Luther
The late Hamilton County Commissioner Curtis Adams named broadcaster Luther Masingill “A Chattanooga Treasure”. No truer words were ever spoken. Having grown up listening to Luther and then working with him, I quickly found out his favorite time of the year was Christmas.
Our families go back to the 40’s. His father sold dry goods to my grandfather who operated a store on North Market Street. When I met Luther for the first time he knew who I was.
I first worked with Luther in 1968 while a control room operator at WDEF radio. I quickly learned how generous he was but didn’t want any fanfare. That Christmas he handed out small monetary gifts to his fellow workers. We worked together twice in the 80’s and then again after WDOD and WDEF merged.
I believe it was Christmas 1974 and he asked me to lunch after his TV gig at noon. We left the studio and I think we went to Ricky’s Restaurant. Still not knowing what Luther was up to, we headed to the Farmers Market on E. 11th Street and Earl Roden Produce. A young Mr. Roden loaded several boxes of fresh fruit in Luther’s pick up. We made our way to this home for elderly widow ladies on Dodds Avenue. I don’t remember the name. Several staff members greeted us as Luther and myself handed out the fruit. I remember the smiles on their faces. They were more excited about seeing Luther than getting the fruit.
I learned quickly the telephone was an important part of Luther’s life. It was a few days before Christmas and I was in the studio putting together my program. Luther answered the phone and it was a mother with three small children. She was unable to pay her electric bill and the kids were cold. Luther got all her information and called EPB General Manager John McQueen. Luther told Mr. McQueen and almost demanded (in a nice way) he send someone to her home to turn on the electricity. I remember his conversation went something like this, "John I don’t know how much she owes EPB but whatever it is I’ll pay it." He went on to say, "I’ll pay for a month service in advance." Then he told Mr. McQueen to call him back when the power had been restored. The mother had a Merry Christmas thanks to our Luther. Luther told me privately he couldn’t do that for everyone but some cases brought him to his pocketbook. Another time near Christmas Luther learned a widow was without wood and coal. She lived downtown near the First Presbyterian Church on McCallie Avenue. Luther was good friends with Pastor Dr. James L. Fowle and told him the circumstances. Dr. Fowle and a church employee took kindling and coal to the woman. The elderly lady had a Merry Christmas, thanks to Luther’s compassion.
Luther enjoyed Christmas music. He and management would have lengthy discussions about when he could start playing those records. Luther of course wanted to begin the day after Thanksgiving. He enjoyed telling about Stan Freeberg and “Christmas Dragnet”. Freeberg was on his way to Florida one year and had car trouble in Chattanooga. Freeberg took his car to Amos and Andy and employees started telling him about Luther. Freeberg walked down to WDEF. Luther said they spent several hours together eating lunch at the Mount Vernon. Luther took him back to the dealership. They became lifetime friends with many telephone conversations. Luther said Freeberg told him he’d get a new copy of “Christmas Dragnet” released by Capital as a 45.
Luther was the first to play “A Carpenter, Mother and a King” by the Rhodes Kids. He said he really never realized who the family was. Luther loved “Jingle Bells” by the Singing Dogs. He said one day Buddy Houts opened the mail and surprised him by playing the record. It became a holiday favorite. Luther said writer J.B. Collins hated the recording. Luther said he’d play it just to aggravate J.B. Buddy, who sat near J.B. at the News-Free Press news room, would always turn it up when it came on.
The late Herb Adcox introduced Luther to another Christmas recording in the 90’s, “Rusty Chevrolet” by the Da Yoopers. It became a favorite. Luther told me late In his 70-plus-year career he was telephone friends with Ray Conniff. The Columbia recording artist sent Luther one of the first Christmas recordings of “The Real Meaning of Christmas”, which Conniff wrote in the mid 60’s. Luther enjoyed the novelty songs but also the sacred recordings. “All I want for Christmas is my Upper Plate” by Homer and Jethro was another one of Luther’s favorites. Perry Como, Andy Williams, Jimmy Dean, Jim Nabors, Doris Day, the Carpenters, and Johnny Mathis were just a few of the artists we would hear each Christmas season. Luther’s favorites were the sacred selections including the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and George Beverly Shea. I remember the first Christmas after his daughter Joanie was born he told listeners that God had given him a great Christmas present that year - his healthy daughter. When son Jeffery got interested in electronics Luther asked me about gift suggestions. I told him go see Jimmy Uptan at Capital Audio Visuals on Brainerd Road. Later Luther told me Jimmy took care of him. I quickly found out much Luther loved his family.
Luther enjoyed working Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Longtime friend Buddy Houts told me that was his choice. Working Christmas stopped several years before Luther’s career ended. He said he wanted his listeners to know the Community Kitchen would serve Christmas lunch and the Union Gospel Mission would have Christmas supper. Luther kept a list of churches that were giving out food baskets. He helped with announcements and gifts to the Forgotten Child Fund. Luther said there might be a child who loses their dog or cat on Christmas and he wanted to help them find their pet. He would call Mrs. Violet Pannel on Waldens Ridge about the weather, snow and freezes. She loved Luther. After Mr. Houts went to the Chattanooga Free Press, he became a fixture on Luther’s program. Buddy could keep the listeners laughing. Buddy had lots of Christmas stories. Luther said one time he didn’t know if all of them were true. Luther loved Buddy like a brother.
Luther was inducted into the National and Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame. Luther’s list of accolades was very long. He helped thousands. I remember the last time he walked out of the studio on S. Broad Street. He was very sick and his voice very weak. Later that morning he was admitted to Memorial Hospital. He called me a few days later when my mother died. They went to Central together. Always thinking of others, Luther told me in a soft tone, “I’ll be out of here to come to her service.” I told him, "Luther, get well. We need you on the radio in a few weeks to play Christmas Dragnet." We laughed and said goodbye. When Christmas time is near I always remember Luther. He passed at 6 a.m. on October 22nd, 2014. That was the time his morning radio show started every day.
Luther signed off here, but I’m sure God gave him the mic to begin his eternal life because of his faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. As Commissioner Adams said, “Luther will always be a Chattanooga treasure.”
Earl Freudenberg
heyearl1971@comcast.net