SAD NEWS! Perhaps you read (saw) where a 63 year old newsman for CBS TV in New York--John Slattery died suddenly of an apparent heart attack? An Ozark Jubilee friend of mine (also named John) sent me an email today to tell me that John Slattery was the son of well-known Ozarks radio-tv announcer Joe Slattery. John would have been born in Springfield around 1951 while his dad Joe was working as a star staff announcer at KWTO-AM. This is only my opinion, but of all the star announcers to really get their start in Springfield radio between 1932-2000 I personally believe Joe Slattery was the tops! I very well know many top flight personalities came from KICK--KTTS (Bob Barker)---KWTO--KGBX but I think Joe was the real voice of sales and doom (depending on the situation)! I am partially biased because Joe Slattery was the only announcer on network radio and tv the Ozark Jubilee had (1954-1961). John Slattery is a first cousin of our friend Don Evans who operates one of our KTXR-FM sponsors, the Heritage Cafeteria. His dad Joe passed away while having open heart surgery in Chicago in 2009 (age 87). I wish to express my sadness in this loss to the Slattery family and their cousins, back here in the Ozarks. Photos: yours truly and wife Nira visiting with Rod Kittelman (left) and Mr. Joe Slattery at Jubilee Park in 1988, after the dedication of the Jubilee marker. In the Red Foley, Jubilee photo Joe Slattery is seated in a suit beside Aunt Sap and Uncle Cyp Brasfield, while Red directs from the left. On the right is script man and Jubilee cheerleader Don Richardson and Joe Slattery welcoming cowboy star Gene Autry (middle) to Springfield in 1955. Below Don, Gene, and Joe is Red Foley with mike in hand.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Sep 2014 01:35:34 +0000
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