R.I.P.: Austin TX Radio Icon Sammy Allred

KOKE Fm Website Screenshot

Austin radio legend Sammy Allred passed away at the age of 84.

Allred was on KOKE FM and KVET for decades and brought humor to the shows he hosted. He started his radio career in 1961 as a regular on the Arthur Godfrey Show.

KXAN reports he also appeared on "The Tonight Show" and "Merv Griffin Show."

After KOKE FM, Allred became a DJ at KVET in 1969 where he remained for a decade.

In 1979, Allred and his band, The Geezinslaws, went on tour with Willie Nelson. In the mid-80s Allred made his return back to radio at KVET.

Sammy Allred

In the 1990's Allred joined with broadcast partner Bob Cole to co-host the popular Sam and Bob morning show. The program often took on political topics, with local and state leaders appearing as guests.

Allred was fired from iHeartMedia's KVET 98.1 FM in 2007.  He returned to the air few years later on non-profit radio station KDRP to host a weekly talk program.

Accoridng to the Austin Statesman, Allred and Dewayne Smith formed the comedic country music duo the Geezinslaw Brothers in the 1950s. They were regulars on the “Louisiana Hayride” radio show based in Shreveport, La., in the late 1950s and once opened for Elvis Presley.

The Geezinslaws were the first Central Texas act to land a major-label recording deal, signing with Columbia Records for their 1963 debut “The Kooky World of the Geezinslaw Brothers” after Austin radio personality Cactus Pryor introduced them to New York TV and radio broadcaster Arthur Godfrey.

The Geezinslaws moved to New York in the mid-1960s, and several albums for Capitol Records followed. They made TV appearances on network shows, including Ed Sullivan’s and Jackie Gleason’s, as well as “The Tonight Show” with Johnny Carson. They also toured with musical giants Roger Miller and Perry Como.

Allred, a member of the Texas Radio Hall of Fame, joined KVET-FM in 1969. In 1990, he joined Bob Cole for a morning show that played country music.

“Sammy Allred was without a doubt the most colorful radio star in the history of Texas,” Cole said Thursday. “He taught and schooled us all in the profession of radio entertainment.”