Ronnie Harold Campbell

Funeral services to honor the life of Mr. Campbell will be 11:00 AM Saturday in the Liberty Mortuary Chapel. Burial will be at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Anderson. Visitation will be Friday evening from 5:00 until 7:00 PM at the mortuary.

Ronnie Harold Campbell, 70, of 1777 Merritt Street, died Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at Alive Hospice in Nashville, Tennessee. Born in Belton, South Carolina he was a son of the late Harold E. and Sara Lollis Campbell. Ronnie graduated from Richmond Academy in Augusta, Georgia. He was currently the Broadcast Information Officer for the Tennessee House of Representatives. Below is Ronnie’s Biography.

Ron’s love for radio began at an early age when he would listen to a little Philco radio as a young boy at his home in Anderson County, SC. As a teenager, he kept his love for radio. He began his career in radio by filing records for WVVQ in Augusta, GA. With his great radio voice he didn’t file records for long. He was quickly hired as a radio announcer. He moved on to WMSJ (now WRGS) in Sylvia, NC and then to WJES in Johnston, SC. From there he moved to Taylorsville, NC where he announced for WTLK for many years.

In the late 1960’s and early 70’s he was announcer from 7 to midnight at WIVK in Knoxville, TN. He was also master of ceremonies for the WIVK Shindig Shows. When Ron left WIVK, he went to Waynesboro, TN with the Grand Ole’ Opry star, the late Ernie Ashworth, in 1980. In 1988 he went to work for the Tennessee House of Representatives as Broadcast Information Officer where he was still employed. He continued his work with radio by sending out news reports to radio stations throughout Tennessee.

For the past 19 years Ron has hosted the “Old Time Gospel Singing” TV Show out of Nashville and has hosted numerous live gospel and country music shows. He has also written a book about his early childhood years growing in Upstate SC called “The Old County: Another Place, Another Time.

Ron was inducted into the Rockabilly DJ Hall of Fame, located in Jackson, TN. He was also given an honorary doctorate for music evangelism and a doctorate of sacred music from Emmanuel Baptist University in York, PA. He was also honored by the Tennessee House of Representatives with a house resolution for accomplishments in the industry. Music City Gospel Showcase honored Ron with the Pioneer Award for Gospel Music.

Surviving are a sister, Diane Campbell Palmer of Six Mile; a nephew, Jody Palmer and his girlfriend, Stacey Powell of Seneca; a great nephew, Cole Palmer of Seneca; an adopted sister, Juanita Rose of Old Hickory, TN. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by a brother in law, Don Palmer.

Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to Alive Hospice, 1718 Patterson Street, Nashville, TN 37203. Memorial messages may be sent to the family by visiting www.libertymortuary.com Liberty Mortuary is handling arrangements.