Recognizing Deejay Ted ``gunner'' Ousley

Floor Speech

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Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I would remind some of the Members in the back that it is crowded back there. There are a few more seats down front if they want to come down here.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize radio deejay Ted ``Gunner'' Ousley, who is retiring in June after a career that spanned six decades.

Gunner started his career at AM 1470 in Maryville, Tennessee, before working at 94.3 in Knoxville and the Hit Kicker 100.3 before moving to WIVK, or ``WIVK'' as we call it, 107.7, where he spent the last 28 years.

Gunner has interviewed some big names in country music over the years, like Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, and Taylor Swift. Yes, she used to sing country music. When she was 15 years old, she did.

Gunner loved our veterans and troops and has used his job to help them however he can. Back in 2004, he spent 3 months with the 489th Special Operations in a combat zone of Iraq and started a weekly radio show called ``Voices from the Front'' that allowed troops to communicate with their families back home and was used by many troops all over the world through the years. He has also hosted the Veterans Day parade every year in Knoxville.

Gunner has also worked with other charities, like St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Knoxville Area Rescue Missionary, Alzheimer's Tennessee, and many others.

He is a man who truly loves his country and his community. He also became the first inductee into the Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame Career Class of 2024.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate Gunner on a great career and wish him the best in retirement. I always remember him being good to my daddy, who was a World War II veteran.

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