The 405 Coffee Break with O.K. Solberg

Hank Williams senior and Johnny Horton were musical legends in the 1950's & 60's.  Whatever happened to the wife Billie Jean Horton? They had both been married too her.

What is The 405 Coffee Break with O.K. Solberg?

Greetings and Welcome to The 405 Coffee Break with O.K. Solberg

New episodes tend to air over the local KMMR radio station @ 5 minutes past 4PM each M-F. And have been doing so, nearly every week since Sept 2018.

I'm D.J. Rasmussen, O.K.s friend since junior high, possibly your neighbor & this websites maintainer, whom strives to get each episode's show notes written, the transcript proofed and the audio posted to the internet within a few hours of that days KMMR air time. NOTE: recently been publishing most new releases by 4:30PM.

Thanks for visiting and I hope you enjoy the time we can spend together.

OK Solberg:

I want to again welcome you to The 4:05 Coffee Break. Guys, get you a cup of coffee, glass of iced tea, beverage of your choice. Let's see what's happening.

OK Solberg:

Spring wheat $6.11 a bushel, 550lb steer calf, $5 to $5.05 for fall delivery, per pound, and a 100lb fat lamb in Billings $3.17 a pound, on the top end. But guys there's more, much more.

OK Solberg:

Hold the phone. Stop the press. Sit up and pay attention. I believe if any listener out there that was born before the year 2010 should recognize the names of Hank Williams and Johnny Horton. Now if you aren't familiar with those names, I will forgive you, but I'll give you a homework assignment.

OK Solberg:

Your homework is to research both Hank Williams senior and Johnny Horton. Now for the rest of us that are familiar with those names, we know Hank Williams had a song titled I saw the light, which debuted in 1948, the year my grandfather graduated Dodson High School. Beautiful song. I wandered so aimless, life filled with sin. I wouldn't let my dear savior in.

OK Solberg:

Then Jesus came like a stranger in the night. Praise the Lord. I saw the light. I saw the light. I saw the light. No more darkness. No more night. Now I'm so happy. No sorrow in sight. Praise the Lord. I saw the light.

OK Solberg:

Just like a blind man, I wandered along. Worries and fears, I claim for my own. Then like the blind man, the God gave back his sight. Praise the lord. I saw the light.

OK Solberg:

I was a fool to wander and stray. Straight is the gate and narrow the way. Now I've traded the wrong for the Right. Praise the lord. I saw the light. Great song. Great song. Sung by Hank Williams senior.

OK Solberg:

Now straight is the gate and narrow the way. Well, guys, sounds like a perfect time for a bible verse because that line was based on a bible verse.

OK Solberg:

Matthew 7:14 Because straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there are be that find it. Matthew 7:14 Yeah, guys.

OK Solberg:

Seems to me like a sermon right there in Hank Williams song. Then we also know Hank sang these songs. I'm so lonesome I could cry. You're cheating heart. Hey. Good looking. Cold, cold heart. And he sang lovesick blues. We may or may not remember that Hank, poor Hank, passed away on New Year's Day 1953.

OK Solberg:

When it comes to Johnny Horton, my sister, Evie, my brother, Marvin, I grew up listen listening to Johnny Horton on our Hi Fi. Of course, there was the battle of New Orleans. In 1814, we took a little trip along with colonel Jackson down the mighty Mississippi. We took a little bacon and we took a little beans and we caught the bloody British in a town in New Orleans.

OK Solberg:

Oh, that long play album had so many good songs. There was Snowshoe Thompson in 1855 in old California. A man was looking in the paper one day. Uncle Sam needs a postman to carry the mail through the High Sierra Mountains over godforsaken trail.

OK Solberg:

Oh, yeah, guys. There was Jim Bridger, Johnny Freedom, Comanche the Bravehorse, O'Leary's cow, John Paul Jones, young Abe Lincoln, the battle of Bull Run, the sinking of the Reuben James, Johnny Reb, and finally, of course, Sink the Bismarck. Wow.

OK Solberg:

What music. Wow. What history. Evie, Marvin, and I probably could sing every song or at least parts of it by the year 1965. So Johnny Horton was a great singer. Hank William was a great singer.

OK Solberg:

But by the time us 3 little kids were listening to either of them, both men were dead. Williams died in 1953, like I told you, and Johnny Horton died in November 1960. Hank died 4 years before I was even born, and Johnny died when I was 3 years old. May you rest in peace.

OK Solberg:

But but now if you remember, I started the episode with hold the phone, stop the press, sit up and pay attention. Well, why in the world would I have said that? Was it so you could hear me sing October 1871? That's when this great big fire begun. The Windy City was a ball of flame, and O'Leary's cow was the one to blame.

OK Solberg:

No. No. No, guys. That's not the big news. Here's what I wanna tell you. Did you realize there was a lady by the name of Billy Jean, and she married Hank Williams. Well, as we know, poor Hank died. So what did Billie Jean do? Well, I'll tell you. She then married Johnny Horton.

OK Solberg:

You gotta be kidding. Same lady married to both country western icons. But you better sit down for the rest of the news. Hank died in 1953. Johnny died in 1960. But Billie Jean Horton is still alive today. What? I hope to shout and call the doctor.

OK Solberg:

It's true. 93 years old. She lives in an assisted living facility in Bossier City, Louisiana. When I found that out just the other day, I had to tell you. I had to tell you.

OK Solberg:

So until next time. As you go out there, remember now, don't be bitter.