If you think radio is all about “speaking proper” and following some notion of “researched music you don’t know all about the phenomenon that is Johnny Barry.
He has been on local radio both illegal and legal for twenty five years. The Johnny Barry Show is all about Irish Country but most of all it is about the thousands who nightly “go to bed” with Johnny.
Today on the occasion of the celebration of his 70th Birthday Johnny told me about taking to the drink because of his depression following the death of his oldest brother in a car crash. He “was not nice with drink taken” and was destroying his health and making his family unhappy. His doctor, who happened to be the late father of our CEO John Purcell, told him that he was digging an early grave. So he went about giving up the drink and music was what he chose to replace it. The rest is history!
TR Dallas and Michael English were amongst those who wished Johnny a happy birthday on the show this morning and Declan Nerney sang him a happy birthday on air. Pat Byrne senior [father of Pat Byrne- the Voice of Ireland] called the show to say that as a Guard he and his colleagues had many an alibi or witness statement presented to them “sure at that time guard I was in bed listening to Johnny Barry!”
Many an Irish artist has good reason to be grateful to Johnny for airplay on his show but as The Chairman of Kilkenny County Council Paul Cuddihy and others said this morning -he is himself- no airs and graces and he knows the music his listeners want to hear. And they love him and listens in their thousands!
Happy Birthday Johnny and we’ll see you tonight for the party at the Springhill!
Johnny Barry on the Sue Nunn Show:
[pro-player width=’530′ height=’20’ type=’sound’]https://kclr96fm.com/media/JOHNNYBARRY_New.mp3[/pro-player]
