bye bye Johnnie and thank you

thank you Johnnie

I promised myself that I wouldn't.  

But as the show progressed, I found myself getting more and more emotional until the dam burst and out came the tears.

But why?

Well, just this last Sunday an era came to an end, with the retirement of the radio legend Johnnie Walker - finally hanging up his microphone and saying "Goodbye" to us all.

I've been an avid listener to his "Sounds of the Seventies" show every Sunday afternoon for the past dozen years or so.  Johnnie was a companion through the quiet Sundays in hospital a decade ago, as he played some of the music that accompanied my growing up throughout the 1970s; particularly the latter part of it when I really started getting seriously into music.

He's been on the radio in one form or another for nearly sixty years, leaving BBC Radio to go to America before returning to the UK and Radio 2 - the go-to station for people of a certain, ahem, vintage!

He was one of the early DJs on Radio Caroline, the pirate station that broadcast from a ship anchored in the North Sea before moving onto a more mainstream, and I dare say stable, platform.

Sundays will never be the same now.  I will still listen to the show which will now be hosted by "Whispering" Bob Harris.  He has some mighty huge boots to fill though.

Johnnie's failing health has accelerated his decision - he is sadly terminally ill - and hopefully the rest will now help to secure at least some more time for him.

I know that I will miss you sir.