In all, James has been a television weather anchor for 44 years. "I worked 6 (p.m.) to midnight, and my first song was 'Jessica' by the Allman Brothers. He wanted to write a book for kids who loved science and weather, but also a book that addressed fear by giving valuable information to overcome that fear and not scare them. One is national "Broadcaster of the Year" by the National Weather Association. James is related to James Spamm and Paula Denise Spann as well as 3 additional people. Refine Your Search Results. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. For James and his family, that day was March 25, 2021. UPDATED at 2:16 p.m. CDT on Monday, July 8, 2019 to add that Spann received a certificate in broadcast meteorology from Mississippi State University in the early 1990s. I love a good routine and thrive when I have a structured schedule, but James' productivity puts my best days to shame! Baird came up with Spann at WTBC, where they both worked as disc jockeys. Spann said that through writing a book about his life, he hopes he can encourage other people by reminding them that despite setbacks he had early in his life, he was able to find the life he wanted. An only child, James Max Spann Jr. was born in Huntsville and his family moved to Athens when he was a toddler. They stood in the front yard and talked. In all, James has been a television weather . In 1986, however, he resigned from his position and relocated to Alabama. 2023 www.tuscaloosanews.com. Although UMMC's numbers are not as high in comparison, they have significantly jumped over the past few years, Davis said. He was on the air for 37 years. Spann had already built up a reputation, earning an Emmy for coverage of the 2000 tornado that devastated Tuscaloosa and all kinds of annual weather anchor and broadcasting awards. "So, I think there's no doubt there was some type of plan to take something bad, that family situation, and turn it into something good. Simultaneously, he enrolled at Mississippi State University in a meteorology program. "Thank goodness for these men, these men who stepped up to fill the gap in my life," Spann says. James also was the winner of the AMS (American Meteorological Society) "Award for Broadcast Meteorology". During this time, he's also producing additional radio segments and writing an afternoon weather discussion with another video. His wife took shelter in their home as a tornado bore down on March 25. "If I didn't go to Tuscaloosa, I wouldn't be doing weather," he says. "That's very motivating for me.". To earn the CBM, broadcasters must hold a degree in meteorology or equivalent from an accredited college or university, pass a rigorous written examination, and have their on-air work reviewed to assess technical competence, informational value, explanatory value, and communication skills. "I was driving through Butler County and it was about 9 o'clock and it just hit me like a brick in the head: You need to go back to that church over there," he says. Bill Bolen was asleep on a cot. He has persevered through many challenging situations that have helped shape him into the person he is today. "While we lost many trees, the home is intact and we will be not have to 'rebuild'(sic).". The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. James Spann passed away on December 24, 2018 at the age of 64 in Phoenix, Arizona. View our online Press Pack. Carolyn Spann encouraged her son's passion, driving him to ham radio gatherings in Birmingham and letting him hang antennas and wires all over their new house. Manual; Automatic; Semi-automatic; Sales. I've done all kinds of stuff. ", James Spann is pictured here in this childhood photo with his mother, Carolyn Spann, who raised him after his father left when James was 7 years old. . James Spanns book, Weathering Life, is available in paperback for $19.95 and as an e-book for $17.95 at jamesspannbook.com. He believes that getting to kids while they're young his huge, but he can't talk to every child across the worldso he recently commissioned his wife and son (whom he credits with being much more creative than him) to write a children's book, "Benny and Chipper: PreparedNot Scared." This is very unusual with an EF3 tornado, and many homes in their neighborhood lost their second floors. He earned his first ham radio license at the age of 14, and holds an extra class license. James-Paul (J.p) Spann, 33 years of age, is a senior child and Ryan Christopher Spann, 20 years of age, is more youthful child. When I was a kid, I thought it was a mansion. $19.95 $ 19. In 1985, the Dallas Press Club named him the best weathercaster in the Metroplex, beating out strong competition like Harold Taft of KXAS-TV and Troy Dungan of WFAA-TV. "What Im trying to do now is trying to memorize the name of every personwho died," he said. However, times are changing and there is a lot of work currently being done to highlight mental health awareness in our field. "Did we not use the right facial expressions? He hosts the weekly podcast known as WeatherBrains which he began airing in 2006. While on the air, Spann's home was in the path of an E-3 tornado with his wife inside. Looking back on March 25, he knows that the warning process worked really well; the death toll could have easily been 100. "That's my home. As James called out communities in north Shelby County where the tornado was passing, he listed his own neighborhood, saying the torando was . He does it five days a week, sometimes visiting two schools a day. He holds the AMS CCM designation and television seals from the AMS and NWA. "I needed it, and I thought he needed it. At his church, Greenville Baptist Church, he recalls some of the older men talking openly about their contempt for black people. "Obviously our landscaping is going to be a lot different now. James began working for WSFA in Montgomery in late 1978 as a weekend sports anchor and part-time weatherman. Meteorologist James Spann to talk weather at Springville Road Library on Wednesday, Aug. 10. And guess what? "Those things in your life shape you.". Spann does not think too much about his legacy. For a while after that, Spann says, his father promised his mother that he would come visit him. He texted her during live coverage to make sure she was . Following a five-year stint on Channel 13, Spann moved to KDFW-4 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo from James Spann's "Weathering Life"). The future is really bright, James forecasts (pun intended). And that work ethic came about because my father left. In October 1989, he returned to television, this time as the main weatherman on Birminghams WBRC-TV. But I will work harder than anybody else to accomplish a goal. "And I'm motivated not to get involved with an addiction problem, to stay faithful to my wife, to be a good father to two boys. He said: "My wife got the warning, she had a plan, she was in the shelter and shes fine. We lost a lot of trees. WTBC was also known as the "15th Street School of Broadcasting" because owner Bert Bank hired so many University of Alabama broadcasting students to work there. He constantly reiterated how blessed they were, and though they had damage from trees falling on their home, they are fortunate to have insurance to cover the damage and let them have somewhere to stay while they rebuild. James Spann was born in Alabama on June 6, 1956. Those are the people he wants to focus on when giving back after severe weather events. Spann was in the station when Burns called to say he was snowed in. He currently works for WBMA-LD (ABC 33/40), Birmingham's ABC affiliate. The University of West Alabama conferred an honorary doctor of laws degree to James in 2013. ", Spann writes about those early years -- about the father who left him, the mother who raised him, and the historic storms that shaped his career as a meteorologist -- in his new autobiography, Weathering Life., "Its for weather people, and it's also just for anybody who's interested in (knowing) what it's like coming out of South Alabama in the 1960s from a broken home," Spann says of the book. The whole world doesn't tune in to the night time newscast anymore, so you have to access and utilize every digital and social platform there isfrom Facebook to Snapchat to Tiktok. Weve had obviously some shingle damage, but the house is intact, its OK.", "My ask is that you consider helping those that are homeless tonight, that have lost their homes. We said this thing would bring six inches and people wouldnt believe it. "I was the news anchor at 6 o'clock, and I'd do the weather at 10 o'clock," he says. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. (Photo from James Spann's "Weathering Life"). Fortunately he and his wife have a severe weather plan in place, and she was in their safe place when it struck. Getentrepreneurial.com: Resources for Small Business Entrepreneurs in 2022. In fact, anytime there is a big severe weather event, he always thinks "What would J.B. do It's, to me, been pretty amazing.". "She made that promise," Spann says, "and by golly, she delivered on it. I think the reason he became so great was because he run my show that morning when that big snow was on and he learned all about braying like a mule, riding a mule, hanging there like a rusty fishhook, Burns said in 2013. But despite the scare, Spann still focused his comments on other residents who are stuck in even more unfortunate situations. "He moved us into a really nice house in Greenville. J.B.'s impact and time commitment to James instilled in James that he wanted to help younger people the way J.B. helped him. James Spann has covered severe weather in Alabama since the 1970s. AMS certified media meteorologist, host of the WeatherBrains podcast, and general weather dweeb/dork/weenie/geek. Burns' show ran from the late 1950s until the early 1990s. The best result we found for your search is James H Spann age 50s in Lake Mary, FL. OK. "So, I left the radio station to go to work for Channel 33. James Max Spann Jr. (born June 6, 1956) is a television meteorologist and podcast host based in Birmingham, Alabama. James W. Spann (Jim), 88 of Richlands, passed away on Tuesday, October 4, 2022, in Fayetteville, NC. James volunteered as an amateur radio operator while attending Tuscaloosa High School. Her family was in attendance again to argue against his release. However, just because the state might not experience a massive outbreak as it did on that day, all it takes is one tornado. "Ill tell you this: From the time I met him, I knew he had it, whatever it is," Baird said. Spann has been in the television and radio weather industry for more than three decades. Its bad.". His wife, Karen, was present in the residence when it got hit - but luckily made it to safety in their in-home shelter. James Spann is a television meteorologist based in Birmingham, Alabama. He also went on to say that if he wasn't doing what he's doing, he'd love to be a third grade science teacher because he knows how to get to their level and communicate science for them. "A reasonable overall budget for living in this city is about US$1,100 or US$1,200 per month, including rent of US$500.". James has earned multiple Emmy awards over the years. The presenter had been warning viewers about severe weather conditions in Alabama on WBMA-LD. While it takes a good chunk of time, he serving the community is just as important for his personal mental health as it is for the community. . [2] Earlly in his career, spann studied electrical engineering at UA while paying for his tuition while working in radio. those that have relatives who lost their lives, that are in the hospital tonight. "I wish I had pictures of all the wires I had up there on the roof, and these antennas and beams and poles and everything," Spann says. "But let me tell you what, this was awesome. He then makes his way to the studio, where he works from around 1:30 PM to 11:30 PM, as he's on the evening newscasts at 4, 5, 6, and 10 PM. ", BBC1's live FA Cup coverage hit by porn noises from mobile hidden by prankster, Three major energy suppliers paying you to turn off appliances tonight, Major bar chain to close on Mondays and Tuesdays due to rocketing energy bills, Gran's tribute to girl, 4, & mum killed after being hit by racing Audi', News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Joshua has a BA from Syracuse and a Master's in Clinical and Counseling Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University. All rights reserved (About Us). Tonight will be clear and cold with a low in the 20s in most spots. April 27 happened on his watch. These are just a few words to describe James Spann, whom I recently had the privilege of speaking with. At least five people are dead and multiple casualties have been reported after seven deadly tornadoes tore through the state of Alabama. Emmy Award winner Spann is a married man and has two kids. He gives the TV weather broadcast from his home studio, followed by a radio broadcast that is aired on 24 commercial radio stations across the country. They have also lived in Sanford, FL and Altamonte Springs, FL. Dedicated. He was on TV for ten hours on April 8, 1998, during a tornado warning for western Jefferson County. This is a portrait of James Spann's father, James Max Spann Sr., as a young man. In addition to the 2011 tornadoes and the blizzard of 1993, one storm the book covers is the 1974 "Super Outbreak," the second-largest tornado outbreak on record for a single 24-hour period from April 3-4, 1974, that killed 315 people across 13 states. During his weather report on the afternoon of Thursday, March 25, James Spann, 64, learned that his own home had been struck. ", The 64-year-old later tweeted a statement regarding the damage to his home echoing his earlier comments, while adding: "As I often say, tornadoes happen to real people, at a real place, at a real time.". ABC 33/40 meteorologist James Spann, however, once said it came with ample . James has received the two highest awards in the nation for a broadcast meteorologist. He doesn't shy away from the fact that it is challenging, and notes that to be successful in this field you have to be willing to put in long hours and work really hard. And weather phenomenons do not discriminate - seen during meteorologist James Spann's coverage of the deadly conditions. After serving more than 25 years he was eligible for parole for a second time on Wednesday morning. "And it was the most marvelous experience because there were black people in there, the mean guys were gone, and one of my best friends from childhood is the mayor, a guy named Dexter McLendon. James places high value on giving back to his community and believes that being a servant to a community that has served him so well is vital to his happiness. I am so saddened to hear of the death of Birmingham TV legend Country Boy Eddie. Alabama meteorologist James Spann was broadcasting live when severe weather struck his own home. The Birmingham TV station announced on its website this week that Daily Mountain Eagle ABC 33/40 anchor Dave Baird, who got his start in broadcasting in Jasper, will . And every, single time, the guy never showed up. In addition, meteorologists in the US get an average salary of $55,771. CNN's American meteorologist Allison Chinchar has a net worth of $500,000. James Spann wedded to surge instructor, Karen Spann on June 6, 1981. His father died just a couple of years later, and Spann spread his ashes at the family gravesite in Industry, a little community back home in Butler County. 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