Gary Perkins
| Gary L. Perkins (American radio disc jockey and musician) | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 14, 1937 Abilene, Texas, USA |
| Died | June 28, 1991 (aged 53) El Paso, Texas |
| Spouse | Divorced Two sons:
Craig Anthony Perkins |
Gary L. Perkins (July 14, 1937 – June 28, 1991)[1] was a radio disc jockey born in Abilene, Texas, who began his broadcasting career in 1957 at station KCRS in Midland, Texas, the outlet which Roy Orbison and Buddy Holly used to drop off their records. He joined the United States Army and served in National Security Agency and Armed Forces Radio. In the 1960s, he relocated to El Paso to join the staff at KHEY.
He published his own magazine for the station KHEY and built rapport with the artists whom he interviewed. This work led to a stint as a drummer for Lefty Frizzell's band. He became friends with Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, Hank Williams Jr., Glen Campbell, and Buck Owens. Perkins seemed to be asked repeatedly to serve as the master of ceremonies for their shows. By the time, he moved again, this time to San Diego California's for employment at station KSON, he had become more popular than some of the artists themselves as noted by an article in the June 1971 issue of TV & Radio Mirror:Whenever Gary Perkins is emceeing a country music show, the autograph-seekers run right past Johnny Cash, Buck Owens and Glen Campbell. Pens poised in mid-air, they pass up their national singing idols and rush up to the 6'1", blue-eyed, blond-haired San Diego favorite who simply plays their music. When this happens he usually replies, "I'm not one of the stars, I'm just the deejay." Ask anyone who listens to his show and they'll tell you differently. They'll tell you that his warm, personable approach is helpful in getting through the day.'
Perkins was consistently rated Number 1 with females aged 25 to 49 in the broadcast industry ratings for his market. In the early to middle 1970s the cross-over trend of pop and country music changed the face of the industry country music as witnessed by Paul McCartney, Elton John and The Eagles alongside the country standards. This was part of the cross-over trend of pop and country music. . In the 1980s he moved back to El Paso and to his home station of KHEY. On June 7, 1990, Perkins was honored with an award, presented by the crooner, Tom T. Hall, from the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, for his thirty-five years of service in broadcasting. The award was presented by crooner Tom T. Hall. Perkins was also a writer for The El Paso Times, for which he addressed such subjects as politics, humor, or medicine, specifically his bout with pancreatic cancer. Gary Perkins died one year after he first learned that he had the cancer. He was survived by his sons, Craig Anthony Perkins, a musician who established Genshi Media Group and ventured into filmmaking as well.[2] and Todd Christopher Perkins of San Diego.
References
- ↑ Gary Perkins. Mylife.com. Retrieved on February 15, 2020.
- ↑ Craig Anthony Perkins. Internet Movie Data Base. Retrieved on February 15, 2020.
=Radio & TV Mirro, June 1971.
- The El Paso Times, June 7, 1990.
