Kirkwood Johnson has a “residency,” so to speak, at the Spangle Drive Senior Center in North Babylon. The 94-year-old veteran is a disc jockey, playing all kinds of music - with the exception of rap. He tells News 12 he began playing tunes around the age of 90 and says he plans on doing so when he’s 100.
Johnson, or ‘Captain Kirk,’ says he also does private parties and plays music at a weekly happy hour in Seaford, in addition to playing music every Wednesday at the Town of Babylon’s senior center. Asked if he’s paid to play tunes, Johnson said he certainly is, adding “I don’t do this for nothing.”
Johnson acknowledges he has a good amount of groupies. Connie Altadonna, from Deer Park, told News 12, “We appreciate him and we love him,” adding that he “deserves everything he gets.”
Johnson is undergoing chemotherapy and had a health scare last week while at the senior center.
He said he nearly collapsed, and an ambulance had to be called, due to dehydration.
He says he feels “wonderful” now and doesn’t worry about anything.
“I like to play dance music," he says. "If you can’t dance to it, as far as I’m concerned, it’s not music.”
He said he believes he’s the oldest disc jockey in the world and hopes to get his name in the Guinness Book of World Records.