ASHLAND CITY, Tenn. (WTVF) — It's like this at most places. It's the people behind-the-scenes who don't seek any attention who really keep a place running. That's so true of NewsChannel 5 photographer Jimmy Farmer.
"I've been at Channel 5 for 35 years this month," Jimmy said, talking to me after editing his story for the night.
It was 1984 when Jimmy first walked into WTVF. At the time, he had a high school job at Service Merchandise, and their staff was answering phones during 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 were raising money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, and this was getting to be in the middle of helping people.
"This is sort of what I wanted to do, where I wanted to be," Jimmy nodded.
By 1990, Jimmy was on staff. Early in his career came an unforgettable day.
"It was a very, very cold morning, and there had been some fog that rolled in," Jimmy said 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 pick his camera back up. One of his most important days of work came during the tornadoes of March 2020.
"It was horrible," Jimmy said. "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 had to capture history and cover the tragedy but also find the hope.
Jimmy's told stories of some of Nashville's worst days, but he's also told stories of some of its best ones. For about 30 years, Jimmy's been the photographer for NewsChannel 5's coverage of country events.
"If there's been a major star in the last 25, 30 years, I've interviewed them!" he said.
Like I was saying, people like Jimmy work hard, but when you're behind-the-scenes, people in the public don't always recognize what you do.
Well. Sometimes they do.
"He has now served with the utmost distinction for 35 years," NewsChannel 5 meteorologist Henry Rothenberg announced 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 said, taking the podium.
"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 one of his favorites from his time at NewsChannel 5. You can watch it here.
Do you have a positive, good news story? You can email me at forrest.sanders@newschannel5.com.
I'm so thankful Robb Coles highlighted the Kamer Davis clinic in Hermitage and the hardship that may force its closure. The clinic provides care for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities and there is no other place like it nearby. You can tell the staff is so passionate about the care they provide. I hope by shining the light on this, the right person can step in and make a difference.
- Carrie Sharp
