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The Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame will induct 13 broadcasters this Saturday, May 3, at its annual induction banquet. The event marks the third induction by the Hall, which has a mission of honoring and preserving Tennessee?s rich radio broadcasting history. The ceremony will be emceed by Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase of ?Crook and Chase? broadcasting fame. Knoxville's WIVK-FM will also receive an award for "Legendary Station" of the year.
The 2014 Inductees are:
In The Legacy category:
- Jim Dick who began his radio career as a commercial airtime salesman in Knoxvilleand and parlayed that humble beginning into ownership of a highly successful chain of stations, which included WIVK in Knoxville and WKDA/WKDF/WGFX in Nashville .
- Jud Collins is remembered by many in Middle Tennessee as Nashville?s first television news anchor, but his local career began as an announcer on WSM?s Grand Ole Opry in 1940. He later added radio newscasts to his resume.
- T. Tommy Cutrer was recovering from a high school football injury and listening to the radio in Mississippi when he caught the bug to become a broadcaster. That infection eventually brought him to WSM-AM in 1954, where he was an Opry announcer.
- Jack Stapp was a program director for WSM and had been a senior CBS Records executive. He used connections he had forged in New York City to persuade NBC Radio to carry a portion of the Grand Ole Opry nationwide. Stapp later was a cofounder of Tree Publishing.
- Bob Bell began his career at age 19 and succeeded in both radio and television. He was the long-time host of Sports Night on WLAC-AM and did play-by-play on pay-per-view University of Tennessee football games. He also was a sportscaster on Nashville?s Channel 2.
- Hugh Jarrett was once the bass singer for the Jordanaires gospel group, but gained his greatest fame as part of the WLAC-AM lineup of rhythm and blues personalities. His "Big Hugh Baby" record hops became a major outlet for artists including Connie Francis, Bo Diddley, and Ben E. King.
- Snooky Lanson came from Memphis to Nashville to sing with Francis Craig?s Dance Band. When the NBC network moved Your Hit Parade to television in 1950, Snooky replaced singer Frank Sinatra on the show. Coming back to Nashville seven years later, he resumed his singing career and hosted a big band show on WAMB.
In The Career Achievement category:
- Teddy Bart was an accomplished singer and songwriter when he arrived in Nashville and made his mark on both radio and television. After hosting shows on WSM radio and television, his ?Teddy Bart?s Roundtable? began on WLAC-AM and ran for 21 years on various stations. He is also the author of three books.
- Mike Bohan intended to be a background contributor to really good radio programs, but began doing weekend weather segments on WSM-TV. Then Hall of Fame member Gerry House exposed Mike?s genius by making him a member of ?The House Foundation,? which ruled morning radio for years on WSIX-FM.
- Hairl Hensley got into radio by accident when a radio host in Sweetwater got promoted and turned over his duties to the band ?H? was playing with. Hairl?s career included announcing on both WNOX?s Tennessee Barn Dance and WSM?s Grand Ole Opry.
- Doris Freeman tap-danced her way into the hearts of Jackson-area radio listeners in the 1930s ? really. She also sang. Doris created the character ?Cousin Tuny,? which became dear to thousands of listeners, and she further endeared herself to the community by the years of work she has put into charitable causes, particularly those associated with helping children.
- Carl P. Mayfield has been equally at home playing rock and roll and country music on Nashville radio, and racked up major industry recognitions along the way. His career at album rocker WKDA-FM (later WKDF) spanned two decades before his 1990 jump to Country giant WSIX-FM.
- Buddy Sadler began atop the L&C Tower in Nashville on WLAC-FM. His career led to KIKK in Houston and then back to Middle Tennessee, where he was both an on-air newsman and news executive at WKDA/WKDF, WLAC, and later, WSM. Back home in Gallatin, Buddy says he is ?nearly retired,? but does an interview show two days per week on WHIN.
