Retired Sportscaster and Advertising Salesman Johnny May Passes Away
A voice familiar to sports fans, and radio listeners, in Lubbock from at least the 1980s-2000s has been silenced. Johnny May passed away, in Lubbock, on Monday, May 27, 2019 at the age of 75.
While a complete chronicling of May's career is unknown, he worked mainly as a sportscaster, advertising salesman, and commercial voiceover talent at Lubbock radio stations previously known as: 99.5 KRLB-FM & 580 KRLB, 950 & 93.7 KSEL, 1340 KKAM, plus television station 13 KLBK-TV.
When consolidation in late 1996 brought together a number of Lubbock's most prominent radio stations, Johnny was a part of the group working for 94.5 FMX & 1340 KKAM when the new entity was created.
The radio group that became Gulfstar Communications- Lubbock in late 1996 included: 94.5 FMX, News/Talk 790 KFYO, SportsRadio 1340 KKAM, 98.1 KOOL FM, 102.5 Z102 and 99.5 KRLB-FM; Johnny wore multiple hats for the combined entity.
He would provide sports updates in the morning for Lew Dee & Diana on 98.1 KOOL FM, Jim Stewart's Ag Hour on KFYO, and Jack Dale's Sportsline on SportsRadio 1340 KKAM. In addition, Johnny's distinctive voice was heard on commercials for local businesses, including Rob Fields' Matador Media. May was also a part of the sales team selling advertising for SportsRadio 1340 KKAM and KFYO in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
(Johnny May, pictured second from the right; Lew Dee pictured farthest right & Landon King pictured far left, early 2000s)
Then, in February 2002, Johnny May left the radio group that included KFYO & KKAM, (then known as Clear Channel Communications- Lubbock) along with Lew Dee and Diana Dee. The trio joined RAMAR Communications to launch Adult Contemporary music station 104.3 Stars FM (KLZK-FM). They were also longtime fixtures at Abuelo's in southwest Lubbock. When Lew Dee passed away in 2011, a booth was dedicated in his honor.
Jerry Hudson, former dean of Texas Tech University's College of Media & Communications, noted that May also worked at 1440 KPUR-AM and 10 KFDA-TV in Amarillo during his career.
No funeral arrangements are pending.