2012 Legacy Inductee
John Lane
1920-1994
John Lane was born near Valdosta and grew up on a farm. He graduated from Valdosta High in 1938 and immediately left, hitchhiking for Savannah. His goal was to find a job on Georgia’s coast; he got as far as Brunswick and fell in love with the Golden Isles. He worked at an insurance company and in 1942, enlisted in the Army Air Corp, becoming a tail gunner. He was highly decorated and came home in 1944 after being injured during a bombing mission over Germany. Upon his return, he hot married and resumed his work at the insurance company. In 1949 he was offered a job at a new radio station, WGIG. John’s program “News around Town” became immensely popular. John was called back to the service during the Korean War, but returned to WGIG, where he remained as news director until 1967.An opportunity for part ownership took him to WMOG in 1967. Lane did “News around Town for 42 years and retired in 1991. Lane was active in many civic groups and was known for his annual Christmas food and toy collections. In 1977, the mayor of Brunswick interrupted his noontime news cast to honor Lane and proclaim it “John Lane Day”. He interviewed the dignitaries, movie stars, and the everyday man. His broadcasts kept coastal radios informed when Hurricane Dora lashed the coast in the fall of 1964. The Atlanta Journal and Constitution once aptly called John “The Lord of Brunswick Radio”.
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