By Joel Spears
Features Editor

KNOXVILLE - When Mike Hammond began his radio career at age 15 for WMCH 1260 AM in Church Hill he never thought he would be on his way to the Country Radio Hall of Fame.
    But on Feb. 23 Hammond will be inducted into the hallowed halls at Nashville in a special ceremony.
    "Growing up, I wanted to be a lawyer," he told The Review.  "That was my goal as a student at Church Hill High School.  But our 4-H Club held a 15-minute weekly radio program on WMCH and I was host.  One day, Bettye Russell who was station manager at the time heard me on air and approached me about a part-time job.  My parents started driving me to the station after school and that's how I got started in the business."
    Following his graduation from CHHS Hammond moved on to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville where he became employed by WBIR AM and WETE AM.
    In 1973, he joined WIVK where he would achieve his notoriety.
    Today Hammond serves the station as its program director and operations manager.
    Once inducted in the hall of fame, Hammond will join Knoxville radio legend Lowell Blanchard - host of "Midday Merry Go Round" on WNOX - as the only Knoxville members.
    "If it wasn't for Bettye, Leroy Alley and Tommy Davis at WMCH there is no way I could even be considered for this honor," Hammond said gratefully.  "Leroy was program director then and he taught me everything I know about broadcasting.  I've brought what I learned from them all to WIVK."
    Hammond fondly recalled his first day at WMCH.
    "I walked in, Leroy showed me the control panel, then said 'There you go,'" he said with a laugh.
    "He told me he was going across the street for a cup of coffee.  When he got back I asked him why he left me and he replied, 'It's the only way to learn.'  There was a lot of dead air on WMCH that afternoon," he said laughing.  "I remember telling him, 'I hope you still have somebody listening.'"
    Those early "sink or swim" days in broadcasting have taken Hammond a long way.
    In 1987 The Country Music Association named him program director of the year and Radio and Records honored him as program director of the year in 2005. 
    He was named AP Broadcaster of the year in 1980 and won the national Edward R. Murrow award for news reporting in 1996. 
    While news director of WIVK, the station was named best news operation in the state by the AP a total of 10 times. 
    The news department also won the Edward R. Murrow award for regional excellence three times. 
    Under Hammond's leadership as program director, WIVK has been named station of the year by the Country Music Association seven times, the Academy of Country Music station of the year five times, Radio and Records station of the year twice, humanitarian station of the year by Country Radio Broadcasters six times, and Marconi station of the year by the National Association of Broadcasters five times. 
    When he isn't in the office, Hammond serves as a Knox County Commissioner having been elected to the position in 2004. 
    He has also been the public address announcer for the University of Tennessee Lady Vols for 16 years.
    In the community he has been board chairman of the Bijou Theater and American Red Cross.
    In addition, he has served as marketing chair of the United Way, board member of Second Harvest, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Tennessee Theater, and is currently co-chair of the Dogwood Arts Festival.  
    He was also involved with one of the first radiothons for St. Jude Children's Hospital in 1983 and since that time the station has raised over $5 million for the hospital.  He is also recognized as being instrumental in the first Coats for the Cold campaign 27 years ago and has spearheaded fundraisers for Variety the Children's Charity, East Tennessee Children's Hospital, and the Dream Connection.
    Hammond's mother Juree Bass currently lives in Surgoinsville with her husband, former Surgoinsville alderman, Ralph Bass.