InformationChannel 5 photographer Jimmy Farmer will get main residence county recognition

ASHLAND CITY, Tenn. (WTVF) — It’s like this at most locations. It’s the folks behind-the-scenes who do not search any consideration who actually preserve a spot operating. That’s so true of InformationChannel 5 photographer Jimmy Farmer.

“I’ve been at Channel 5 for 35 years this month,” Jimmy mentioned, speaking to me after modifying his story for the evening.

It was 1984 when Jimmy first walked into WTVF. At the time, he had a highschool job at Service Merchandise, and their employees was answering telephones throughout the Nashville segments of the Jerry Lewis Telethon.

“Especially at that point, I had not had any exposure to what a TV studio was like,” Jimmy remembered. “You walk in. There’s camera operators everywhere. It was just amazing to see.”

It was doing good work. The telethons have been elevating cash for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and this was attending to be in the midst of serving to folks.

“This is sort of what I wanted to do, where I wanted to be,” Jimmy nodded.

By 1990, Jimmy was on employees. Early in his profession got here an unforgettable day.

“It was a very, very cold morning, and there had been some fog that rolled in,” Jimmy mentioned of a day in 1991. “It froze on a lot of the downtown streets. There was a wreck on the James Robertson Bridge. I went out there and was trying to get video of it. I can hear some commotion going on. I look under my lens, and I see a van. It does a loop in the middle of the road, is up on its side on the sidewalk and starts coming right for me. The van did hit me. It tossed my camera over the bridge, and it shattered in the parking lot below. My arm was broken. My leg was broken. They came and put me on a stretcher and rolled me away. I was in the hospital for a week, completely out of work for a month. I couldn’t physically pick a camera up for three to four months.”

Of course, Jimmy did decide his digicam again up. One of his most necessary days of labor got here throughout the tornadoes of March 2020.

“It was horrible,” Jimmy mentioned. “We head over to east Nashville, and it was just destroyed, buildings leveled, poles down, people wandering around the neighborhood trying to find people. When a tornado rolls through, it doesn’t discriminate. You have buildings you’re familiar with that just aren’t there anymore.”

What Jimmy knew that day was he needed to seize historical past and canopy the tragedy but in addition discover the hope.

Jimmy’s informed tales of a few of Nashville’s worst days, however he is additionally informed tales of a few of its finest ones. For about 30 years, Jimmy’s been the photographer for InformationChannel 5’s protection of nation occasions.

“If there’s been a major star in the last 25, 30 years, I’ve interviewed them!” he mentioned.

Like I used to be saying, folks like Jimmy work exhausting, however whenever you’re behind-the-scenes, folks within the public do not at all times acknowledge what you do.

Well. Sometimes they do.

“He has now served with the utmost distinction for 35 years,” InformationChannel 5 meteorologist Henry Rothenberg introduced to a crowd in Ashland City. “He’s built a reputation as an accomplished photojournalist. There’s nobody I would rather have sitting to my left while covering severe weather.”

Joining names like Randy Travis and Mel Tillis, Jimmy was being inducted into his Cheatham County Arts and Entertainment Hall of Fame.

“Jimmy has dedicated his life to sharing the arts, capturing history, and enriching our community,” Henry continued.

“My success would not be possible without the support of my family and friends, many of whom are here tonight,” Jimmy mentioned, taking the rostrum.
“Thank you for everything. I’ve always been proud to say I’m from Cheatham County. Now I’m proud to say I’m a member of the Cheatham County Arts and Entertainment Hall of Fame. Thank you for this tremendous honor.”

“I was, like, ‘wow. I didn’t know I was on anybody’s radar!'” Jimmy continued. “I appreciate it quite a bit. You see people sometimes on the worst day of their life, and you see people on the best day of their life. I said this before, and I’ll say it again. I love what I do. I’ve never wanted to do anything else. I’ve been fortunate for the last 35 years to be able to do it.”

Jimmy shared this piece he did with Carrie Sharp is certainly one of his favorites from his time at InformationChannel 5. You can watch it right here.

Do you’ve got a optimistic, excellent news story? You can e-mail me at [email protected].

Hermitage clinic for disabled sufferers set to shut, cites lack of funding

I’m so grateful Robb Coles highlighted the Kamer Davis clinic in Hermitage and the hardship which will pressure its closure. The clinic offers take care of sufferers with mental and developmental disabilities and there’s no different place prefer it close by. You can inform the employees is so passionate concerning the care they supply. I hope by shining the sunshine on this, the correct individual can step in and make a distinction.

– Carrie Sharp