The New Year is all about beginnings – 12 new months on a calendar, lots of New Year’s resolutions (even though some are quickly broken!) and the general sense of having a clean slate and starting anew. We thought it would be interesting to ask some of our members about when they were new to radio, and how they got their start in the business. We received a huge response and will feature a sampling of your stories over the next few issues. Here’s what we've learned from some of you:

Charlie Scott: "When I returned to Nashville in March 1953 from Army service during the Korean War, I went to see Ralph Emery, who was on the air at WNAH radio. Ralph had been a classmate at East High school in 1948. Ralph told me that he broke into radio by training at the Tennessee School of Broadcasting on West End, and he suggested I use my GI Bill funds to do the same. I took Ralph's advice, completed the course, and was hired when I auditioned for a spot on the staff of WSIX radio in downtown Nashville. Fifty-seven years later, in 2010, I retired from broadcasting."

Tom Britt: "I got into radio purely by accident. My plans were to attend college and become a teacher and basketball coach. But, during my senior year of high school, I started hanging around a friend who worked at a radio station. He let me cut some commercials and that radio bug got a hold of me. I found the Tennessee Institute Of Broadcasting in Nashville, run by a gentleman named Lee Buck, enrolled, got my Third Class and First Class radio licenses, cut some tapes and landed a job with the Dixie Radio Network's 1310 WDXI in Jackson in April of 1970. I should say thanks to Charlie Sims for giving a country boy from down on the farm a chance to do radio. And now, 42 years later, even though I'm doing TV, I still enjoy broadcasting games on the UT Martin Sports Network heard on stations owned by Paul Tinkle. Radio has been quite the ride that has allowed me to broadcast from cities all across the country. And for that I am thankful."

Doug Combs: "I was always interested in radio. At the age of 14, I built my own station in the basement of my parents’ home in Kentucky, and began broadcasting to the neighborhood at one-quarter of a watt. Shortly before my 16th birthday, my parents drove me to Nashville for one of the regional testing days held by the FCC. I passed the test, and after my 3rd Class “ticket” (with the broadcast endorsement) arrived, I scheduled an appointment with the manager of the local radio station. Arriving with an audition tape (7” reel) in one hand and my license in the other, I was ready for work. The manager suggested that they start me on the FM station (WGGC-FM/Bowling Green, KY), where a beginner like me could do no harm, since most of the audience listened to their AM. Sunday afternoons with Reds Baseball was my assignment for a couple of months. If the game finished early, I played country music until the next shift started. If I remember correctly, we had a lot of rain delays or double-headers that summer!

--- He keeps going, and going, and going... December 31st, 2013, is Luther Masingill's 73rd anniversary being on the air. David Carroll, Advisory Board Member, did a recent story on his ChattanoogaRadioTV.com website.

--- 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 790 members.

--- We are currently looking for TRHOF 2014 BANQUET sponsorships.  Please contact Chip Chapman at cchapman@WDEF.com

--- Looking for a gig or have a spot to fill?  Post it HERE next month! 

JANUARY Carlos Clemente Vince Tapler

An upcoming joint meeting of the Board of Directors and the Advisory Board will be January 18th. Check "Events" on our website.

Know of a radio gig?  Share with us and we'll get the word out..full time, part time, vacation....we'll get the word out! 

Have a Valentine's Day radio story you'd like to share? We appreciate the tremendous response for your personal stories...we will showcase them in our newsletter throughout the coming months and encourage others to send us your stories, trivia, and news.. 

Email yours to  sbuddy@bellsouth.net                       

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 February 1, 2014 with a content submission deadline of January 25th. Send your information to any of the newsletter committee members listed below.

On December 14, 2013, the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame certified the election of the 2014 Inductees in the Career (living) and Legacy (posthumous) categories. A list of those winners is found here:

Johnny Pirkle and Ralph Vaughn chat with Craig Tyndall of Chattanooga. 

The 18th annual Veterans of Radio Wars luncheon was held December 5th in Chattanooga with 61 former and current radio broadcasters attending. For the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame, it was an occasion to continue the series of "Listening Tours" across the state to promote the Hall. Representing the HOF Board of Directors were Doug Combs from Smyrna, Gary Beaty from Nashville, Johnny Pirkle from Knoxville, Chip Chapman and Garry Mac from Chattanooga and Ralph Vaughn from Murfreesboro. 

The three-hour event featured funny and interesting stories from the attendees. Radio and television personality David Carroll opened the meeting and welcomed everyone. Garry Mac then passed the microphone around the room for introductions and "war stories".

The Hall of Fame will be on the road to Knoxville in February when Board member Johnny Pirkle will host a meeting with the East Tennessee area radio broadcasters. Other future meetings include Cookeville for the Upper Cumberland area and in Memphis prior to the May 3, 2014 Induction Ceremony in Murfreesboro.  

Radio hosts from time to time find themselves on vinyl. Tennessee's on-air talent is no exception. C'mon, we know the 45s still exist in someone's collection! If you have any, or can provide links to, custom record productions by Tennessee radio people or stations, we want to feature them here. Anything from Rufus Thomas' "Walkin' the Dog" to the WMAK DJs' 1963 "The Ballad of Copper Hill" can qualify.  Here's a rare find from Tennessee Radio HOF Legacy Inductee John "R"  Richbourg from the 50,000-watt night signal of 1510/WLAC. Look closely at the label. "Mo Jo Blues" was released through Mercury Records, and produced by Jerry Kennedy (Statler Brothers). Doesn't hurt to have contacts!  

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