• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Question

K

knozall

Guest
Is there an Alabama Radio Hall Of Fame? I know Georgia and Texas have one.
 
I don't think there is. There's a "National Radio Hall of Fame" where several Alabamians have been inducted including Tom Joyner. All I could find was the "Alabama Music Hall of Fame".
 
I don't think that there is one, either. Next question...if there was one, who would you nominate? Pardon my Birmingham-centered list, but these would be my nominees:

1. Tommy Charles
2. Ben McKinnon
3. Joe Rumore
4. Duke Rumore
5. Ward McIntyre
6. Doug Layton (forgiving his slip on the air a few weeks ago)
7. Mark Thompson and Brian Phelps
8. Bill "Birdman" Thomas
9. Coyote J. Calhoun
10. Patti Wheeler
11. Shelley Stewart
12. Tall Paul

Just missing the list: John Ed Wiloughby, Tim Lennox
Didn't spend enough time in Alabama: Rick Dees
 
I see Charles' list and raise him:

Bill Bolen -- for his role in WSGN's early years.
Dan Brennan
And, as long as we're talking about WVOK personalities, I'd also add Don Keith
John Ed ... I'd just as soon add him; "color commentators" are just as important, ya know.
Homer Dunnavant -- Athens broadcaster. I recall reading that he did his morning show well into his 90s on WVNN 770 (and its predecessor, WJMW, which Dunnavant founded).
Bob "Pappy" Tolbert from Troy. Did the morning show on WTBF for, ohhhh, about 200 years.
And no Ala. HOF would be complete without Larry Stevens from Montgomery.
Other Mgm. nominees:
Don Markwell -- love him or hate him, he's a legend who's been part of that city's radio landscape for more than 50 years.
Bill J. Moody

--Russell
 
Some southern Alabama ideas:

The late Bernie Dittman of WABB

Agnes Simpson of WOOF

J. Dige Bishop of WCTA, Andalusia, WJDB, Thomasville and, I think, another one or two.

The late G. Donald Cooke, of WCTA, Andalusia; WAMI, Opp, and WKYD, Andalusia

Dr. Wallace Miller of WKMX



Top Choice: The late Douglas Edwards, whose first broadcasting job, when he was in high school, was at the first Troy radio station. The call letters escape me at the moment. It was no longer a Troy station when WTBF came on the air in 1947. Edwards went on anchor the first network TV newscast, which was on CBS. He was succeeded by Walter Cronkite, but continued with CBS, mainly CBS Radio, until he retired in the 80s. He also did the CBS News updates during the mid-days on TV...until the 1980s, I believe.



IamDumbRadioGuy said:
How about Rammin' Jammin' Michael Scott Shannon, Steve Davis, Mark St. John, Mark & Brian, Leslie Fram just to name a few.
Click to expand...
 
radiopronouncer said:
Top Choice: The late Douglas Edwards, whose first broadcasting job, when he was in high school, was at the first Troy radio station. The call letters escape me at the moment. It was no longer a Troy station when WTBF came on the air in 1947.
Click to expand...

The calls were WHET. Not sure on the frequency (1310 sticks in my mind for some reason). Studios were above the original fire station about a block off Court Square. Stayed in Troy for about a year before moving to Dothan where it became WAGF.

And how could I have forgotten about Dittman, Miller and especially Miz Agnes?? I guess this morning my mind was thinking mainly about on-air personalities. Two people I'd also nominate in a heartbeat would be Joe Gilchrist and the late Jess Jordan, both of WTBF. Mr. Gilchrist was WTBF's CE (and now part owner) for more than 50 years.

One more: George Dickerson. The Dean of Public Radio broadcasters in Alabama. GM of WLRH/Huntsville from day one until very, very recently (website now indicates an "acting manager")

--Russell
 
Some others from southern Alabama include the late Beri Moore, who was the first General Manager of WAMI, Opp. He went on to be well-known in radio in the Huntsville area at WRSA.

Most towns and cities have radio personalities who have been on the local station(s) for many years and have had notable careers. In fact, when you think of certain towns, certain names automatically come to mind to those who know that town's radio history.

If we list Eli Gold, then don't forget John Forney, Bert Bank, Mel Allen and Jim Fyffe.
 
mobiledjin said:
Charles1 I was wondering if you were referring to Paul Edward Spruill when you mentioned Tall Paul?
Click to expand...

He's likely referring to the late Paul White, who had stints at WENN, WATV, and WJLD (also WEDR?).
 
I would add Lamar Trammell (WAGF, WDIG, WWNT) to the list. Also Don Day (WTVY, WOOF, WLWI). Speaking of WTVY, the late Charles Woods comes to mind.

Thanks for the memories!
 
Nate Wesley said:
mobiledjin said:
Charles1 I was wondering if you were referring to Paul Edward Spruill when you mentioned Tall Paul?
Click to expand...

He's likely referring to the late Paul White, who had stints at WENN, WATV, and WJLD (also WEDR?).
Click to expand...

Yes, I was referring to Birmingham's Tall Paul. And while I'm at it, should we also think about nominating these other Birmingham stalwarts:

1. Tony Kurre...the idea of spending nearly 19 years with one station in one format is unheard of today, especially in a mid-size market.
2. Jay Michaels...off and on in Birmingham and the surrounding areas for 30+ years (WSGN, WZZK, WODL, WTXT, WZZK)
3. Dave Campbell...anyone growing up in Birmingham in the '60's (and maybe even the 50's, I don't know I wasn't born then) had to sit with their parents listening to The People Speak on WAPI.
 
For the Central Alabama Radio Hall of Fame . . .

Larry Stevens - without him, Montgomery radio would have evolved quite differently
Don Markwell - there would be no talk shows in Alabama as we know them without him
Joe Hagler - from rip-snortin' DJ to barn-stormin' talk show personality
Eli Gold and Jim Fyffe - changed the way we hear play-by-play on the radio
Bill "Birdman" Thomas - one of the most beloved of the old WHHY, went from jock to PD
Bill J. Moody - brought the music and the artists to the listeners, all from the Flintstone house
Joe Gilchrist - spent 60 years as an engineer/owner and lived to tell the tale
Ugly Al Dixon - survived on-air takeover by radical Muslims on WAPX, also lived to tell the tale
Douglas Edwards - there would be no "CBS Evening News" as we know it without this Troy man
Mark Thompson - he made his mark on Alabama before he hit it big in L.A.
Rick Dees - same
Sean Hannity - same, except he made it big in N.Y.



Hey, how about Rick and Bubba? :D

Rick and Bubba to invade Montgomery
from The Montgomery Advertiser


Rick Burgess and Bill "Bubba" Bussey, a.k.a. the self-proclaimed "Two Sexiest Fat Men Alive," and the hosts of the daily morning radio show, "The Rick & Bubba Show" are coming to Montgomery on Friday.

[EDIT]


[EDIT-post truncated because originating material is copyprotected. Unauthorized use of copyrighted content is in violation of Radio-Info's TOS.]
 
Birmingham.

How about Greg and Courtney, Young and Elder, Rob and Shannon, and The Doc? Extra credit if you can name the stations they were on! I think Greg and Courtney were on Rock 99.
 
I was thinking Greg and Courtney were on WKXX 106.9 "Kicks 106." The Doc was on WZZK, along with Patty.
 
I beleive G&C were on Kicks 106
Y&E on Rock 99 (Or as Tony Curry called it, "Classic Rock duh duh Dine")
R&S on Magic
Doc on ZZK
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom