Billy Parker obit

Legendary KVOO radio DJ Billy Parker dies at 88, shaped country music for decades

Billy Parker, the beloved KVOO DJ who shaped country music broadcasting for over four decades, passed away this week at 88.

 

He was not on the list.

TULSA, Okla. -Billy Parker, one of the most influential voices in country music for decades, passed away in a Tulsa hospital early Monday morning. He was 88 years old.

Born in Tuskegee, Oklahoma, Billy first began performing on the radio as a teenager in McAlester, Oklahoma. By the time he was 18, he was playing and singing regularly on KOTV, Channel 6, and from there he became affiliated with country star Red Foley, who was working out of Springfield, Mo. at the time.

Ultimately settling on Tulsa for his home base, Billy continued performing and working as a disc jockey there until 1968, when he was selected by Ernest Tubb to replace Cal Smith as the front man for Tubb’s band, the Texas Troubadours. It was during this time that Billy recorded a number of singles for Decca Records, produced by the legendary Nashville figure Owen Bradley. (As Billy used to say, “I cut some records with Owen Bradley, and I’m still owin’ Bradley.”)

Tiring of the road life, Billy and his wife, Jerri, moved back to Tulsa in 1971. It was then that Billy became a significant force in national country-music radio, creating one of the first all-night truckers’ programs in the country, Billy Parker’s Big Rigger Show, and winning Disc Jockey of the Year awards from both the Country Music Association (1974) and the Academy of Country Music (1975, 1977, 1978, 1984). In 1992, he was inducted into the Country Music Disc Jockey Hall of Fame. Many other awards followed.

During his career as an air personality and station executive with KVOO, Billy saw 23 of his singles reach the Billboard magazine Hot Country chart, including his signature songs “Lord, If I Make It to Heaven” and “Thanks A Lot.” The latter was also the title of his 2021 autobiography.

For most of his radio career, Billy’s home station was KVOO, whose call letters stand for “Voice of Oklahoma.” Throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s, and beyond, that’s exactly what Billy Parker was. No one who met him or heard him will ever forget him.

Services are pending.