When you get an invitation to a lunch to celebrate Tommy Jett’s birthday, you go.
Apparently a lot of folks feel the same way. Last week, several of his “close personal friends,” a term that the 76-year-old Jett uses for a lot of people, filled up the back room at Zarzour’s Cafe to wish the iconic disc jockey a happy birthday.
Barry CourterIt was a who’s who of local radio and TV including folks like David Carroll, Garry Mac, Chip Chapman, Jerry Pond, Randy Smith and Earl Freudenberg. Judge Russell Bean and singer James Rogers also turned out to eat a little cake and sing “Happy Birthday.”
TJ the DJ has been on the air locally since 1961 and can currently be heard live on Tuesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. on WAAK-Fm 94.7 and online at tommyjett.com via the “Tommy Jett Good Time Oldies Rock and Roll Variety Show.”
On Tuesday of this week, Jett hosted a special “Gospel Jubilee” on WAAK to advance the 2016 Heavenly Jubilee set for Aug. 4-6 at the new Patriot Hall in Ringgold.
About 180 performers will do 10 minutes of music and testimony from noon to 10 today and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Admission is $5 and seven nonperishable items.
“It’s a chance for everyone to get together and see each other,” said organizer Pat Hookey. She has been putting the jubilee together for the last 18 years.
Jett was inducted into the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame in 2013.
On the topic of the hall, new market coordinators were recently installed and Garry Mac is now the Chattanooga representative. Nominations for the Class of 2017 will be accepted through Aug. 31.
You must be a full, active member to nominate someone in the Career or Legacy categories. Candidates must have worked in Tennessee radio broadcasting or a related field for at least two years and had a career in Tennessee or elsewhere for at least 10 years. Career candidates are living at the time of nomination, while Legacy candidates are deceased at the time of nomination.
* Two weeks ago in this space I wrote about the comedy performances upcoming this weekend featuring Les McCurdy, Ken Sons and Jim Brick. I wanted to correct something. Their performances on Friday and Saturday will be family oriented. It’s the Sunday show at The Comedy Catch with McCurdy and Brick that will be adult-only.
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.