You may never have heard the name Cliff Mitchell, but for rural residents around Albany, Minnesota, Colonel Cliff has been a part of daily life for 56 years. Cliff is a farm broadcaster, and has been serving the listeners of KASM-AM in Albany since 1952. This living legend has hung up his headphones, and an era in the community of Albany has ended.

Inducted into the National Association of Farm Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2002, Mitchell exemplifies what makes Farm Broadcasting special: the relationship with the listener. Cliff’s delivery of the news, markets, and weather transcended a simple sharing of information, as farmers and consumers have relied on his calm delivery and mastery of adding value to their time spent listening to the radio.

Colonel Cliff, your friends in farm broadcasting salute you, and all of us at the ABN take off our hats and congratulate you on a well-deserved retirement. May we all enjoy a fraction of the success you’ve earned these past six decades.

Here’s a sample of Colonel Cliff in action.