Photos: Dean Simmons

Besides promoting shows and co-starring with celebrities, Buddy Simmons 
worked as a disc jockey for KVAN in Vancouver, WA and KRDR in Gresham, 
OR where he was the program director as well. It is widely believed that 
he was the first person to play country music on the radio in the Pacific 
Northwest. He also had TV shows on three different stations, “Northwest
Jamboree” on KPTV 12, “Hoedown” on KATU channel 2, and “The Buddy 
Simmons Show” seen on KGW channel 8. 

 
Buddy behind the KRDR microphone in Gresham, Or

Willie ‘Buddy’ Simmons (February 3rd, 1926 – August 21st, 2012)