After 33 years of telling the stories of western North Carolina, longtime News 13 anchor and reporter Tammy Watford is retiring.
Tammy joined News 13 in 1993 and became one of the most familiar faces at WLOS and a trusted presence for generations of viewers across western North Carolina.
But Tammy's impact has always extended well beyond the anchor desk.
Through “Never Stop Learning,” she spent years visiting schools across the mountains, celebrating students and teachers, and sharing their stories with our viewers.
Two longtime News 13 photojournalists who traveled with Tammy on many of those visits remember what happened when the camera wasn't necessarily focused on her.
“I'll never forget, if we were in an elementary classroom, kindergarten classroom, if the teacher was busy elsewhere and we were focusing on a particular child and they needed help with something, needed help with a lesson, you would jump in and start helping to teach them,” Todd Robbins recalled.
For Steve Wilder, some of those memories are personal.
“Anytime we went to their school, you always made a point of talking to my daughters and putting them on TV,” Wilder said. “It always made them feel so special because you're such a special person.”
The Tammy that viewers saw on television was the same Tammy her coworkers knew in the newsroom.
Chief Meteorologist Jason Boyer has worked alongside her for roughly two decades.
“You're so genuine, and nothing seems to ever frazzle you,” Boyer said. “You're a person that keeps it real, as they say, and I've always appreciated that.”
Former News 13 anchor Frank Kracher, who once shared the anchor desk with Tammy, remembers how quickly she made Asheville feel like home.
“The first day I walked in the door, you helped me settle into a new life here in the mountains, and you made me feel right at home,” Kracher said. “That was many moons ago, and I'm forever grateful for your friendship, for making work fun. Thanks for everything.”
News 13 anchor Katie Killen still remembers walking into the newsroom nearly 20 years ago and seeing Tammy.
“I was starstruck because there was Tammy Watford,” Killen recalled. “You were so laid back. You were so cool. You were the opposite of a TV news celebrity. You were very down to earth.”
All these years later, Killen said Tammy remains the same person she met that day.
“Thank you so much for the lessons you have taught us, the leadership in the newsroom, and just being a really great friend and coworker.”
News 13 anchor Holly Hedrick, who has worked alongside Tammy for nearly 25 years, also reflected on her influence.
“You've helped me grow so much as an anchor and just really as a friend,” Hedrick said. “You are so professional and so sweet, and you would do anything for anybody.”
Regional News Director Julie Fries praised Tammy for her ability to adapt to any situation and her authenticity.
“Tammy Watford is one of the most professional anchors I’ve ever worked with. She can handle absolutely anything you throw at her, whether it’s election night, breaking news or taking an entire newscast on the road,” Fries said. “During live newscasts at the Mountain State Fair, the Apple Festival or Folkmoot, Tammy navigated the unpredictability of live television while being gracious to every person she met.
“What you see on television is exactly who Tammy is in the newsroom — authentic, curious, and fun. Her passion for ‘Never Stop Learning’ reflected that perfectly. She genuinely cared about sharing the interesting things happening in our schools and showcasing the people who make it happen.
"After 33 years at WLOS, Tammy leaves an incredible legacy. She is the kind of journalist and person who makes a newsroom better simply by being part of it. There is no one I’d rather have sitting at the anchor desk on a big night, and I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with her.”
Tammy's influence can be measured in more than years on television.
“Tammy's impact on WLOS and Western North Carolina is almost impossible to measure,” said WLOS Vice President and General Manager Courtney Youngblood. “She has been welcomed into viewers' homes for more than three decades, touched the lives of thousands of students through Never Stop Learning and mentored countless journalists who have come through our newsroom. Tammy is part of the fabric of this station and this community, and that is an extraordinary legacy.”
News Director Bryan Queen has a unique connection with Tammy. They're both members of the News 13 “class of '93.”
“Tammy and I both started at News 13 in 1993, so it has been special to come back as News Director and work alongside her again,” Queen said. “She cares deeply about this community and the people in this newsroom. It is going to be very hard to imagine News 13 without her.”
Tammy shared her gratitude for the viewers who welcomed her into their homes for over three decades.
“Thank you for inviting me into your home for more than 30 years, and for me to have the opportunity to come into your home is a privilege for me,” Tammy said. “So continue watching News 13. We've got you covered. Thank you, and it's been a great ride.”
As Tammy begins retirement, all of us at News 13 are celebrating an extraordinary 33 years and a colleague and friend who has left an indelible mark on WLOS and western North Carolina.
STORY & PHOTO COURTESY OF ABC 13 WLOS.
