Each May it seems that something extra fun comes from the annual WLAF Anniversary celebration.  This year, it was an email from George Myers.  He reached out and shared some memories and names of his time broadcasting over 1450.

TOP PHOTO:  This photo of George Myers was snapped during his days in the 1960s at WSEV in Sevierville.

George grew up on Old Jacksboro Pike near where Lyk-Nu is these days and graduated from Jacksboro High School  in 1956.  He broke into radio at a then six-year old WLAF in August 1959 when the station was in the Piedmont Hotel aka the Fleet Building.

Jack Miller and Hillard Mattie were a couple of his co-workers.  At last report, Miller had retired from WTAB in Tabor City, North Carolina (near Myrtle Beach), while Mattie is still on the air in Oneida at WBNT.  Both Miller and Mattie went into radio ownership.

Myers recalls that John Carr was the WLAF manager when he was hired.  Carr later left being replaced by Bill Sherman, and George was not far behind exiting in March 1960.  However, he broadcast the La Follette High Owls basketball games on WLAF that winter with future LHS Coach Ron Murray.

WKGN in Knoxville was his second stop in radio.  It was at ‘KGN where George blossomed handling both the morning and afternoon air slots, 6am to 9 am and 3pm to 6pm.  His morning program was the top rated morning show in Knoxville.

Cas Walker was Myers’ biggest morning radio competition in the Knoxville.  George said, “Cas was second behind me in Knoxville morning radio.  I made $90 a week in the 1960s at WKGN compared to more money than that for one day’s work at Dollywood in my retired days (laughing).”

Myers also spent time at WSEV at Sevierville before starting a family and going into sales.  He still resides in Sevier County.

He’s now in his early 80s (above photo) and fondly remembers Sunday, May 17, 1953.  That was the day WLAF signed on the air.  Thank you for staying in touch with WLAF, George.  (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 05/20/2019-6AM)

Related