Ebony Steele is an immensely talented Air Personality who serves as co-host on the Rickey Smiley Morning Show. She met Rickey Smiley 15 years ago when Rickey was working at a Thom McCann shoe store. Through the years Ebony & Rickey have remained good friends, and early on, Rickey shared his vision for Ebony to be his co-host on his radio show one day if he made it big. Since that time, Ebony’s comedic agility boosted as she performed as a stand up comedienne, a writer for Rickey Smiley, and lent her voice on prank phone calls for Rickey Smiley and Roy Wood, Jr.
Ebony, (or “E.B”. as Rickey affectionately calls her) had previously worked in Birmingham as co-host of the #1 rated Cox morning show at WBHJ-FM (95.7 JAMZ) for the past 4 years. She spent many years modeling on the runway, and fulfilled one of her lifelong dreams when she was crowned Miss Tuskegee while earning her B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering at Tuskegee University. She competed in the pageant circuit where she reigned as Miss Gulf Coast, which led to her winning numerous awards in the Miss Alabama pageant. Ebony’s warm sensitivity coupled with her biting wit, makes her a great broadcast partner for Rickey Smiley. Every morning, Ebony brings you “Da Bizness”, as well as her hilarious “Ain’t Nobody Saying Nothin” segment.
No stranger to the stage or the community, Ebony Arrington, (p.k.a. Ebony Steele) ventured into the world of performing arts at a young age, and always dreamed of owning her own dance studio. While holding down the morning show as the sassy first lady, she travels between Dallas and Birmingham as the founder and Artistic Director of Ebony Arrington Dance & Performance, Inc.; a dance company boasting 3 locations with a roster that has propelled from 17 to 400+ students since 1999. Ebony credits her inspiration to pursue both professions in radio and dance to her grandmother Flora McGhee, founder of Birmingham’s first black owned modeling school. Features about Ebony have graced the cover of ‘Birmingham Magazine” and been featured in The Birmingham News, Birmingham Post-Herald, Birmingham Times and nationally in Rolling Out Urban style Weekly Magazine. Ebony also co-starred in her first movie, “The Job” in 2002, which premiered in Birmingham, and later graced the shelves of Blockbuster & Movie Gallery.
Fifteen years later, the time is now for Rickey, Ebony & “Deez Nuts” & the success speaks for itself as the Rickey Smiley Morning Show continues to dominate the airwaves as one of the top rated morning shows in the country. Ebony says, “Its déjà vu – working with Rickey is the perfect situation for me… it feels like home
