Jimmy Haggett at WSM

I have a fondness for old photos. Especially photos from the early days of radio. My friend Charles Isbell sent me some good ones this week. They were found in an old house being torn down in Caruth, Missouri. They feature Jimmy Haggett, a musician and DJ who worked northeast Arkansas and southeast Missouri in the 50s. He and my father worked at KBOA at one point. You can find a bio at the link above.

UPDATE from John Carpenter: “(These) Jimmy Haggett PR photos are all from Friday, February 11, 1955 at WSM Radio in Nashville. He’d been chosen “Mr. Disc Jockey, U.S.A.” for that month by the Country Music Disc Jockey Association. The award was noted in the March 1956 issue of “Cowboy Songs” magazine, in their “Disc Jockey Roundup” column: “A member of the CMDJA, Jimmy appeared over WSM, Nashville as ‘Mr. D.J., U.S.A.’ in February 1955, and appeared on Grand Ole Opry the following night.”


L-R: Unknown, Teddy Wilburn,Doyle Wilburn,unknown, Betty Jean and One Wheeler, unknown, unknown

As for the other people in the photos, two of the young men are The Wilburn Brothers (Teddy and Doyle). Looks like the photos were taken at WSM in Nashville, so perhaps some of the others are performers. If you recognize anybody, please leave a comment.

Interviewing Onie Wheeler. “Compliments of my friend Johnnie Smogh & myself, Mrs. Bubba White. Sincerely, Jimmy Haggett.”

Jimmy with Teddy and Doyle in the photos above/below. Would like to know who the other gentleman is. Will work on it.

One thought on “Jimmy Haggett at WSM

  1. Nice page.

    Those Jimmy Haggett PR photos are all from Friday, February 11, 1955 at WSM Radio in Nashville.

    He’d been chosen “Mr. Disc Jockey, U.S.A.” for that month by the Country Music Disc Jockey Association.

    The award was noted in the March 1956 issue of “Cowboy Songs” magazine, in their “Disc Jockey Roundup” column:

    “A member of the CMDJA, Jimmy appeared over WSM, Nashville as ‘Mr. D.J., U.S.A.’ in February 1955, and appeared on Grand Ole Opry the following night.”

    http://rcs-discography.com/rcs/pdfs/Jimmy_Haggett_CowS_1956-03.pdf

    The date, location and award are also noted by Jimmy on the photographs, although the ink faded quite a bit.

    Here’s what I see in each one:

    haggett-1.png
    – With Teddy Wilburn, unknown, and Doyle Wilburn

    Jimmy’s annotations on photo:
    To a good friend of Johnnie Smogh, Patsy Tandy, Mobile, Ala.
    Sincerely, Jimmy Taggett
    Taken when I was Mr. D.J. U.S.A. Feb. 11th 1955 Nashville Tenn. W.S.N.

    haggett-2.png
    – With Teddy Wilburn, Doyle Wilburn and unknown

    haggett-3.png
    – “Interviewing” Onie Wheeler

    Jimmy’s annotations on photo:
    Compliments of my friend Johnnie Smogh & myself, Mrs. Bubba White.
    Sincerely, Jimmy Taggett
    Taken as an interview with Onie Wheeler as I was Mr. D.J. U.S.A. Feb. 11th 1955 Nashville Tenn.

    haggett-4.png
    – With unknown, Teddy Wilburn, Doyle Wilburn, unknown, Betty Jean and Onie Wheeler, unknown, and unknown

    Jimmy’s annotations on photo:
    To the least … friendship of my friends.
    Johnnie Smogh, myself
    Sincerely, Jimmy Taggett
    Taken during the … of my show when selected Mr. D.J. U.S.A. Feb. 11th 1955 Nashville Tenn.

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