Blanchard worked at radio stations in Indiana, Iowa and Michigan and then moved to Knoxville,
Tennessee where he hosted and wrote for ‘Mid-Day Merry-Go-Round’ on WNOX. ‘Merry-Go-Round’
was extremely popular and demand for Blanchard at public appearances all over East Tennessee
and Kentucky, North Carolina and Virginia was high. Blanchard also found time to host WNOX’s
early morning program ‘The Musical Clock Show.’
Blanchard was active in his community and served as city councilman for a time. In 1968 the
singer died at the age of 57. An honorary ‘Merry-Go-Round’ was held in Blanchard’s memory at
Knoxville’s Civic Auditorium a couple of weeks after his death and the stars of country music came
out to honor him. Roy Acuff, Kitty Wells, Grandpa Jones, Don Gibson, Skeeter Davis and many
others attended. Blanchard was inducted into the Country Music Disc Jockey Hall of Fame in 1977.
Johnny Cash
Civil Defense:
Help Ourselves
16.
The Man in Black (1932-2003) preaches
self-reliance in this civil defense public service
announcement. Amen. You can hear
a lot
more of Mr. Cash on his many releases in
the Bear Family catalog.
45
