After 18-months of preparation, the inaugural class to be inducted into the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame was completed Saturday  (5/5/2012) night with laughter and tears at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Conference Center.

Legacy Inductees

Broadcast personality Teddy Bart served as the emcee as Legacy inductees who have moved deeper into the ether waves were honored. The first class of Legacy Inductees included William T. "Hoss" Allen, Jack DeWitt, Larry Munson, Lindsey Nelson, John "R" Richbourg, and Grant Turner.

Career Inductees

The Career inductees featured living broadcasters who had either retired or were still active in the industry. Those included Ralph Emery, Gerry House, Wink Martindale, Luther Masingill, Scott Shannon, and John Ward. 

Lifetime Achievement

Bill Barry got a standing ovation as the recipient of the organization's first Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Legendary Station Award

The first legendary station award went to Nashville's WSM.

It was an evening of sharing memories and funtimes for the variety of broadcasters who spanned the decades and the volunteer state. It took you back to a time when life was simpler, when one-car garages were the norm, and when gas prices were in the cents instead of several dollars.

Tennessee Hall of Fame President Lee Dorman thanked everyone for making the evening a huge success, honored the memory of board members Scott Shelton and Allen Dennis who passed away while planning the event. He also noted that the board would evaluate the first gala and begin planning the second class.