VOLUME 4, NUMBER 7: CLASS OF 2017 NOMINATIONS OPEN! NEW BOARD TERMS BEGIN July, 2016 ENTER THE TENNESSEE RADIO HALL OF FAME WEBSITE OFF MIC by TRHOF President Doug Combs For my first Off Mic also continue to expand our archiving efforts. Every day, column, I will try to be we lose good people, and we must take steps to keep their brief. You see, I have no careers and their stories alive. time to lose. My term is for two years, so I only Our organization depends on people who care to help have (if you’re reading us move forward and complete projects. When you are this on July 1st) 724 asked to help, please say YES! Or, if you would like to offer days left in office. I don’t your services to assist the Hall, please speak up! The want to waste one of Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame is not just the inductees or them. Evidence of that the board. The Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame is YOU! is clear: nominations for career and legacy induc- I am so grateful and privileged to have the opportunity tees to our 2017 class are now officially open. TRHOF to be your president for the next two years. Working Historian Brian Craig is now overseeing elections. together, we can accomplish great things. Look for an article with more details on the process on page 2. Remember that your dues must be paid if you wish to nominate someone for induction into Doug the Hall of Fame. The nomination period starts today, July 1st, and runs through August 31st. The past week since elections has given me a better appreciation for the work of our past three presidents. Thanks to Lee for the book and for lighting Cindy Arnold David Lambert the spark for our creation. Thanks to Ralph for making John Bastin Gina Logue sure our sails were strong and giving our early days a Kevin Batts Walter Luffman firm footing. Thanks to Gary for listening and taking Michelle Berlin Paul Lyle extra efforts to ensure our growth. The organization is Jonathan Boyce Peggy Motley better for the contributions each of you have made. Gary Brown Jan Oliver Cindy Carroll Bennie Shipley We have made great progress in building an Barb Deniston Allan Tynes organization to honor individuals who have excelled George Flinn Bart Walker in our industry. In the next 724 days, and with Kevin Furr David Widener your help, we will continue to bring attention to Fred Gault Bill Wolfenbarger the contributions our industry has and will bring to Sue Gibbons Teresa Zdychnec Tennessee and the nation. I’m excited that at next Jeff Hall year’s banquet, we’ll present our first Luther Award, John Ivey and shine a light on community service. We will Steve Jarrell Nominations Begin for the Class of 2017 The selection process begins again. July 1 marks the beginning of a new membership year for the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame. It's also the beginning of the nominating period for our sixth group of inductees, the Class of 2017. The nominating period began at 12:01 a.m. July 1 and will conclude at midnight, August 31, 2015. Here is other important information: Any active Full Member is eligible to nominate candidates for induction in either the Career or Legacy category. Candidates must have worked in Tennessee radio broadcasting or a related field for at least two years and a total career (in Tennessee or Above: Brian Craig, Dave Nichols and Doug Combs met to discuss the process for selecting the Hall’s 2017 Career and Legacy inductees. elsewhere) for at least 10 years, and have made substantial contributions to the radio Each nomination must be submitted by two active industry and the communities their station(s) Full Members of the organization. This helps to ensure or networks served. that the Hall is able to get full assistance on contact Career candidates are living at the time of information, biographical information, photos, etc, that nomination. are needed for both the election process and the induction process for successful candidates. Forms which do Legacy candidates are deceased at the time not include the names and contact information for both of nomination. nominators (and for a family or friend contact in the To place a broadcaster into nomination in either Legacy category) will be returned. the Career or Legacy category, first be sure your If more than 15 nominations are accepted in the membership is active by paying your dues for the Career category, active Full Members will vote to narrow new 2016-17 membership year. You may even the ballot of nominees to 15 in an online preliminary complete the transaction online at: http:// election to be held in the month of October. The Board tennesseeradiohalloffame.wildapricot.org/Join of Directors will then select six inductees from that list Then, download the official nomination form from our of 15. website at www.tennradiohalloffame.org. Please note: The Board of Directors, along with the Advisory only nominations using this form will be accepted. In Council, will select six Legacy inductees from all of the addition, forms not fully filled out or forms which are not nominations accepted. accompanied by all required information will be returned. And to reiterate the membership reminder: To participate in the nomination/election process, you must be a Full Member with your membership must be active. If you have not renewed your membership for the coming year, you must do so prior to submitting any nominations. Thank you in advance for your participation in this process. We look forward to inducting another great class of Tennessee Radio Stars at our sixth induction banquet on May 6, 2017. Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame E-Waves Page 2 New Board Elected to Serve The Hall Above: The new board right after the June 25 elections. Pictured on the front row, from left, are: Tom Britt, Michelle Bolden, President Doug Combs, Vice-President Garry Mac, Bart Walker and Secretary Melissa McDonald. Back row: Chip Chapman, Kevin Batts, Paul Tinkle, Treasurer Cindy Arnold, Larry Stone and Brian Craig. A new board of directors has election of half the Board each Michelle Bolden, Steve Bowers, Tom been selected to lead the Tennessee year. However, it also ensures that Britt, Chip Chapman, Johnny Pirkle, Radio Hall of Fame. This spring, a the organization retains working and Paul Tinkle and Bart Walker. nominating committee appointed institutional knowledge that was not by then-President Gary Beaty con- possible by selecting an entire new structed a slate of director candidates board every two years. for consideration. As dictated by To make the transition, half of the the by-laws, Hall members in good directors were elected to two-year standing voted to select the board. terms this year. Others were elected Board members then voted to select to one-year terms. the officers. Elections took place Directors elected to two-year during an open membership meeting terms are Cindy Arnold, Doug on June 25. Combs, Brian Craig, George DeVault, For the first time this year, Board Garry Mac, Melissa McDonald and Members were elected to staggered Larry Stone. Directors elected to terms. This will necessitate an one -year terms are: Kevin Batts, Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame E-Waves Page 3 Radio History: WLOK, Memphis the financing together, and in February 1977, Gilliam purchased WLOK for $725,000, making it the first black-owned radio station in Memphis. Under Gilliam's ownership, WLOK prospered as never before. In the spring of 1979, WLOK finally beat WDIA in the Arbitron ratings. Popular DJs during this era included Melvin "A Cookin" Jones in the afternoons and C.J. Superstar" Morgan at night. Gilliam also hired Brother by Brian Craig James Chambers to play gospel into the early morning TRHOF Historian hours. Brother Chambers became a nationally-recognized While much has been written about WDIA, the first black-oriented radio station in the country, Memphis had another station geared to the black community that also has a storied history. In 1954, six years after WDIA pioneered black radio, WCBR switched their focus to also serve the large black market in Memphis. Studios in the early days were located on Beale Street, the main commercial street of the black community, and pedestrians could view the broadcasts from the sidewalk. In the late 1950s, WCBR was sold to the OK Station Group and the call letters were changed to WLOK. With only 1,000 watts, compared to WDIA's 50,000 watts, WLOK was at a disadvantage. But WLOK focused on gospel personality and is still on the station today. Another a younger listenership than WDIA, with many popular gospel DJ, Joan E.W. Golden ("The Golden Girl") was an icon at the station for almost 50 years until her death in 2007. In the 1980s, as R&B listeners moved to the FM dial, WLOK shifted its focus to blues and gospel, and in the late 1980s became the first 24-hour all-black gospel station in Memphis. Art Gilliam has always believed a station should be more than just entertainment, and WLOK still has a strong public service commitment. The (continued on page 5) Right: WLOK owner Art Gilliam. personalities, including the legendary Dick "Cane" Cole. One of their DJs in the 1960s, Al Bell, went on to become president of Stax Records, and wrote the number one Staple Singers classic, I'll Take You There. Nationally- syndicated radio host Tom Joyner worked at WLOK in the early 1970s.