Barney Cannon
| Floyd Keith "Barney" Cannon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
October 9, 1955 New Boston, Bowie County, Texas, USA |
| Died |
April 19, 2009 (aged 53) Jefferson, Marion County, Texas |
| Resting place | Red Bayou Cemetery in New Boston, Texas |
| Occupation | Country music deejay |
| Religion | Baptist |
| Spouse(s) | Kaye Meeks Cannon (married until his death) |
| Children | Twins Kimberly and Kyle Cannon |
| Notes | |
|
Cannon spent years studying the history of country music, including its connections with KWKH radio and the Louisiana Hayride in Shreveport, Louisiana. | |
Floyd Keith Cannon, known as Barney Cannon (October 9, 1955 – April 19, 2009), was an American radio personality. He was a DJ on radio station KWKH-AM in Shreveport, Louisiana, who was considered an authority on country music. When asked to name his favorite country singer, Cannon told his listeners that he liked all of the performers. He often gave tough country music trivia quizzes for his listeners.[1]
Cannon was born to Floyd H. Cannon (January 16, 1922 – January 23, 1989)[2] and the former Jean Campbell in New Boston in Bowie County in northeast Texas. He resided in Jefferson, the seat of Marion County, Texas. At the time of death, Cannon served on the city council of Jefferson.[3]
Cannon launched his radio career in 1972 at the age of seventeen as a part-time announcer in Clarksville in Red River County, Texas. He also worked in his hometown of New Boston and landed his first programming job at KCMC in Texarkana, Texas. He then relocated for a time to Glasgow in southern Kentucky, to work at WCDS. Afterwards, he was a deejay in Wichita Falls, Texas, and Oklahoma City.[4]
His last position was at KWKH, where he had worked since 1985.[5] Cannon previously hosted the weekend edition of the Interstate Road Show, but for his last six years, he served as program director and morning show deejay. He acquired thousands of loyal listeners over the years. A former colleague, Frank Page,[6] the first person to announce the entry of Elvis Presley at the Louisiana Hayride, told Shreveport Times, "I've lost a great friend, but country music has lost an even greater friend... He had a passion for country music, and he knew more about the Louisiana Hayride than even I did."[4] KWKH was the home of the Louisiana Hayride, staged at the downtown Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium.[7] Cannon was an Eagle Scout in New Boston and developed a lifelong interest in camping.
He had a history of cardiovascular disease and died suddenly at his home in Jefferson, Texas. In addition to his mother, he was survived by his wife, Kaye, twins Kimberly and Kyle, a soldier with the United States Army then stationed at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and his maternal grandmother, Irene Campbell of New Boston. His maternal grandfather was the late Jesse W. Campbell. Services were held on April 22 at First Baptist Church in Jefferson. Interment was at Red Bayou Cemetery in New Boston.[8]
Cannon ended his radio show: "May God be with you and you be with God. And you're never fully dressed unless you're wearing a big ol' smile."[1]
References
- 1 2 "Ed Walsh, "Deejay Barney Cannon dies"". KTBS-TV. Retrieved May 9, 2009.
- ↑ "Social Security Death Index". Rootsweb.ancestry.com. Retrieved May 9, 2009.
- ↑ "Obituary of Barney Cannon". Shreveport Times. April 20, 2009. Retrieved May 10, 2009.
- 1 2 John Andrew Prime, "Country radio's Barney Cannon dies", The Shreveport Times, accessed May 9, 2009
- ↑ "Longtime Shreveport radio announcer Barney Cannon dies". KSLA-TV. Retrieved May 9, 2009.
- ↑ "Frank Page Obituary". Shreveport Times. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
- ↑ "National Historic Landmarks Program: Shreveport Municipal Memorial Auditorium". Tps.cr.nps.gov. Retrieved May 11, 2009.
- ↑ "Services set for broadcaster Barney Cannon". Shreveport Times. Retrieved May 9, 2009.