Black Iowa Gospel radio station GITA is ‘Good for the soul’

“Mama, what’s the name of my radio station?” said James Rainey, a longtime DJ and music lover.

“’Gospel in the air, on the air,’” he said. “Within a split second, I’m telling you, that’s how I got the name of the station. I love it.”

For Rainey, a longtime musician who lives in Sioux City with his wife, Tracy, running a 24-hour gospel radio station is a joyful mission.

“What draws me now is how the music can minister to you, and that’s the objective,” said the great-grandfather.

Music has always been a part of Rainey’s life — from sneaking a listen to his mother’s records as a child in Rockford, Illinois, to handling music equipment in church. Now, it’s his life’s work on several radio platforms and social media.

Rainey believes he operates the only Black 24-hour gospel streaming station in Iowa. From gospel to jazz and old-school R&B, Rainey spins music on several platforms:

• GITA radio: 24-hour radio station. Listeners can access GITA through TuneIn Radio. GITA is always on and “never goes to sleep.” Rainey also goes live at 9 a.m. on Sundays and shares church sermons for listeners.
• Social media: Facebook, YouTube, X, TikTok, LinkedIn and Twitch. Rainey goes live on Facebook, 4 p.m.-6 p.m., Monday- Friday. He features the gospel music he plays on GITA and tailors it to the social media audience.
• Jazz and old-school R&B: Rainey operates OLDSKUL.US, from 12 a.m. Fridays through midnight on Sundays.

Rainey tailors the music to his audience, letting the spirit move him.

“And there are listeners on each one” of his platforms, he said.

He and his wife, Tracy, monitor the broadcasts’ analytics. He always says the same thing.

“His wish is that he plays something or he says something that would be a blessing to someone’s spirit,” she said.

Rainey enjoys mixing and blending the music in the moment.

“Ain’t a playlist that can do what I do. I’ll live mix. So everything that you hear when I’m live broadcasting, I’m doing it. I’m doing it just like the DJs do, right off the cuff, right off the top,” he said. “When God changes a song, I’ve got five seconds to get the song.”

Rainey has always wanted to operate a radio station. Now, people look forward to the music he shares.

“You do what you love, and then the gift will make a way for you financially,” his wife, Tracy said.

On Facebook, people comment: “Ready for church” and “Great night.”

Rainey believes he is using his God-given talents to help people.

“There aren’t too many folks out there that can minister to you through song,” he said. “Me? I’m sitting down here . . . and I’m ministering to folks all over the world, and that’s the goal.”

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This story appears in the March edition of the Black Iowa Newspaper.