CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Lee Erwin, the voice of Clarksville through severe weather, parades, traffic jams, today’s top hits, and breaking news, began his radio career 50 years ago in 1974. His half-century on air was celebrated Friday with the proclamation of Oct. 27 as Lee Erwin Day.
“Radio is all I ever remember wanting to do even as a young kid, and I thought this would be so cool, and I got to do it,” Erwin said Friday in an interview on Q108. “When you think about being a kid, you know, ‘I want to be fireman or a policeman or a cowboy or something,’ and you suddenly realize after a lot of years that you’ve gotten to do what you really wanted to do.”
Honoring (or embarrassing) Lee Erwin
The morning featured a visit to the 5 Star Media Group station Q108 by Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts, Police Chief David Crockarell and several city and county representatives.
“Lee’s given 50 years in radio, and 50 years at anything is a lot, and Lee is an icon, he’s an institution in our town,” Pitts said on Q108 Friday. “But what we don’t know is anybody who’s left his presence that doesn’t feel better, because Lee always makes people feel better about themselves. I know Lee hates this attention, and that’s why we like to give it to him.”
Crockarell presented Erwin with a chief’s coin and thanked him for years of support for the Police Department.
“There’s so many events that we’ve put on for years … Lee never says no to setting up the equipment and being the emcee for those events. I guess he just never says no to anybody. He’s probably the greatest ambassador of the city of Clarksville and definitely one of the hardest working people I’ve ever met,” Crockarell said.
5 Star is owned by national media company Saga Communications, and Saga President and CEO Chris Forgy called in to congratulate Erwin.
“You should be super proud about this,” Forgy said. “You’ve been in the business 50 years in what I think is the greatest medium that was ever created. And then you’ve been with Saga for 27 years, which I think you’ve heard me say before is the greatest media company on the planet. And we appreciate you, we love you, and we couldn’t be more happy for you.”
Forgy talked about Erwin’s history in radio, and some of the high-profile stunts he was involved in over the years.
“You’ve continued to evolve and change and to grow, and you’ve really been the epitome of what radio does at its most basic form, and that’s command attention and be deeply connected in your community and driving outcomes,” Forgy said. “We’re all very proud of you not just on Oct. 27 but every day.”
The morning’s honors included a performance in the parking lot by Erwin’s alma mater Montgomery Central High School marching band.
Who the heck is Lee Erwin?
Roy Lee Erwin was born in Illinois on Jan. 25, 1953. He then grew up in Palmyra and graduated from Montgomery Central in 1971. He began working in radio in October 1974 at WLUV, a country station in Loves Park, Illinois, then at stations in Hartsville, Tennessee; Dickson, Tennessee; and Murray, Kentucky.
In 1979, he began working at then-WABD 108 FM in Clarksville, which later became WCVQ, Q108 FM. As a radio personality, he’s been through his share of adventures for charity, including being frozen in ice, buried alive, and submerged underwater. And he’s literally gone above and beyond on the job, climbing a radio tower at least once to change a light bulb.
Erwin has held several roles with Q108 and 5 Star over the years. When Clarksville Now launched in 2010, Erwin jumped on board as a reporter and photographer. He documented so many community events that some remarked it wasn’t a real event if Lee wasn’t there to shoot it.
Outside his regular job, over the years Erwin has been instrumental on the boards for Big Brothers Big Sisters, Crime Stoppers, the Chamber of Commerce, Riverfest and many more. He has become the go-to emcee for countless events, parades and festivals.
Erwin is well known for showing up in the office on his days off, and for being on the job despite illness or injury, remarking only, “I’ll be fine.” And it all comes from a passion for doing what he loves.
“I don’t remember a day that I didn’t want to come into work,” Erwin said.
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