Back in the 1940’s, when Warrior, Alabama farmers and housewives purchased seeds from a young door-to-door salesman, little did they know that they were helping that thirteen-year-old boy take his first steps toward a highly successful career.  The young man, who recently turned 90 years old, became one of the states most beloved television personalities while also making important contributions to both the broadcasting and music industries. For bringing sunshine into the homes of thousands every morning for almost forty years, the Alabama Broadcasters Association happily inducts Gordan Edward Burns … Country Boy Eddie … into the ABA’s Hall of Fame.

“I rode a mule about a hundred miles trying to sell Garden Spot Seeds so I could buy a fiddle,” says Burns. “They were ten cents a pack and you had to sell forty bags to get that fiddle. It took me three or four months, but I sold my forty packs and got my fiddle.”

Burns taught himself how to play the instrument and landed his first job as a musician, joining the Happy Hal Burns Band in 1946. He was drafted during the Korean War, but managed to keep music a part of his life by singing on the Armed Forces Radio Network not only in Korea, but in Japan and Hawaii, as well.

After the war, Burns worked as a disc jockey at several Birmingham radio stations while also appearing at 600 live performances per year. He managed to find time in his busy schedule to fall in love and marry his wife, Edwina. It was his next decision that resulted in making Country Boy Eddie a household name. 

“In 1957, I got my own show on Saturday nights at midnight on WAPI,” Burns says.  A couple of years later, he and his band were hired by WBRC-TV as the stage band for their morning show and eventually the station gave him a shot at his own show. 

“They gave me a four week trial and I stayed on for 38 years”, laughs Burns. According to those who worked on the program, he never called a production meeting to discuss the rundown of the show. “Everything was ad-lib,” Burns smiles and waits a beat. “We didn’t know how to read!”

“The Country Boy Eddie Show” was known for giving just about anyone a chance to sing and play. Many of his guests weren’t necessarily all that talented, but he wanted to give them their shot anyway. But, some who appeared on his show went on to become big stars.

A beautician named Wynette Byrd was one of many locals to appear on Burns’ show.  “I told her she shouldn’t be on our show. She should go to Nashville,” Burns says. She took his advice … moving to Nashville and changing her name to Tammy Wynette.

Although, of course, it was primarily the music and family atmosphere of the show that drew viewers, many would say they tuned in just to watch Burns do his entertaining live commercials. “When I first went to the station, they said ‘Who is going to sell the time?’, and I said, ‘I will!’ chuckles Burns. “So I started selling …  and I sold the show out,” he grins.

The live spots were just as off the cuff as the entire show.  “Eagle gave me a box of their rat bait and no copy, so I just read what was on the box and what it would do to rats,’ he says. “And then I told people ‘if you love your rats don’t put this out because it will kill the heck out of them,’” laughs Burns. “And we sold more rat bait than anybody to this day!”

Edie Hand, who helped create the live spots, says she learned as much about sales as she did about broadcasting while working with Burns. “One time, Eddie took me with him on a sales call. We went to a hardware store and Eddie asked me if I owned any tools,” Hand explains. “I told him I didn’t, and Eddie turns to the client and says, ‘Everybody ought to have some tools, right? If she mentions your business during a live spot on the show, will you throw in some tools?’ I got the tools and I learned how Eddie made sales!”

Musicians, clients, broadcasters, viewers … Burns has made an indelible impression on the lives of so many, an accomplishment he would have never predicted. “I didn’t figure I’d make it really big,” says Burns, “But I did well – real well.”

And what does Burns think about now that he is ninety? “I’m going to think about 91,” he grins.