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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhen he returned stateside in 1964, Nashville became his next stage. \u201cI started at WVOL radio [station] doing Sunday evenings, and I was also working at a station here in Lebanon. Two stations at once \u2014 it was busy,\u201d he said with a laugh. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
But radio was just one track of Burton\u2019s life. In 1986, he turned up the volume on his commitment to the community by running for Lebanon City Council. \u201cWhen I ran, we didn\u2019t have a representative in our ward. It was an African American ward, and we had no voice,\u201d he explained. \u201cSo they added two more council seats, and I was one of them. That was in 1986, and I stayed for 30 years.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thirty years of service. Thirty years of advocacy. Thirty years of ensuring that every voice in Lebanon had a chance to be heard. \u201cIt was a lot of work,\u201d he admitted. \u201cThey worked me to death!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Through it all, music remained a constant in his life. His influence reached beyond the airwaves, connecting him with legendary artists like James Brown. \u201cJames Brown was my friend,\u201d Burton said with pride. \u201cEvery time he came to Nashville for a show, he always called me. We always had a party after the show.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
His entrepreneurial spirit also played a strong note in his life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAfter high school, I went to barber school in Memphis for six months,\u201d he said. \u201cCame back, met a buddy, and we opened a barbershop.\u201d For 12 years, Burton cut hair by day and commanded the airwaves by night. \u201cThen, in 1970, I said, \u2018That\u2019s enough.\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite juggling radio, politics, and business, family remained his grounding force. \u201cMy wife, Billie, and I have a son who\u2019s a senior engineer and a grandson who\u2019s in the Air Force, going through fighter training in Little Rock,\u201d he shared. \u201cWe\u2019ve always stayed close.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Over the years, Burton has received numerous awards recognizing his service and dedication. But when asked how it feels to be honored, he simply said, \u201cEnough is enough,\u201d with a chuckle. \u201cIt\u2019s been a beautiful life.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n That life wasn\u2019t without hardship. \u201cMy mother passed away when I was only 17. I was a senior in high school,\u201d he said. \u201cMy dad fell in love with a woman in Detroit and moved there. He wanted me to come, but I said, \u2018No way. It\u2019s too cold. I\u2019m staying in the South.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n And stay he did, dedicating his life to the town that shaped him. Though he officially retired from the city council in 2023, stepping away from public service hasn\u2019t dimmed his light. \u201cThirty years was enough,\u201d he said. \u201cThe mayor asked me if I\u2019d run again, and I said, \u2018No way \u2014 I\u2019m running out that back door!\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, at 83, Burton continues to be a voice of the community. His radio show still runs strong, proving that some tunes never fade. \u201cMusic has always been my thing,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd I\u2019m not done yet.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Fred Burton\u2019s legacy is like a timeless song and certainly one that Lebanon will keep singing for generations to come. GN<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" FOR 40 YEARS, Fred Burton has been the steady voice on Lebanon\u2019s airwaves, spinning records and shaping the soundtrack of Saturday nights. But his contributions to the community extend far beyond the radio booth. From military service to public office and business ownership to cultural advocacy, Burton\u2019s life has been full of dedication, perseverance, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":22544,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-22540","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feature"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/lebanon\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/04\/IMG_5039-1024x768.jpg\")
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