Hairl Hensley
Charles Hairl Hensley (December 13, 1936—December 31, 2017) was an American country and bluegrass music radio broadcaster and announcer. Born in Madisonville, Tennessee, he began his career as a musician before transitioning to a morning disc jockey role at WDEH in Sweetwater. He hosted the Tennessee Barn Dance program on WNOX in Knoxville before relocating to Nashville in the late 1950s to work for WKDA and WLAC. In 1972, he joined WSM Radio, initiating a thirty-five-year career as a principal announcer for the Grand Ole Opry and hosting the station's Orange Possum Special and The Early Bird Gets the Bluegrass shows. He served as the announcer for the syndicated television program The Porter Wagoner Show and was named the Country Music Association Disc Jockey of the Year in 1975. He was inducted into the Country Disc Jockey Hall of Fame in 1995 and the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame in 2014.
In the newsletter
- No. 30 August 2002