Dan Preston has joined the on-air lineup at Real Country 101.7 WLQM, Western Tidewater’s country station.

He will host the “Dan Preston Morning Show” weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. beginning Sept. 17. In addition, he will also serve as the station’s new program director.

Preston joins WLQM from B-95 in Laurel, Miss., where he hosted mid-days the past two years, including the “Country Café.”

Preston, a native of Southampton County, is a graduate of Southampton High School and Thomas Nelson Community College.

“I am truly honored about the opportunity to return home and work alongside the talented and dedicated people at WLQM,” Preston said. “I’m excited to quickly become part of the Western Tidewater community and help make the station one of the best small-market operations in the state. Get ready for something funny, informative, entertaining and a little different.”

“I am thrilled to have Dan join the team here at WLQM,” Vice President and General Manager Michael Clark said. “Dan brings a tremendous amount of on-air and programming experience to our station. His energy and enthusiasm for great local radio will be evident from the very start.”

Franklin Broadcasting is a third generation, locally owned broadcast company. The Clark family has operated stations in the Franklin-Suffolk market since 1956.