Nashville award for country DJ (From This Is Lancashire)

Nashville award for country DJ

11:30am Friday 3rd July 2009

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FOR more than 30 years he has been an authority on country music.

Now, Bolton DJ Joe Fish has been awarded one of the finest accolades in the industry.

He scooped the International Country Broadcaster gong at this year’s Country Music Association (CMA) awards ceremony, held in Nashville, Tenessee.

And it all came as a surprise to Joe.

“I didn’t know anything about it until the last second, so it came as a complete shock — I thought I’d just been roped in to help out,” he said.

The award was presented on at last month’s CMA music festival, and it recognises radio broadcasters outside the US, who have made important contributions towards country music.

Joe, aged 63, said: “It’s a major achievement, I’m absolutely thrilled.”

Country music has been his lifelong passion, sparked by his brothers who travelled to America and brought records back for him to listen to. His early influences include the late Hank Williams and Jim Reeves, who, he says, inspired his first visit to Nashville 40 years ago.

The DJ, who was born in Great Lever but now lives in Horwich with partner, Carol, can count Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton and Shania Twain among the famous faces he has met during his 31 years as a radio DJ.

Joe has also battled cancer of the skull and underwent five major operations 13 years ago.

Now a DJ for BBC Radio Lancashire, Joe said like other music genres, country music is always changing and includes modern artists Alan Jackson and Carrie Underwood among his favourites.

Catch Joe on BBC Radio Lancashire on Sundays, noon-2pm, on 103.9FM.

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