MEMBER TRIVIA QUIZ    Who Did Dat?

See if you can guess Who's Who among our Tennessee Radio Hall Of Fame membership. 
(Answers at the bottom)

1. He's authored 5 books and they're currently available on Amazon for as little as a penny and as much as $55!
2. Went to high school with Don Williams and graduated with Farrah Fawcett
3. A Memphis native who co-founded Nashville's first sports-talk radio program, "Sportsnuts," on WSIX in 1980

A. Dave Nichols	B. CC McCartney	C. Ralph Emery

        

Steve Bowers - As a High School Senior Class Officer, I was sent to WHOS-AM / WDRM-FM in Decatur, Alabama to cut a PSA for our school's American Red Cross Blood Drive. It was late afternoon and the only person left when I arrived (other than the two on-air personalities) was the station's Sales Manager, Mr. Smith. He introduced himself and took me back to the production room and then inquired about my copy. I told him I did not have a script. With a roll of his eyes and the certainty that he was going to be stuck with me for an extended time, he asked how I knew what I was going to say and how I intended to time the spot. Not knowing any better, I informed him that I would just "watch my watch."  Skeptical, but ever polite, he demonstrated simultaneous "play" and "record" and left me to my work. Less than a minute later, and after one take, I opened the production room door and informed Mr. Smith that the spot was completed.
He rewound the tape, played the spot, and said, "Young man, that is fine. Very good. Appreciate you doing this."  With that, we parted with no expectation on my part of ever seeing Mr. Smith or WHOS-AM ever again (It was 1968; WHOS was a Country Station; and I was 18).  Apparently, Mr. Smith began a campaign on my behalf contending for anyone that would listen to the recorded PSA that "this kid" may have some kind of knack for this. He reminded the GM that there was always a need for weekend coverage, vacation fill-in during the summer and that I just might be the guy. Eventually the GM, Lewis Blizzard, asked my father, who owned a service station where I worked after school and weekends, if it would be OK if they trained me after school and made plans to send me to Atlanta to take the 3rd Class License Test. That completed, I spent my senior year and the following summer working weekends and vacation fill-ins. After that summer I left to attend college and never returned to WHOS / WDRM.  I attended college in Tennessee and Arkansas with a Major in Religion and Minor in Greek and began a career in the Ministry. With life changes, I left that work only to realize that my college work prepared me for nothing else. Despite degrees, I wasn't certified to teach, had no specific business related degrees or anything readily marketable. BUT, I did have a 3rd Class License and radio experience.  Without either of us realizing it, Mr. Smith changed my life! Radio is a 35-year career that I love and continue to this day.

Those are just a few stories from our members. If you share more with us, we’ll run more articles like this. Just email Melissa McDonald (starmagic@comcast.net ) with your story.

We've had two Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame members on national TV within the past week:

Gator Harrison	Phil Valentine

Congrats, Guys! Way to represent!

FEBRUARY Pat Reilly Kirk Harnack Richard White Cam Cornelius Tom Rains Marcia Campbell Tom Hammett Melissa McDonald Larry Doxey Dottie Hale Dennis Thibodeaux John Stracener

As you'll recall from last month's newsletter, we featured a 45 released through Mercury records, the artist of which was WLAC's nighttime R&B DJ John "R" Richbourg.  Radio hosts from time to time find themselves on vinyl. If you have any such discs in your collection, or can provide links to custom record productions by Tennessee radio people or stations, we want to feature them here. This month, let's listen to the WMAK(Nashville) DJs' 1963 "The Ballard of Copper Hill".Folks around Chattanooga might be familiar with the topic of the ditty: The state of Georgia claimed Copper Hill TN belonged to GA. Even today the interstate land spat lives on. But there's more to it.

There's a "rest-of-the-story" recording on its flipside by TNRHOF Inductee Noel Ball, the "Story Of The Ballard Of Copper Hill". (We want to know if the typo was intentional!)  Click the links to listen.

May 3, 2014 (5pm)
The Embassy Suites - Murfreesboro
It has just been confirmed that Nashville-based, nationally-syndicated radio and TV hosts Charlie Chase and Lorianne Crook will be the co-Masters of Ceremonies for the 3rd Annual Hall of Fame Banquet and Induction Ceremony. Chase was inducted to the Hall Of Fame last year.

Tickets to the Banquet and Ceremony will be on sale soon. This year, you will be able to go to the tennradiohalloffame.org website to order using Paypal or a credit card. Tables of 10 can be purchased at a discount.  For a limited period of time before sales are opened to the general public, TNRHOF members will have first shot at ordering tickets and tables via the website.  We are running the final numbers now, and it won't be long. Keep watching your email's inbox for the "On Sale Now" announcement. So for now, save the date! 

And because you asked, a list of those 2014 HOF Induction winners is found here:

We're hearing that this years' inductee as Legendary Station, WIVK/Knoxville, is already running on-air promos as the award winner at the upcoming banquet.

Congratulations to a truly legendary radio station with a legacy that goes beyond the State of Tennessee.

RECENT MEETING

 

On January 18, 2014, a joint meeting was held of both The Board and The Advisory Board of the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame.

One of the main topics of interest was Ralph Vaughn's update on the status of the Organization's 501c3 application. He reported that the IRS says they have huge backlog of about a year more or less.

L-R Chip Chapman, John Young, Ralph Vaughn, Doug Combs

While others joined in via phone conference to complete our quorum, in attendance were Doug Combs, Cathy Martindale, Gary Beaty, Nick Archer, Sharon Kay, Buddy Sadler, Mike Medley, Melissa McDonald, John Young, Skip Woolwine, Chip Chapman and Ralph Vaughn.

L-R Chip Chapman, Melissa McDonald, John Young

Remember that our monthly Board/Advisory Board meetings are open to our regular members.  If you are already a member and have an interest in sitting in on one of our meetings, please let President Ralph Vaughn know in advance. We need a headcount to ensure a proper coffee-and-doughnut take-out order for Nick Archer en route. Our Next meeting is March 22, 2013. Check the website for more details.

L-R Melissa McDonald, Mike Medley, Buddy Sadler

NEXT PUBLISH DATE

Any news related to our membership is greatly appreciated (along with an associated photo).  Please continue to send us "TRIVIA" about yourself, too!  Our next newsletter will be published March 1, 2014 with a content submission deadline of February 25th. Send your information to any of the newsletter committee members listed below.

TRIVIA QUIZ ANSWERS

1. C        2.B       3.A