Johnnie Walker

Radio DJ Johnnie Walker born in Birmingham on 30th March 1945, Johnnie's broadcasting career began in 1965 on Pirate Radio Station, Radio Caroline. When the Government closed the Pirate Stations down in 1967, three presenters we still broadcasting, Johnnie was one of them, along with Robbie Dale and Ross Brown. At Midnight on August 15th 1967, addressing an estimated 20 million listeners, they said that the station belonged to them, that it would continue and that the new Act had actually officially acknowledged the station's legality.

Johnnie then joined BBC Radio 1 in 1969, presenting a 2 hour Saturday afternoon show from 1–3pm. 6 months later, in 1970, Johnnie then presents a 1 hour weekday morning slot from 9–10am, moving to the weekday early afternoon show in 1971, from 1–3pm, which then went out from 12–2pm in 1973. The show featured the music quiz 'Pop the Question' & the Tuesday chart rundown.

In 1976, Station bosses fell out with Johnnie over what music he played and about how it was seen not to fit in with the station's daytime music line up. As a result of that, Johnnie left Radio 1 & moved to California, there he recorded a weekly show for Radio Luxembourg.

Johnnie returned to the UK in the early 1980's & presented a daily show on commercial radio stations Radio West and Wiltshire Radio in the West Country, on the 11am-2pm slot.

In 1988, Johnnie re-joined Radio 1 as part of the Saturday afternoon show 'The Stereo Sequence'. He remained on this show until October 1993, moving to a Saturday evening show, which went out from 7–11pm, before moving back to Saturday afternoons in November 1994 from 2–5pm, where he remained until he left Radio 1 again in 1995. He was then heard on Richard Branson's ILR sustaining service 'Radio Radio' aka The Superstation.

In addition to Radio 1, in 1988 Johnnie presented the weekday lunchtime show on London's BBC GLR from 12–3pm before moving to the newly launched BBC Radio 5 in 1990, presenting 'The AM Alternative' from 9.30am-12.00pm on Weekday mornings untill 1994, when the station was re-launched as BBC Radio 5 Live.

In April 1998, Johnnie joined BBC Radio 2, presenting a 2 hour Saturday afternoon show 3.30–5.30pm, then 6 months later, as well as Saturday afternoons, Johnnie took over from John Dunn on the Drivetime show from 5–7pm Monday – Thursdays. Des Lynam presented Friday's edition.

In early 1999, Johnnie came off his show whilst some personal problems were sorted out. Richard Allinson filled for him on Drivetime & Janice Long took over the Saturday afternoon show. Other presenters looked after Richard's weekday Monday to Thursday 10:30-Midnight slot. However, with a highly public sorting out of these problems, Johnnie returned to his Drivetime Show, Monday – Friday & Janice remained on Saturday afternoons.

Johnnie shocked a lot of listeners in June 2003, when he annouced that he was suffering from cancer. He ended his show by stating he was beginning a course of treatment and would be taking some time off to see how it goes.

Stuart Maconie filled in for Johnnie, then on Thursday 24th July 2003, the BBC announced that Noel Edmonds would be joining Radio 2, to present the Drivetime show for 8 weeks. Noel took over the slot on Monday 4th August, untill Friday 3rd October.

Johnnie's recovery continued, but there was to be no return after Noel's run. Stuart Maconie, continued as a stand-in for Johnnie and at the beginning of Monday 6th October's Drivetime show, Stuart played Bruce Springsteen's 'Born To Run' especially for Johnnie, remarked that he was doing well, and that he was due to return at the end of the year.

As 2003 became 2004 attention returned to Radio 2's Drivetime Show for news of Johnnie's return, and it was not long into the new year before the BBC announced the Johnnie was set to return in the Spring of 2004.

On 12th February 2004, Radio 2 announced that Johnnie would be returning on March 1st. This was then followed by Johnnie's own personal message. 'Well, it's taken a lot longer than I originally thought, but I reckon I'm fit enough now to come back to the Drive Time Show on Monday 1st March. I'd like to thank Jim Moir and Lesley Douglas for keeping the door open for me all this time, and also to Stuart Maconie for doing such a great job on the show while I've been away. And a huge thank you to Radio 2 listeners for all their wonderful support since I left the show in June 2003. I've been very lucky to have had so many good wishes and kindness sent in my direction, it helped enormously with my recovery – thank you so much. It will be grreat for us to be re-united again from 1st March.

And on Monday 1st March, Johnnie returned to the national airwaves. His first record was Eric Clapton's 'Hello Friend' which included the lyrics '..it's so good to have you back'.

For the World War II naval commander popularly known as Johnnie Walker, see Frederick John Walker. There is also a BBC Radio DJ named Johnnie Walker.

Johnnie Walker is a world famous brand of whisky produced by Diageo plc.

History

Originally known as Walker's Kilmarnnock Whisky, the brand is a legacy left by John 'Johnnie' Walker after he started to blend whisky in his grocer's shop in Ayrshire, Scotland near 1820. The brand became popular, but it was his son Alexander Walker who was largely responsible for establishing the whisky as a widely popular brand.

Walker died in 1859, but his legacy was assured as the Walker family developed the business and grew the Johnnie Walker brand to become world famous.

Blends

There are currently five blends available (in order from least to most desirable):

• Johnnie Walker Red Label, a premium blend of grain whisky and malt whisky, 40% alcohol.
• Johnnie Walker Black Label, a blend of malt whiskies, sold at a 50–100% markup on Red Label, 40% alcohol.
• Johnnie Walker Green Label, a vatted malt whisky
• Johnnie Walker Gold Label, a premium blend of malt whiskies
• Johnnie Walker Blue Label, a premium blend of malt whiskies with every bottle serial numbered, sold at several times the price of Black Label, 43% alcohol.

Proof depends to some degree on the market, as varying Government regulations may mandate greater or less alcohol content.

External links

• johnniewalker.com – official site.