TN Radio Hall of Famer Gerry House not only writes great jokes and hit songs, but he's authored a new book that's just hitting the streets. "Country Music Broke My Brain" comes out March 4th, but is on pre-sale at Amazon.com. The book reveals some never-aired conversations with his famous friends in Country Music. One Amazon reviewer says some of his favorite stories include "Glued naked to the bathroom floor".. "A dope-smokin' chimp".. "Brad Paisley is a cat".. "Waylon and The Autoblow"....and then the stories get really weird! The Marconi Award winner will be on the Grand Ole Opry this Friday, March 7, and will mosey on over to sign copies of his book in the Opry store at 9:15 p.m. (following the show) and then at 2pm Saturday, March 8, House will be signing at Barnes & Noble Cool Springs (1701 Mallory Lane, Brentwood TN). If you really think he's going to stop at one book, then your brain must be broke(n). We hear Gerry is already working on his next book(s) and rewriting his introduction of incoming Hall of Famer and former sidekick Mike Bohan for this May's banquet.....depending on how Mike makes him feel the day of induction. ;) For 27 years the House Foundation broke all the rules of radio, and when Gerry was recently asked if he misses the morning show routine, he said "I still wake up early, but I don't get up. You never get over that."
Check out Gerry's latest YouTube interview with Jay Demarcus of Rascal Flatts, along with wife Allison.

Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame Lifetime Member Pete Weber is a lucky man, in many ways.  On February 6th, the play-by-play voice of the Nashville Predators was on the road with the team in St. Paul, Minnesota, preparing to play the Minnesota Wild. He arose at 7am in a sweat, which he attributed to his room's thermostat being set at 85. His first stop was St. Paul Hotel's workout room, where he lacked the strength to get moving on the machines, all while feeling progressively worse with cold and clammy skin, and a tingling in his jaw. Back in the room with time before an 8:30am broadcast production meeting, he Googled his symptoms, and confirmed these were warning signs of a heart attack. Pete arrived at the production meeting where more than one person noticed he "didn't look good." The meeting was punted, someone got him some Aspirin, and they whisked Pete to the Predators' trainers at the nearby Xcel Energy Center, where the experts checked his vital signs, and called the EMTs who arrived quickly.  Pete was hastened to United Hospital just a few blocks away, and within the hour he was in surgery, receiving 3 stents and 1 angioplasty, all while remaining awake. In two days, Pete was back in Nashville, and on February 13th, had a 4th stent installed. Pete was cleared to return to the Play-by-Play chair February 27th, to rousing applause.  He is extremely grateful to all who came to his aid, and who have wished him well. Read Pete Weber's first-hand account on his blog.
Pete's popularity and quick recovery inspired artist Michael Ricigliano to create this cartoon, which has already made the rounds on Facebook:

RADIO LEGEND PASSES

From the Nashville Tennessean February 8, 2014 - By Brian Wilson
The Rev. Dr. Morgan Babb, a minister, singer and longtime gospel DJ in Nashville, died on Friday. He was 84.  Rev. Babb spent more than half a century hosting Black Gospel radio shows on Nashville-area airwaves first at Nashville's WVOL-AM and then WMDB-AM, a station he launched in 1983. 

--- A committee has been formed to collect and purchase Tennessee radio memorabilia, including old microphones, on-air signage, transmitter parts, and anything related to TN radio stations.  If you have items you'd like to donate (or purchase on Ebay, Craigslist, etc.) please contact Nick Archer at nikarcher@bellsouth.net . Nick also oversees the TRHOF Facebook page which now boasts over 850 members.

--- Looking for a gig or have a spot to fill?  Post it HERE next month! An upcoming joint meeting of the Board of Directors and the Advisory Board will be January 18th. Check "Events" on our website.

Newsletter staff: Editor: Cathy Martindale cathymartindale@comcast.net    Buddy Sadler sbuddy@bellsouth.net Melissa McDonald starmagic@comcast.net Skip Woolwine  woolwine@comcast.net