with his audience.

&8220;To be able to help someone, to get the ball rolling, is very enjoyable to me,&8221; he said.

Near Christmas, Davis played Santa on the radio, reading children&8217;s wish lists on the air in a deep voice.

One particular letter was deeply moving, White said. The child came from a broken family, he said, and the mother was struggling to make ends meet.

Soon after White read the letter, calls started pouring in, asking what they could do for the child. White suggested they drop toys by the station to be delivered to the child closer to Christmas.

By Christmas Eve, the station had a truck full of toys to deliver, White said.

&8220;I was no longer just the voice of Santa,&8221; White said. &8220;I had become Santa with the help of our listeners.&8221;

It is this sort of connection that makes his job rewarding, he said.

&8220;Our relationship with the audience is a personal one,&8221; White said. &8220;We&8217;re a part of their lives.&8221;