The years seem to roll by at a rapid pace. Here's to hoping
that I never get too old to dream!
Wally's Restaurant in Chattanooga Tennessee is known by locals as the Floyd's barber shop of the restaurant world. It's simply where many locals from all walks of life go for a great breakfast or lunch. Wally's biscuit's are all made from scratch. Dario arrives early each morning at Wally's to make, what many call Chattanooga's best biscuits.
Ever wonder how American Bandstand got it's theme song?
Brad Walker, current director of the Les Elgart Band. shares the story of how Dick Clark secured the rights to the song.
Luther and I promoting the
Mt. Vernon Restaurant in Chattanooga.
As Vice President and General Manager
of WDEF/AM-FM in the early 80s, it was an honor
to work with the man known and loved, simply as Luther.
Our engineer and editor on this project was James Howard.
"Without radio, I wouldn't have had a career," rock/pop legend Frankie Valli told a gathering of media and fans Friday at the National Top 40 Hall of Fame & Radio Museum in Lookout Valley.
Valli was in town for a sold-out show later in the day at the Tivoli Theatre in downtown Chattanooga. The Radio Museum is located inside the building of legendary WFLI Radio which signed on the air in 1961, the year before Valli and the Four Seasons had two of their biggest Top 40 hits "Sherry" and "Big Girls Don'y Cry."
the date of Valli's visit was 1/24/2020.
The world famous Les Elgart Orchestra made a stop in Chattanooga Saturday night, November 4th 2023 at the Fairyland Club on Lookout Mountain. The band is best known for
“Bandstand Boogie,” theme song of Dick Clark’s American Bandstand.
The Les Elgart Orchestra is one of the few remaining famous big bands from the 1950’s and 1960’s that is still in demand. Their popularity gained them their tagline “The Band with that Sound."
Brad Walker is the conductor and makes his home in Knoxville. He said the Elgart band play all over the United States doing over 150 concerts–dances a year.
Chip Chapman talks to former Vice President and General Manager Ben Cagle and
Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame recipient Earl Freudenberg about some of the glory days at WDEF-TV.
Chip Chapman talks to former Vice President and General Manager Ben Cagle and
Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame recipient Earl Freudenberg about some of the glory days at WDEF-TV.
Coming to America
This video demonstrates how our symbol of freedom,
the "Statue of Liberty" was pieced together.
Chattanooga boasts the largest hang gliding school in the country, Lookout Mountain Flight Park, and the Tennessee Tree Toppers in Sequatchie County, TN hosts a thriving community of amateur and professional pilots. Tandem hang gliding allows first timers to fly to high altitude with a certified instructor by their side. Tandem flights can begin with a run and a leap off the side of a mountain or with a gentle tow to 2,000 feet from an ultralight airplane. Those wishing to learn more can take solo, low altitude flights within a half a day.
Homosassa Florida is my go to place for Red Fish and sea trout.
Vietnam Veterans of America - Chapter 203
in Chattanooga, Tennessee demonstrate the proper way to retire the American flag. They are all my heroes.
If trust is there, the animal will respect your desire to make it cooler
for her with the approaching hot weather.
I was honored to produce this documentation of Charles H. Coolidge.
Mr. Coolidge was the recipient of the United States Military's highest decoration for valor, the Medal of Honor, for his conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action above and beyond the call of duty. Although in declining health, Mr. Coolidge and his family toured the Charles H. Coolidge National Medal of Honor Heritage Center shortly before it opened to the public and not long before his death on April 6th 2021.
Desmond Thomas Doss was the first conscientious objector to
be given the Congressional Metal of Honor.
Doss is buried in Chattanooga, TN. at the National Cemetery.
Desmond Doss passed on March 23 2006 at the age of 87.
All the real work was done early and the cameras were still set up,
it's hard to not have a little fun with bogus commercials.
The Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum is one of Chattanooga's many jewels. It was founded as a chapter of the National Railway Historical Society in 1960 by Paul H. Merriman and Robert M. Soule Jr. along with a group of local railway preservationists.
I loved making this video for the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.
Carl is a Musician, a long time city of Chattanooga and Hamilton county official and an advocate for Veterans. now, in his 90s he can be found
with many of his friends at Wally's Restaurant each Friday afternoon.
Guess I was in the right place at the right time with my video camera when Mitch Ryder showed up to visit his old friend Frankie Valli at the WFLI studios, home to the National Top 40 Radio Museum in Chattanooga Tennessee.
Bobby Harper was one of Americas top DJs in the 1960s.
He was a model for WKRP's Johnny Fever. Skinny Bobby Harper
ruled the airwaves in Atlanta for many years.
Sadly, he passed on July 22 2003 at the age of 64.
If you are into Sea Trout or Redfish, Charlie is your man. He has been doing this for most of his life and it's my belief that he has forgotten more than most Captains learn.
My friendship with Tommy lasted for over fifty years.
Tommy Jett ruled the airwaves in Chattanooga during most all of the 1960s and 1970s. At one time, Tommy had a night time audience share
of 71% on WFLI which has never, to this day been equaled or beaten.
on May 4th 2013, he was inducted into the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame.
Tommy Jett will always be remembered as one of Chattanoogas most loved DJs.
Tommy died at his Flintstone Georgia home on April 25 2018.
After Ben Haden's testimony, weeks later, Graham mailed Haden an audio copy of his powerful testimony. With Hadens declining health years later, he gave the tape to his friend Earl Freudenberg. Than's when Earl and I decided to offer this amazing testimony to the public.
I've been making those wonderful trips to lake winnie since I was 16 years old. Do I still ride the Cannonball ? You Betcha!
He worked at the same radio station for more than seven decades.
It was an honor for me to work and talk to him almost every day for eleven years. Luther was loved and embraced by all of Chattanooga.
Recording this video was not an easy task but I couldn't refuse the family's request to record the funeral procession. I'm glad that I did because I have had countless people tell me who live in many states outside to Tennessee that this video helped them because they felt that by viewing it, they were able to attend Luther's funeral.
Rest in Peace dear friend. You will never be forgotten.
Another Chattanooga treasure is my dear friend Roger Alan Wade. This talented singer songwriter has written hits for several country music stars. This is a video that I recorded several years ago and I decided to title it "Neon Nights." It's two complete hours of entertainment with Roger and his guitar and no band behind him. Thanks Roger for allowing me to record this video, it was a great night.
This is a radio interview on WGOW (Talk Radio) on April 4th 2004.
I was interviewed by Chip Chapman about, what Chip called the
"Glory Days" at WDEF (CBS) Television In Chattanooga.
Simply put, a Chattanooga legendary performer!
I recorded this video at Tommy Jett's 15th annual entertainer's reunion.
I love to talk about my great great grandfather, Benjamin Silas Cagle & some of the history surrounding the Beersheba Springs hotel.
Many believe that a fortune in gold, silver & jewels were never recovered after being buried, due to the upcoming Civil war.
The Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge. at the confluence of the Hiwassee and Tennessee rivers, is the premier wintering observation site in the Southeast for the magnificent Sandhill Crane. This area is steeped in Cherokee history. The land lies near the center of the ancestral land of the Cherokee Nation that once encompasses portions of Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama. Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
In 2016, the Three Sisters Festival in Chattanooga marked the 10th year with Fletcher & his Dismembered Tennesseans kicking off year number ten of the amazing Three Sisters Festival.
I loved making this video and will always be grateful for my friendship with my dear friend, the late Fletcher Bright.
Since 1941, legendary musician Jay Craven has been entertaining people with his clarinet. For health reasons, Jay decided that May 15th 2015 would be his last performance with the Chattanooga Clarinet Choir, a group that he founded in 1998. This is a recording of his last performance with the CCC.
Thanks Jay for all the great memories.
The ribbon was cut on Friday (Nov. 16th 2018) for the “National top 40 hall of fame and radio museum”. On hand for the ceremony was Mike Love of the original Beach Boys. The popular 60’s, 70’s singing group was in Chattanooga for a concert at the Tivoli Theater. Some of their million selling hits include, I get around, Surfin U.S.A., Help Me Rhonda, and Good Vibrations. The museum is located inside the WFLI studios on O’Grady Drive in Lookout Valley. Station Manager Evan Stone said “the museum is available for tours and parties”. Additional information is available by calling 821-3555. The museum contains old radios, pictures of legendary top 40 radio announcers, radio equipment dating back to the 60’s. a WFLI history video and the original 50,000 watt transmitter that was purchased from WTOP radio in Washington, D.C. The station went on the air in 1961. Among those present for the ribbon cutting were early employees, Station Manager Johnny Eagle, Nick Smith, Rick Govan, David Carroll, Ben Cagle, Max O’Brien, Rick Sharpe, Gene Lovin and Bill Miller.
There are many stress reducers out there but this has been a favorite of mine for a long time.
I have never figured out how or why but some of the nicest people I have ever met were paddling on the river.
This dedication was on December 3rd 2019. One of the most influential and significant groups in African-American music, the Impressions founding members included Chattanooga resident Arthur Brooks, Fred Cash, Richard Brooks and Sam Gooden. Their hits from the 60s and 70s bridged doo-wop, rhythm and blues, gopspel and soul music. Some of their songs addressed African-American identity issues and became civil rights anthems. Sadly, my friend Sam Gooden passed August 4th 2022.
The following article appeared in the Chattanoogan.com on Jan. 26 2018.
A Chattanooga legendary restaurant has closed. Those who dropped by in person could not only reminisce about different places they sat and ate over the years, but also look for probably the first time into the kitchen, which featured several well-worn pieces of equipment from years of being used to make hot and fresh food.
Most of the tables and chairs and booths were as they were when the restaurant closed right before Christmas due to health issues of owner Jeff Messenger, but they now featured stacks of cups, saucers, plates and other dining utensils and other items on top of them.
The end of an era for this chapter in Chattanooga restaurant history had already passed, and that was what was most noticeable.
An amazing story of one man's vision that helped save many lives.
Blazing Saddles was nominated for three Academy Awards and is ranked at #6 on the American film institute's 100 years....100 laughs list.
Un addition, in 2006 Blazing Saddles was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library
of Congress and was selected for preservation in the
National Film Registry.
High Flight is a 1941 sonnet written by John Gillespie Magee Jr. and inspired by his experiences as a fighter pilot of the Royal Canadian Air Force in World War ll. This poem has been featured prominently in aviation memorials across the world, including that of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.
While working at the Legendary WFLI Radio Station, I was able to form friendships that have lasted a lifetime. Some have passed but many remain and the friendship continues.
My Mother and Father were at Pearl Harbor during World War ll. They met and months later
married at Pearl Harbor. My mother was a secretary to Chester Nimitz, who was in charge of the US Pacific fleet and my dad was a mechanic at the Pearl Harbor Navy Yard.
Wreaths across Chattanooga is proudly a non-profit, ensuring all sponsorship dollars go to honoring our heroes at Chattanooga National Cemetery. This is done thru various fundraising efforts throughout the year in Chattanooga.
Lt. Col. Ray Adkins talked with broadcaster Earl Freudenberg on Friday, Nov. 4th, 2022 about his distinguished military career. Adkins traveled around the world for the Uncle Sam during his 34 years with the U.S. Army and Army Reserve. Adkins was given the title in 2018 as “Hometown Hero.” He’s received many military medals for his service. The retired officer has been involved in military projects for over 50 years, the latest effort the “Salute to Veterans Parade in Fort Oglethorpe on Nov. 5th. 2022”
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