CITY OF FRESNO
Office of Mayor Jerry Dyer & The Fresno City Council
Whereas: Born in Jackson, Mississippi in the mid-50s John Lee Walker fell in love with radio. He met Sharon, his wife of 41 years in Fresno and has two children, Ashlyn and Justin. From an early age, he began listening to Chicago radio from over 600 miles away. He says listening to that radio is what inspired him to enter the industry, and eventually, he got his first shot at an on-air role at WJXN in Jackson. Soon after, John was crowned “Jackson’s Best DJ,” and as a “reward” was given the chance to take on 7’3”, 700-pound, Victor the Wrestling Bear at the Mississippi State Fair in front of a crowd of fairgoers. Needless to say, Victor won that match; and
Whereas: His radio career spanned both coasts with stops in New Orleans, Tucson, Miami and Los Angeles, before finally settling in Fresno in the early 80s. John’s popular Fresno-focused morning show (John Lee Walker in the morning) featured prominent Fresno State Bulldogs of the time, including Kevin Sweeney. In the late 1980’s, after moving on from an on-air role, John opened a radio research firm in Fresno. He produced two locally-grown, music-based television shows, Rockin’ Central Valley in 1986, and Rockin’ California in 2003; and
Whereas: A fervent supporter of the Central Valley, John is a regular supporter of Bulldog athletics, and during the construction of the Save Mart Center in the early 2000s became an Arena Builder. For a decade, John helped craft young athletes as Defensive Coordinator for the San Joaquin Memorial football team, helping lead them to a Valley Championship in 2004.
His players would tell you that it wasn’t the defensive schemes they’ll remember from his coaching, but the life lessons he was able to pass along; and
Whereas: His exploits in the radio industry, for better and for worse, have been documented in the digital docuseries “The Face for Radio,” which is a self-deprecating and honest look at his radio career in the 70s and early 80s.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we, Mayor Jerry Dyer and the Fresno City Council Members, do hereby honor, recognize, and proclaim Thursday, June 23rd, 2022 to be:
“John Lee Walker Day”
in the City of Fresno.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have hereunto set
our hands and affixed the Seal of The City of
Fresno, California, this 23rd day of June, 2022.
______________________________________ __________________________________________
MAYOR JERRY DYER COUNCIL PRESIDENT NELSON ESPARZA
______________________________________ __________________________________________
VICE PRESIDENT TYLER MAXWELL COUNCILMEMBER ESMERALDA SORIA
______________________________________ __________________________________________
COUNCILMEMBER MIKE KARBASSI COUNCILMEMBER MIGUEL ARIAS
______________________________________ __________________________________________
COUNCILMEMBER LUIS CHAVEZ COUNCILMEMBER GARRY BREDEFELD