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Name: Uncle Billy Dunbar
City: Des Moines
Region: Iowa
Country: USA
Email: countryunplugged@aol.com
Website: thecountryunplugged.tripod.com/
Show: Country Unplugged
Sunday 12pm-2pm EDT
Monday 10am-12pm EDT
Tuesday 6pm-8pm EDT
Thursday 4pm-6pm EDT
Description:
"Uncle" Billy Dunbar was born in Dallas, Texas, the son of Arkansas and
Oklahoma hillbillies who descended from Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee
Scotch/Irish stock. He cut his teeth on old-time country and Bluegrass
music so, it's no wonder he's been playing old-time country and Bluegrass
music for over thirty years. "Uncle" Billy's broadcasting began on Armed
Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) while serving in the United
States Air Force and stationed in southeast Asia, in the late 60's. While
a D.J. for AFRTS at Clark AFB, in the Philippines, he would air
pre-recorded country music shows from Nashville, Tennessee, and would
listen to all of the great old-time country and Bluegrass performers like
Bill Monroe and Flatt + Scruggs. His childhood memories include riding in
his Dad's car, during the 40's and 50's, listening to the same music. In
1974, "Uncle" Billy took Bluegrass music to the radio airwaves in Nebraska
and the central Midwest, via a small market station outside of Omaha,
Nebraska. From 1975, until he left the area in 1990, his shows covered
the central Midwest, with the only Bluegrass music in the area, on Power
House Country WOW AM/FM, a part of the Great Empire Broadcasting group out
of Wichita, Kansas. "Uncle" Billy was a Charter Member and on the Board
of the Great Plains Bluegrass Association, for ten years. In 1990,
"Uncle" Billy moved his show to Des Moines, Iowa, where he worked
part-time at the oldies rock n roll station, KIOA. A long-standing friend
asked "Uncle" Billy to include his Bluegrass music show prowess at a
station in Osceola, Iowa, and he began doing a two-hour Sunday Bluegrass
show there in the mid-90's. "Uncle" Billy also included a short tour at a
little AM station which was in Indianola, Iowa. Another of his
accomplishments was at an Osceola, Iowa, classic country station, where he
successfully did both, a Bluegrass show and a gospel Bluegrass show. Five
years later (with the help of some shady managers) the station owner was
in bankruptcy and, in a few months, the station went "dark" (that's
radio-lingo for "out-of-business"). After "Uncle" Billy "retired", a deal
was made to produce a two-hour Bluegrass show for a station in Stuart,
Iowa, which also airs from a station in Jefferson, Iowa. When you are in
the central Iowa area, please tune in to 107.9 KKRF-FM on Sunday mornings
from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM. Promoting and assuming the responsibilities of
the Master of Ceremonies at various Bluegrass Music Shows around the
Midwest have also been enjoyed during his "retirement.." Now, we have the
great innovation called Internet Radio, where you can hear your kind of
music 24/7 and "Uncle" Billy's "retirement" also includes playing
Bluegrass on the internet at WorldWideBluegrass.com. His show, "Country
Unplugged" offers a wide variety of times for your listening pleasure.
Please select any of these days and times: Sundays from 12:00 PM to 2:00
PM EDT; Mondays from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM EDT; Tuesdays from 6:00 PM to
8:00 PM EDT and; Thursdays from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM, as you plan your
schedule. For these past few years, "Uncle" Billy's Bluegrass music
broadcasts of "Country Unplugged" have been heard around the world. The
bragging rights of many broadcasting field awards still remain elusive,
but he is extremely pleased to be the recipient of his Texas Proud
Hillbilly Heart Plaque as favorite Medium Market Country D. J., and prizes
his induction into the National Traditional Country Music Association's
Midwest Country Music Hall of Fame. As if all of the above is not enough,
"Uncle" Billy has acted in the movie "Where The Red Fern Grows", which
included Bluegrass music and old-time Buck dancing in it. Bluegrass music
has been near and dear to "Uncle" Billy for numerous years and will remain
there, as long as he can play Bluegrass music, for those who love
Bluegrass music as much as he does. |
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