Now we know the rest of the story!

It's a sad day in Bufordville. Got up enjoying a good cup of coffee, Wendell's helping me out today so that means bacon and eggs not Tofu and crap for breakfast. I got the CNN headlines on and the gal tells me my good friend Paul Harvey has died. I haven't seen or spoken to Paul in the last few years but we've always kept in touch via letters and the last few years via the e-mail system.

I first me Paul who was a few years older than me sometime in the early 50's. He was working at WENR in Chicago and I was across town at WGN where I did the daily "commentation of the station" show and hosted the "Friday Night Barn Burner" Lively little local music and dance show quite popular back then. Paul was already pretty legendary in the industry and working for the same affiliate we would often "trade talent" back and forth. One Friday night Paul was filling in for whoever came on before my show and as I was getting ready he asks me if I mind if he hangs around for the Barn Burner. I said we do things a little different around here on Friday night Paul and I put a bottle of whiskey up on the console, strapped on the headphones and blasted out the Dunkerton Domino's latest record. Well needless to say by the time we were done with the night Paul and I were fast friends. He'd come around a lot of Fridays and we would hoot it up and then go out on the town for a cold beer and Chicago dog.

As my career took me across the country with various stops along the way, I didn't get to see Paul as often but would phone him and we wrote a lot of letters. Of course I would hear my friends almost every single day on the radio wherever I was.

We would cross paths on the speaking tours quite a bit, we had the same promoter and this guy put together the large event speaking events with 10 to 15 "Big Names" Tony Robbins, Mayor Guliani, Mr's Fields Cookies, Buford Pickleberry, Fran Tarkenton, Paul Harvey. Those kinds of events. We would always room beside each other and just have the best of laughs.

I give credit to Paul for encouraging old Buford to hang onto the Pickleberry handle. Way back when a station manager called me into his office and says "Buford you're an incredible talent and you're going places. But this Pickleberry name you got going isn't happening man" We gotta get you a new handle. That night I went home and threw around a dozen new "Radio Names" Buford Pickle, Buford Berry, Boo Berry, Pickle Boo, Hell I think I even considered Chuck Berry. I called up Paul and said "the old man wants me to get a more radio friendly name" Paul says. I can't think of anything that will take you further in life than your own God given, incredibly unique handle Buford M. Pickleberry" Paul said "Hold onto that name it's one people will remember"

I did, they have and now to borrow from my good friend who I will miss very much "Now you know the rest of the Story" Good Day!