Allendale County remembers radio voice Carl Gooding after his death
Carl Gooding’s voice filled WDOG with birthdays, obituaries and Friday football, and Allendale County is mourning the loss of a longtime civic anchor.
Hugh Carl Gooding, known across Allendale County as The Big Dog, died Sunday, July 5, 2026, at age 80.
Gooding was born Sept. 17, 1945, in Hampton County and graduated from Wade Hampton High School in 1963 before making Allendale County his home with his wife, Lisa Bell Gooding. The couple bought Good Radio Broadcasting Corporation in 1982 and established the current home of WDOG Radio in Allendale in 1983.
He served more than 20 years on the Allendale County Council and retired in December 2022. He also served on the Savannah River Site Redevelopment Authority, the South Carolina State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education, the USC Salkehatchie Educational Foundation Partnership Board and Southern Carolina Alliance.
Gooding was a founding member of the Tri-County Regional Economic Alliance in 1996, when the group represented Allendale, Barnwell and Bamberg counties. By 2024, he had served 27 years on the board of directors and executive committee of the Southern Carolina Regional Development Alliance.
In 2024, Gooding received the Order of the Palmetto, South Carolina’s highest civilian honor. He also was named Allendale County Citizen of the Year, South Carolina Economic Ambassador for Allendale County and recipient of the Outstanding Commitment to Economic Development Award.
He hosted the Chit Chat Show and was a familiar presence on Friday night high school football broadcasts, first with his son Rick Gooding and later with his grandson Raleigh Gooding. A celebration of life was scheduled for Wednesday, July 15, 2026, at Allendale First Baptist Church.
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