Winston C. "Wink" Martindale was born and raised in Jackson, Tennessee. He was nicknamed "Wink" by a boyhood friend. Wink began working as a radio announcer at the tender age of 17 while attending Memphis State University, were he earned a Bachelor of Science degree.

In 1957, Wink recorded the classic narrative Deck of Cards, and he also wrote several books. He left the radio market and hosted What's This Song?, his first game show, in 1965. He has been a familiar presence on TV for over 30 years, hosting a number of hit shows including Tic Tac Dough.