On October 20, 2014, we lost Luther Masingill, at the age of 92. He will no longer speak into the WDEF microphone, attempting to find some lost dogs. He was on the same time, same station since 1940. When you see a list of records that will never be broken (like Cal Ripken’s consecutive game streak and Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak), Luther’s longevity should rank at the very top. That’s why Sirius XM’s Phlash Phelps devoted a portion of his show earlier this year to Luther, just before his 92nd birthday. This interview, which you can hear below, was heard by a big chunk of satellite radio’s 26 million listeners nationwide:
Take it from me, or anyone else who’s ever worked on radio or television. An announcing career, to put it kindly, is not one where many folks get a gold watch for 25 years of continuous service. Deejays come and go, and frequently come again. Chattanooga, being a mid-sized city, has long been considered a stepping stone to Nashville, Atlanta, or even network fame. You rarely start in Chattanooga (you hone your skills in smaller towns like South Pittsburg, Dalton, or Fort Payne), and you sure don’t finish here. Generally, if you haven’t hit the big time by the time you’re middle-aged, you start selling real estate, or get a job at the post office, or start your own business. You can’t be a Chattanooga radio announcer forever. Unless….you’re Luther.
Let’s put this in perspective. When Luther uttered his first words on WDEF, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was in his second term. Some veterans of the Civil War were still alive. There was no such thing as cake mix, an electric blanket or an atomic bomb. Hitler ruled Germany, and Churchill was Britain’s Prime Minister. Gasoline was 18 cents a gallon, and it cost three pennies to mail a letter.
Each year, I attend a reunion of local radio deejays, past and present. Sometimes we ask them to name the stations for which they’ve worked, which can be a lengthy chore for some. Last year, when it was Luther’s turn, I fed him a straight line. “Luther,” I said, “you’ve done radio for more than seventy years. How many stations have you worked for?” With impeccable timing, he paused, started looking at his fingers as if to begin counting, looked up and said simply, “One,” to great laughter of course.
A few years ago, I asked him the question people often ask me. When I’ve touted Luther to out-of-towners, or to newcomers to Chattanooga, they’ll ask, “If he’s so good, why didn’t he ever make it to the big time?” You see, Chattanooga may seem like a big deal to those of us who live here, but the big-city folk are not impressed. We don’t have big-league sports, we don’t have 16-lane highways and we’re not swarming with celebrities. So, if you haven’t worked your way out of our scenic little town, you can’t be very good, so they say.
After a little prodding, Luther admitted that during his heyday in the 1950s and 60s, he could have gone just about anywhere. As television gradually connected our nation from coast to coast, Easterners became infatuated with Southern-style entertainers. Suddenly, New York-type stars like Milton Berle, Sid Caesar and Groucho Marx were giving way to comics and singers with a Southern flavor: Dinah Shore, Andy Griffith, Jimmy Dean, Tennessee Ernie Ford and Pat Boone were all near the top of the TV ratings and record charts. Big market radio stations took notice. “Hmmm,” they said. “These Southerners are taking the nation by storm. Maybe we should hire a down-home deejay to do our morning show.” When they saw Luther’s eye-popping ratings, they tracked him down.
I mean, this is the guy who made an entire city pull over to the side of the road one morning. As heavy snow began to fall, Luther helpfully advised his listeners to let some air out of their tires to gain more traction. As witnesses would later describe, main arteries like McCallie Avenue came to a standstill as everyone stopped, got out of their car and began deflating their tires. Can you imagine anyone, in any broadcast medium, having that sort of influence today?
Yet despite the offers from New York, Philadelphia and Milwaukee, Luther chose to stay put. His family was here, and he always appreciated WDEF for giving an unproven high school senior a job on the radio, which was beyond his wildest dreams. When he applied, all he wanted to do was answer the phone and take requests for the older guys. Owner Joe Engel asked him to try out for an announcer’s job, and gave him a commercial script to read. Young Luther mispronounced one word (“salon” became “saloon”) but those golden pipes landed him the station’s prime position. By the way, if the 73-year radio gig isn’t impressive enough, consider this: he was also on WDEF Channel 12 every day since it signed on, sixty years last April. No one else did that, either.
In recent years, this humble man got some extra attention. There’s a stretch of highway named in his honor, he was among the first inductees into the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame, and was finally inducted last year into the National Radio Hall of Fame in Chicago. All over the web, there are stories and videos, celebrating our hometown hero. Every day, everywhere he went, someone thanked him for waking them up each day, for reuniting them with their pet, or for finding their car keys. Luther knew he was loved, and nothing made him happier than rising bright and early, driving to the studio so he could help someone have a better day.
So long, old pal
Every time I saw or heard Luther, I cherished the moment. This much is certain: there will never be another one like him, anywhere in the world. If you’re lucky enough to be a Chattanoogan, you can say with hometown pride, “He belonged to us.”
I have posted my tribute to Luther from the Celebration of Life program at Engel Stadium on October 23rd. They are in two parts: Here is part 1:
Here is part 2:
A very sad day. Chattanooga will never again be the same without Luther’s superb pipes in the morning. We lost the voice of Chattanooga and the area. Which can never be replaced. The longest serving announcer in USA Radio. All of it for one station. My heart is extended to the WDEF Radio and TV staff and friends. Prayers and thoughts your way.
I had the pleasure of seeing Luther at a barber shop in North Chattanooga several years ago and recently at a restaurant in East Ridge. Each time I felt honored and that I was seeing a legend.
Although, I’ve been away from Chattanooga for 42 years, I’m deeply saddened that Luther is no longer with us. I grew up listening to Luther. As a young adult in the 70’s I continued listening to that friendly, warm voice.
Yes, Chattanooga wil never be the same. Luther was one of a kind. There will never be another Luther. It would be impossible to match his longevity, popularity and community service. RIP, old friend.
Its a very sad day to hear about Luther. He knew a lot of history about the city and Joe Engel
Luther’s voice is forever in my mind. He was with us as we ate and got ready for school and work when I was young and was there for my children and grand children. No bad words ever about Luther. RIP Luther.
I was fortunate to meet him once. It was in an East Ridge grocery store in the late ’80s or early ’90s. My mother was with me and she hugged him. I remember how kind and gracious he was. He was a very nice man.
I worked at WMOC-FM from 1966-1969 and Luther was an institution then. Sorry to hear of his passing.
David great tribute to a great Broadcaster and a wonderful man.
That conversation you spoke about on Siriusxm was rebroadcast this afternoon I was listing.
A very sad day indeed. Luther is an icon that will be truly missed. So very sorry to hear about this and my prayers and sympathy go out to his family during this time of tremendous loss.
After I retired from Ace Hardware I went to work for Walter A Wood Supply Co.Luther would come by on a regular basis to visit his friend Leon Henry.Of course Leon was an advertiser whom Luther talked about almost daily.Luther would then go around to the different Depts. and greet the workers.He did have some pretty good jokes to tell.I will always remember him telling his audience to ” get up and hit that linoleum”
David, I always enjoy your “in depth” reporting and especially this report on Luther. We have lost a Treasure in our community for sure. He was a “One of a kind”, an Icon. We will all miss him and when the snow starts to fall this winter, I bet you’ll hear people mention his name a lot and say “I Sure wish Luther was here and this snow wouldn’t have caught us off guard”. He will be missed by the entire community. RIP Luther.
I can’t remember a time without Luther. A special man .He will be greatly missed .
David, you have done a wonderful job. I tried to share it to my page, but could not figure out how to do it. I think you should do one of the books on Luther with the pictures and all. Beautiful. Bless you, David. Tutti Harris
I WILL MISS LUTHER I LOVED HIM SO VERY MUCH. WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL MY DADDY WOULD CALL LUTHER ON CHRISTMAS DAY WHEN HE WAS WORKING AND BECAUSE MY BIRTHDAY WAS ON CHRISTMAS HE WOULD PUT ME ON THE AIR AND WISH ME A SPECIAL HAPPY BIRTHDAY. I WILL NEVER FORGET HIM. HE WAS SUCH A SPECIAL PERSON AND THANKS FOR MAKING ME FEEL SPECIAL. THANKS DAVID FOR THE WONDERFUL JOB YOU HAVE DONE INFORMING ALL OF US ABOUT THIS WONDERFUL MAN.
I have known Luther since I was a child as he and my mother Alice Daniel worked at the Volunteer building as the same time. He has been a part of my life always as we were always seeing him on TV or in person. In the card I wrote to his precious wife Mary today, I told her he would truly be missed. I have just lost my husband to cancer, and I truly know how much she will miss him. God be with us all <3
David you are the closest thing we have to Luther. You can’t say 2 words without recognizing your voice. You keep us informed and never heard you speak in an unfriendly tone. I even remember Cindy Haines NEWS. I’m so glad you had all that time with Luther, it certainly rubbed off on you. As always, you did a wonderful job on this story. When I think of Luther, I automaticaly think of you. I only met him once and that was when I married a couple on Parker Smiths show and he came out and shook hands with me. What a courteous man.. I know you still hurt for him, May God bless you….Arlos+
Will always miss Luther. He was so good to my daughter Traci when she interned up there. Luther brought her an apple or a peach every week. She will never forget him.