by Dawn Mann
Willis Johnson (circa 2006). Courtesy of Dallas Morning News. File/Staff Photo
After 36 years the Willis Johnson Good Morning Show is no more. January 1st, listeners were greeted with a new sound and new language on the former Soul 73 AM station. KKDA –AM was the foundation of Service Broadcasting Corp and was started in 1970. The likes of Tom Joyner, Steve Harvey, DC Curry as well as Johnson have been on the Soul 73 airwaves. Service Broadcasting sold KKDA-AM, but has retained R&B stations K104 and KRNB 105.7.
Dallas city councilman Dwaine Caraway has expressed his disappointment about the lost voice of the community, while Commissioner John Wiley Price declares “it’s a business decision”. Service Broadcasting is talking with Johnson about a continued association with company. No details on what that role is or will be. Johnson was noted for his community involvement and on the air regulars such as Mayor Mike Rawlings, Senator Royce West, Commissioner John Wiley Price, Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, Dr. Terry Flowers of St. Philips, Paul Quinn President Mike Sorrell, Dallas ISD school board trustee Bernadette Nutall and many others. A combination of talk radio and R&B classics, The Willis Johnson Good Morning Show was Dallas’ longest running talk radio show. Featuring national news, politics, community news, interviews with the world’s best entertainers and the legendary “Dear Crooner” letter, the loss of the show leaves a gaping hole for Southern Dallas.
Listener Stephen Washington says on Johnson’s FB page, ” That was a painful reality to have a life line snatched from you without explanation. I plugged my ear phones in and was introduced to a new language.”
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