Billy stays busy with church, KPRV

By CRAIG HALL
POTEAU—There are a couple of things about Leroy Billy that are hard to argue.

First, Billy does not believe in doing things for a short period. The second is that Billy has made an impact on the lives of thousands of people over the years as the owner of KPRV and preacher at Trinity Baptist.

The 70-year old Billy has been in radio for some 45 years and will mark 35 years at Trinity this year.

Leroy Billy at the microphone at KPRV.

And through all those years, one message he likes to share is important to him.

“I always preach to my congregation to do what is right and let the consequences take care of themselves,” Billy said. “I really believe that is how it should be for business, church or whatever it is.”

Billy started preaching when he was 16 and was pastor at Hontubby Baptist in 1965 and has been doing it ever since. Billy said the only other preacher who has been at a church longer is Charles Caughern at Summerfield.

He has also done well with his radio career, but said that was not his first interest.

“My first thought and inclination was being a pastor and preaching,” Billy said and added he hopes to be remembered more for his work with the church than his success over the air.

But it is the work over the radio that many are familiar with his deep voice which greets many people every day on KPRV radio (92.5 on FM, 1280 on AM). When he gives the weather or tells about community activities, there is no doubt about who is sharing the information.

He was first introduced to radio as a youth at the old KLCO station with Vernon Hodson. He ran the controls and after he married JoAnn, worked at KFDF in Van Buren before switching over to television at KFSM.

Billy was a news co-host on the noon show and did occasional weather from 1968-69 before returning to radio.

He and JoAnn purchases KYYN, an AM station in 1988 and switched over to KPRV in 1989 and added the FM signal. Billy said he still likes radio after all these years, despite plenty of changes.

“I just enjoy it,” Billy said. “We enjoy mixing with people and our clients and doing things for the community like community affairs.”

Despite being at an age when many are retired, Billy gets to the station at shortly after 5 a.m. most mornings and puts in around 13 hours a day. He said several hours are spent doing his pastor duties, which works out well for him.

“I’d say four to five hours is church work,” he said. “I can take time out and go to the hospital, do funerals and things like that. The radio work gives me freedom to do what I need to do. I couldn’t pastor a church and work eight to five.”

Billy and KPRV have made the transition from the old days of reel-to-reel tapes to the computer age. Now, he can program the music, ads and announcements for a week ahead, leaving him more time for his other work.

He also said the economy has not affected KPRV and this should be one of his best months ever.

His wife, JoAnn, had a bad illness recently and was in intensive care, but is doing better and will hopefully be back soon.

Retirement is still not in his plans. Billy wants to keep on as long as he can and for that, citizens of LeFlore County are thankful.