Woody Durham

Who is Woody Durham?

Woody Lombardi Durham, known as "The Voice of the Tar Heels", was the longtime play-by-play radio announcer for University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill football and basketball teams from 1971 to 2011. Durham grew up in Albemarle, North Carolina alongside Bob Harris, longtime announcer for UNC rival Duke. The two played on the same little league team, were both on the same 1957 high school football team and sang together in the school chorus and a double quartet. Durham graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1963 with a Bachelors degree in Radio, Television and Motion Pictures. He is a member of the Alpha Rho chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the national fraternity for men in music.

Durham began his career at WZKY, a small AM radio station in his hometown of Albemarle, at age 16. Many Tar Heel fans brought their radios to Kenan Stadium and the Dean Smith Center, and fans watching on television often turn down the sound so they can hear Durham's radio call.

Durham was behind the microphone for 13 Final Fours, as well as four national championships. He also called 23 bowl games.

In 1981, Durham was named vice president and executive sports director at Tar Heel Sports Marketing. Durham has been named North Carolina Sportscaster of the Year twelve times, most recently in 2006.