(L-R): Hamilton Co. Mayor, Jim Coppinger, WDEF's Luther Masingill, Chattanooga Mayor, Ron Littlefield

The longest-running broadcaster in the history of the world keeps adding to his record each day, and his longtime employer got him to slow down just long enough to take a bow.

Luther Masingill began his unprecedented career at the microphone on December 31, 1940 and never stopped talking.  Now in his 71st year on WDEF radio, Luther was cheered by his co-workers and honored by government officials at an employee appreciation lunch on Thursday.

In addition to his highly-rated morning show, Luther has also appeared on WDEF-TV each day since it signed on the air in 1954.  WDEF-TV General Manager Phil Cox led station employees in a standing ovation, to which Luther replied, “Does that mean I have to stop now?”

Of course, Luther has no intention of stopping.  Still bright and cheery each morning, with a sound that inspired a 1940s newspaper writer to dub him “the man with sunshine in his voice,” Luther says he looks forward to his show each morning.  “I love my co-workers, and my listeners,” he says.

Long known for reuniting lost pets with their frantic owners, and recovering misplaced wallets and purses, Luther has won numerous state and national awards, but has yet to be inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.  The Chicago-based organization has occasionally placed the Chattanooga legend on its national ballot, but he is usually pitted against broadcasters from cities in Chicago, Los Angeles and New York, putting him at a decided disadvantage.

“I’m not interested in awards,” the 89-year-old icon says.  “That’s not why I got into this profession.  I just enjoy entertaining people, and helping them out when I can.”

Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield and Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger showered praise on the veteran broadcaster, and local artist Wendell Cooley presented him with a painting depicting him with his famed Model T Ford.  Doris Ellis, herself a 44-year WDEF employee, presented Luther with a photo of him surrounded by dogs, with the inscription, “Thank you Luther.”

Accompanied by Mary, his wife of 54 years, Luther says he is proud of his achievements and thankful for the recognition, “but mostly I’m proud of where I am right now.”  Thousands of loyal listeners are as well.

WDEF-TV plans to air a special look back at 70 years of broadcasting with Luther this week on their 6pm newscasts.

Information Source:  WRCB-TV

Having grown up in Whitwell for a good part of my life, I remember braving several snow storms, ice storms, and just generally “yucky” winter weather, and I remember sitting anxiously by the television, radio, and telephone just waiting to hear the word on school closings.  It was somewhat of a hobby of mine back then (or maybe I was just really wanting that snow day), either way it was a inclement weather tradition.

Usually the phone would be ringing off the wall with friends and family members calling to talk about, what else? The snow or weather.  It was an event that seemed to bring us all closer together.  And as the area phone lines hummed with excitement and a near play-by-play of the weather event, it seemed to bring us all a little closer together somehow (at least until the local phone company exchange threw a rod or an ice-covered tree limb took down a phone line). I can still hear it in my head… “Well, we’ve got almost 3-inches of snow over here in Crossroads! Roads are icy, too! Bet school’s gonna’ close for sure!” and “I just talked to so-and-so up in the Pocket…and he said the roads are impassable!” and let us never forget the “…Wonder what it’s doing down around Jasper! I heard it wasn’t as bad in South Pittsburg except up on the mountain!”

Today, as I watched it snow I did make a few phone calls here and there, but I found myself talking more and sharing more with my friends by means of social media and Facebook specifically.  I was able to see what friends in Whitwell were seeing at there home. I could check in on my friends and family in Chattanooga and North Georgia.  I could also see what was happening on Monteagle and Sand Mountain without even having to attempt that trecherous drive!  It was great connecting with old friends and new ones online and even seeing their families having fun in the snow before it got too cold.

While I do miss the buzz of the phone lines from time to time, I don’t really think this whole social networking thing is so bad afterall. I felt as good of a sense of community today online as I do when I go to the Kimball Walmart or the Jasper Post Office and all without having to leave the warmth of my home.

And since blogging (and news sites such as this are all a part of social networking) — I’ll share with you a few of my “snow pics” and some video from today:

My snowy shrubs covered in Christmas lights

As the snow started to "stick" in my backyard

How the snow started…when it started “sticking” at my house

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Logan Carmichael is Publisher and Editor-In-Chief of MarionCountyMessenger.com

Chapman, who was deemed borderline psychotic was instructed to plead insanity, but pleaded guilty to murder instead, still remains behind bars today at Attica Prison in New York State after being denied a parole hearing in 2000 by New York State prison officials.

Even though Chapman is jailed. We’ll never be able to bring back the genius of John Lennon…or will we?

Growing up in a house with a mother who had a Major in Music from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and a father who was by no means a musician but still had a love for music, I was exposed to the music of John Lennon and The Beatles from an early age.

I have fond childhood memories of listening to The Beatles classic “I Want To Hold Your Hand” from the original 1964 release “Meet The Beatles” on vinyl that my mother most likely ran out to purchase the day it was released like so many other then teenage girls.  I knew every song on the record, track-by-track, A-side and B-side.  The whole album was genius and it was Pop music at its’ finest.

One of the men behind the music, scratching and popping its way through my orange-colored Fischer Price turntable’s tiny speaker was John Lennon.

Lennon’s genius and influential music is still obvious today.  From the first days of the musical “British invasion” and the release of The Beatles’ album “Please Please Me” in 1963 to the most recent Beatles compilations releases…and the very recent addition of Beatles music to online music giant iTunes, the music of John Lennon and his fellow Beatles bandmates (Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr) as well as his solo and other projects continue to live on, inspiring countless others who appreciate music.

I was not born yet when Lennon died.  I’m only the tender age of 28 at the time of this writing.  It’s sad to think that I, and so many others have grown up in a world without a musician as influential as John Lennon, but it’s comforting to know that his music lives on and will through the ages. And personally I think the world is a better place because John Lennon was once in it.

For more on the life and legacy of John Lennon, visit History.com…or CLICK HERE to watch the video to Lennon’s song “Imagine.”

Share your memories of John Lennon and The Beatles…and where you were and what you remember from the day Lennon died below in our comments section.

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Logan Carmichael is Editor in Chief and Publisher of MarionCountyMessenger.com, and a longtime Chattanooga area radio personality.  He worked for several years at WEPG-AM in So. Pittsburg, TN as Program Director and Operations Manager as well as at WSKZ-FM (KZ106) in Chattanooga.  Now, in addition to his duties with MarionCountyMessenger.com, he works as Production Director and Program Director for Brewer Media Group in Chattanooga.