Biff Collie born 25 November 1926

Biff Collie (b. November 25, 1926 in Little Rock, Arkansas, USA - d. February 19, 1992) was an American disc jockey, singer, trumpeter, booker and promoter.

He graduated from Thomas Edison High School (San Antonio, Texas) in 1944. Biff's professional career spanned forty years working such major markets as Houston and San Antonio, Texas and Los Angeles and Long Beach California.

Biff Collie began his radio career at KMAC radio in San Antonio as a teenager. After brief stints at Browning and Alice, Texas, he moved on to KNUZ radio in Houston and later to KPRC. Biff started with KNUZ (1948) working as sports reporter, before moving into a disc jockey role. During that time, Glad Music Company had a record store on 11th Street. KNUZ had regular remote broadcasts from their store. Popular recording artists were frequent visitors to the shop. Hank Williams was one of the many artists to stop by. Biff was conducting a remote broadcast from Glad Music in 1948 when Hank Williams visited the store.

Hank Thompson, Hank Williams and Biff Collie

Biff was the first country disc jockey in Houston, which remains one of the premiere markets for country music radio. While in Houston, he also promoted and booked shows, becoming one of the first to ever book Hank Williams, Sr. and Tennessee Ernie Ford. In 1957, he became manager and emcee for the Philip Morris Country Music Show, which was broadcast nationally on Mutual Broadcasting Radio and CBS Radio. Later he worked mornings on KPRC and hosted a certain up and coming singer from Memphis by the name of Presley at the Grand Prize Jamboree.

 

 During this time, he also recorded for Columbia Records and Starday Records. His only charted hit was as Billy Bob Bowman in 1972 on United Artists.

In 1957, he became manager and emcee for the Philip Morris Country Music Show, which were broadcast nationally on Mutual and CBS Radio. The 1960s were spent in Los Angeles where he remained for the decade, gaining huge popularity over KFOX Radio. He was consistently in the top ten radio personalities in Billboard and Music Reporter magazines, and was also named "Best Radio Personality" by the Academy of Country Music, an organization which he served on the Board of Directors and produced the annual awards show in 1967.

He moved to Nashville in 1969 and produced the first syndicated radio show, "Inside Nashville" that ran on stations across the country for many years. Before his death, Biff earned the Ernest Tubb Humanitarian Award for his contributions. Biff is a member of the Country Music DJ Hall of Fame (1978). Collie died from prostate cancer on February 19, 1992 in Brentwood, Tennessee. (Info various but mainly from bopping.org)