‘Make it a Grand Week’- Olivia Lobertini, The Grand on Central

WLAF thanks you for 72 years of being on the air

By Jim Freeman

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- It started early Saturday morning. First it was a text from Gail Stout Brown and then a phone call from Smith “Smitty” Rea, and from there, the calls, emails, texts and messages on social media rolled through. All were sending birthday wishes to the old radio station, WLAF, on its 72nd anniversary.

Smitty Rea was actually at the station when it came on the air and was even on the air later that Sunday afternoon. “It was noon, May 17, 1953, when the station first began broadcasting,” said Rhea during his May 17, 2025, phone call to WLAF. He’ll be 93 in November.

There are two reasons WLAF is still on the air after all these years; a kind community that continues to listen, read and watch and a generous legion of advertisers who graciously provide financial support. And we say thank you!

WLAF’s slogan is “If Mayberry Had a Radio Station”, and over the years, WLAF’s had its share of funny moments. Here’s one that’s funny, but it certainly wasn’t at the time.

“It was WLAF’s first live sports broadcast. We promoted it and promoted it. The Owls of La Follette High were set to open the football season at Sevierville,” said Smith “Smitty” Rea. The station had barely been on the air three months in 1953 when football season started.

HERE is a memorable story and wonderful recollection from one of WLAF’s many alums, Smith Rea, Jr. He’s affectionately known as Smitty.

“Marvin Paul, the engineer/color announcer, and the play-by-play announcer, Olen Morris, made the trip to Sevierville and were ready to go with the broadcast,” said Rea. Rea, who was one of the announcers first on the air at WLAF on May 17, 1953, was behind the controls at the WLAF studio in the Piedmont Hotel that Friday night.

“This was in the day when the connection was set up by the phone company, and all we did at the station was flip the switch, and the remote broadcast was on the air. There was no talk back with the broadcast team at the game; no phone call capability,” said Smitty.

When it came broadcast time, Smitty flipped the switch, and there was nothing. He tried several times to make the connection, and the game never made it on the air. “Olen was there in the stands broadcasting the game, and he had no idea it was never on the air,” said Rea.

“Cars were driving by the station with folks wondering what was wrong. People were not happy. And we’d promoted the hound out of that game,” said a laughing Smitty.

“We later found out that at the South Central Bell switching center in Knoxville, the technician at the center did not make the switch,” said Rea.

A NOTE FROM THE GRAND ON CENTRAL: “There is so much good going on in our community, and I want to share all this good with you every Monday here on WLAF in hopes that you will start your week in a grand way making each week a Grand Week,” said Olivia Lobertini, owner of The Grand on Central.

Below, take a visit through The Grand on Central.

For bookings, email Olivia Lobertini at ohlobertini03@gmail.com. Check on avails HERE.

Below, WLAF’s Charlie Hutson takes us through the years in photos.