Local broadcast pioneer Aaron Durham died Thursday after a battle with cancer. He was 81.
Durham was the owner of 1230 WAKI and also founded 107.3 FM during his career in broadcasting, a career that flourished while he was a student at the University of Tennessee. Durham worked at the radio station there all four years of college. His daily routine would see him open the radio station, go to class, come back and read the news on air at noon, go back to class, practice with the band, where he was first trumpet in the UT marching band, and then go back to the radio station at night. He turned down a band scholarship to LSU to attend the University of Tennessee.
His career in radio began before college as he worked during his high school years in McMinnville at WMMT. Prior to that time, he made his own home radio station while he was in junior high and was able to broadcast his signal around the block on West Sparta Street.
Following college, he worked as the manager of a chicken hatchery on Sparta Street near the present Hot Wheels skating rink. He then tried his hand at selling real estate and moved to Miami, Fla., to pursue that goal.
Before becoming the owner of radio stations, he actually was part of one of the biggest stories in American history. Durham just happened to be in Dallas, Texas the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated. His brother was at WBMC at the time so Durham called him and did a live remote from near the shooting.
While known for his pioneering of local radio, Durham first served as primary manger and owner/operator of WJLE in Smithville, starting the station in 1963. He also owned a station in Texas with a college friend. He began ownership in McMinnville around 1970 when he bought WAKI, serving as owner and on-air celebrity. He later added 107.3 and 107.7 FM in the 1990s.
“He had a deep interest in radio back when radio was still the primary source of information,” said his son, Brad Durham.
Local radio personality Jay Walker recalls it was Durham who gave him his start in radio back in 1983.
“He loved radio and knew the business,” Walker said, noting Durham demanded professionalism from his workers. “He demanded his employees be professional and sound professional on the air.”
Walker described Durham as a pioneer in the broadcast industry as he was able to change with the times.
“He was old-school radio, loved big-band music,” Walker recalled. “But he was the first here to change over to computers in radio. He knew that it was the direction radio was going.”
In addition to his radio career, Durham served his country in the U.S. Army and was an early member of the Silver and Gold Band.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by High Funeral Home.