He’s the future Grambling hall of famer that never scored a touchdown, the tuxedoed showstopper with the voice
Courtesty photo
The Voice of Grambling walks to the pressbox to announce a football game.
that fills The Hole, with a sound as recognizable as the World Famed Tiger Marching Band.
Eddie G. Robinson Jr., Doug Williams, Broderick Fobbs, Joi’Lavi Porter, Joiya Smith –Leon Thomas III has introduced them all over the course of a remarkable 27- year career as a public address announcer.
Thomas, a Grambling native, is much more that. He sends chills throughout the crowd with his echoing sound, exuberant personality, and comical demeanor. His fans refer to him as The Voice of Grambling.
Before he was the Voice of Grambling, Thomas was in high school pestering his teachers, on the local radio, and looking up to Grambling celebraties.
Growing up in Grambling, Thomas’s mom, who worked at the Grambling State University for 30 years, shaped and molded him to be a professional.
College was an after thought. He was taught the proper way to talk, dress, social etiquette and to have a firm educationally background with a great emphasis on the importance of being an influential African American.
Thomas professionally started doing radio at 16 years old. Three people had an impact on his career Earl Simpson, Lloyd Moss and Rick Godley.
Simpson was the Grambling Laboratory Band Director who made Thomas sign up for radio and TV so he could announce the band at halftime during football games because that’s all he wanted to do.
Moss was a teacher at Grambling Lab who taught him everything he knows today, by shoving him behind the microphone and in front of a camera every chance he could.
Godley gave Thomas his first radio opportunity on the radio. Godley said on-air “Leon Thomas III I know you’re listening next time you’re at the radio station come see me,” and the rest is history.
Thomas has announced for the GSU football team, the World Famed Tiger Marching Band, and both GSU Men and Women basketball team. In 2013 Thomas stared announcing Miss GSU pageants, Miss Cover Girl pageants, coronations, and other events for GSU Favrot Student Union.
Thomas said his favorite Grambling related public addresses was when he announced legendary Coach Rob last game in Robinson Stadium, announced Coach Rob last Bayou Classic in the Louisiana Superdome and the coronation of the current Miss GSU, Joiya Smith.
“Joiya was my next door neighbor for about 10 to 12 years,” said Thomas. ”I was there when she was born. I’m getting emotional thinking about it right now because for me to be the Master of Ceremony for her coronation, it felt like my family was being crowned too.”
He’s also apart of GSU Sports Radio Network, where he does play by play reporting, copy reporting, and sideline reporting. Thomas also has done voice over work in the community using his voice in commercials for local business and freelance acting in the Shreveport area.
“I like public address at the football game the most,” Thomas said. “I like the aura in Robinson Stadium. The fans in Grambling really get excited for football season. We’re a football school and a football community.”
“I grew up, here so I understand the importance of football in our community. That’s my favorite because I get to develop a personal relationship with the players and the coaches” Thomas added.
Thomas love for Grambling celebrities develped at six years old when Doug Williams was a freshman at Grambling.Williams gave Thomas his first real football, after he saw Thomas throwing a miniature football in his front yard multiple times.
After that moment Williams was his hero, because he was football player at Grambling.
“Some of the things I say during the game are the things they ask me to say,” Thomas said. “Growing up here those athlete were my celebrates, those were the things I was saying when I was playing. I want to give the crowd an experience they can’t get anywhere else.
“I want the athlete to feel like they’re celebrities because they are. I want the fans to feel like they’re watching celebrates because they are. I like to give ;the people an experience,” Thomas added.
If you’re every in the North Louisana area come to Grambling and get enterianed by Thomas, listen to the World Famed, and watch the G-Men.