|
The Kentucky Broadcasters Association mourns the passing of legendary radio broadcaster, Jim Morgan. Morgan passed away suddenly on Tuesday at age 74.
Morgan's father, "Big Jim" Morgan, started his radio broadcasting career in 1946 when he interviewed at WHLN in Harlan. The station was the first in southeastern Kentucky. "Well, It was after World War II and my father was a butcher. And, his boss came in and said you know, you've got a great voice. I hear there's an opening at the radio station," said his son, "Little Jim" Morgan.
He got the job and it changed his and his family's life forever. "So, I've been around radio my entire life. And I started working for him as a janitor when I was 14," said Morgan.
At age 15 he earned his broadcast license.
"I wanted to be a DJ when I was a teenager and so that's how I really got into it," said Morgan. "And of course growing up in the 'British invasion,' like Beetles, the Beach Boys, and that sort of thing. All these groups were very popular at the time."
He says later on, he got serious about radio. His biggest accomplishment was winning the George Foster Peabody Award for WHLN's coverage of the 1977 flood.
"They told it all night, never slowed down. And, they told them what they needed to do, how they needed to do it and what to be careful for, what to watch for. And, it was totally professional," said Ed Pollitte, who worked with Jim at WHLN.
The Morgan family was respected for being reliable for the facts, and being easy to work with, even with competition.
"The thing about Jim, even though we were competing radio stations, he was always a friend. I never felt he was competition," said Kyle Burnette. "That's why it was so easy once I came over and started working at WHLN for the Morgans."
After 55 years, Morgan sold the station in August 2019 and retired. "My father worked up until four months before his death. And, I decided then that I wouldn't do that," Morgan said.
Story courtesy of WYMT-TV
For complete obituary information, click HERE.
| 
