Thoughts about the past.

When you are playing a lot of older songs as I do on the all request middays on KDHL  you get to check out information on where some of the former stars of country music are today. Many are in country music heaven but one that graced the studios of KDHL in 1949 is still around. And as I had a request this morning for the theme from "Paladin" I had to see what I could find out about Johnny Western. Western was on the air from the Northfield Studios of KDHL starting the first week of August 1949 at the age of 15 with a weekly 15 minute show that turned into a 6 day a week job. He was soon the youngest country DJ in america with a regular show. In 1953 he west to KAUS in Austin, MN and in 1954 went to Hollywood. Got hooked up with Gene Autry in 1956 and the rest they say is history from there. He recorded many songs as a guitarist with Johnny Cash and recorded of course the theme from "Paladin". He in 2010 retired from being a radio dj. I am hoping we can chat with him soon as he celebrates his 65th anniversary of his start on KDHL. He's just one of many that at one time or another passed thru the doors of KDHL on the way to bigger and better things.