Congratulating Josh “Rowdy Yates” Holstead on his induction into the Country Radio Hall of Fame.
WHEREAS, Longtime Houston radio personality Josh “Rowdy
Yates” Holstead is being inducted into the Country Radio Hall of
Fame in Nashville, Tennessee, on July 21, 2025; and
WHEREAS, Born in Fort Worth, Josh Holstead is the son of famed
radio news journalist Joe Holstead, and he dreamed of following in
his father’s footsteps; as a boy, he practiced spinning records
while using a hairbrush as an imaginary microphone, and he spent
hours working on diction and enunciation; he got his first job at
the age of 15, when Denton radio station KDNT hired him to run the
church tapes on Sunday mornings; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Holstead began his career at a station in
Bridgeport; after working in a number of markets, including New
Orleans and Oklahoma City, he became a highly rated radio
personality in College Station; he got his major-market break at
Houston station KIKK in the mid-1990s, and at their request, he
chose Rowdy Yates as his on-air nickname; he went on to a noteworthy
16-year tenure with powerhouse station KILT and launched a
nationally syndicated weekend show, Country Gold; and
WHEREAS, In 2011, Mr. Holstead’s wife accepted a position in
Oklahoma, and he spent six years as a morning personality with KVOO
in Tulsa; he now lives in Richmond and airs on more than 200
stations, hosting two syndicated shows, Rowdy Ride Home and the
long-running Original Country Gold with Rowdy Yates, which ranks as
country music’s top listener-request show; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Holstead is the recipient of numerous
accolades; while in Tulsa, he was named the Academy of Country Music
Medium Market On-Air Personality of the Year; he won Best Morning
Show in the Country Radio Broadcasters/Country Aircheck Awards;
moreover, he was the youngest inductee of the Texas Radio Hall of
Fame, and today, he serves as director emeritus of that
organization; and
WHEREAS, While delighting countless country music fans as DJ
Rowdy Yates, Josh Holstead has also earned the lasting respect and
admiration of his peers, and he is truly deserving of this
prestigious honor; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate Josh “Rowdy Yates” Holstead on his
induction into the Country Radio Hall of Fame and extend to him
sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Holstead as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.
