Rush Limbaugh's humble beginnings explored in 'Rush Limbaugh: His Words'

FOX Nation is celebrating the life of Rush Limbaugh with "Limbaugh's Legacy", an exclusive collection of streaming shows and specials.

The collection includes the documentary "Rush Limbaugh: His Words," which will also air Sunday, Feb. 21 at 10 p.m. ET on Fox News Channel.

In "Rush Limbaugh: His Words" the often-private broadcaster, who passed away Wednesday at age 70, spoke about his upbringing and what brought him to conservatism and to radio.

Limbaugh was born on Januray 12, 1951 to a historically prominent family in Cape Girardeau, Mo. His father, Rush Hudson Limbaugh Jr., was an attorney, World War II veteran, and occasional conservative activist. Grandfather Rush Sr., was a prominent lawyer, at one point becoming president of the Missouri State Bar. The federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau was named after him several years after his 1996 death at the age of 104.

In addition, Limbaugh's cousin, Stephen Jr., is a federal judge appointed to the bench by President George W. Bush. Brother David is an attorney who has written numerous political commentaries for right-wing media outlets.

"I come from a very Republican family," Limbaugh once remarked. "I have to say today that I'm more conservative than I am Republican."

One day, the future talk radio icon recalled, he and his brother were roused by their father at 5 a.m. to attend a campaign event for Sen. Barry Goldwater "somewhere in southern Illinois."

"I've always been oriented on the conservative side of things," Limbaugh said. "Never, ever wavered, and was never tempted by everything else."

Limbaugh hated school and would envy the radio DJ's he listened to every morning before leaving home for class.

"My mother had the radio on," he recalled. "That guy was having fun and I was heading to drudgery."

Limbaugh embarked on a radio career that led to him on a nomadic journey across America, with stops in far-flung outposts like McKeesport, Pa., a small city on the Youghiogheny River outside Pittsburgh. At the time, Limbaugh used the on-air alias "Jeff Christie", a common practice in those days.

"I would find my passion, and in whatever it was, wild horses wouldn't stop me," he said.

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Two decades after Limbaugh first appeared on the air, the inaugural nationally syndicated episode of "The Rush Limbaugh Show" was broadcast on Aug. 1, 1988 from WABC-AM's headquarters above New York's Pennsylvania Station.

The rest was broadcasting history.

To watch "Rush Limbaugh: His Words" and to see all of "Limbaugh's Legacy", visit Fox Nation and sign up today.

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