Nationally recognized independent Grand Ole Opry historian Byron Fay offers news and comments regarding country music's premier show.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Remembering Jerry Clower
I hope that those of you who read my blog enjoy when I go back and take a look at former Opry members who have passed away and maybe are forgotten by many people today. We all remember the superstars who were Opry members, but many times we forget those who did not achieve that higher level of success. But all of them were Opry members and deserve to be remembered.
Today I want to look back at one of the great comedians in Opry history and that is Jerry Clower, who passed away 13 years ago today, on August 24, 1998. Jerry was born in Liberty, Mississippi on September 28, 1926, and here is the entry on Jerry from The Encyclopedia of Country Music:
"One of the most successful country comedians ever and a mainstay on TNN shows, Clower got into show business at age nine, when he joined a 4-H club to get out of a class. Four years later, at thirteen, he won a 4-H district competition, but it was a long time before he became a professional entertainer. While in the navy he was asked to tell some of his stories, and later, after becoming a fertilizer field representative with Mississippi Chemical Company, he used country stories as part of his sales technique. Clower became so well known for his routines that a friend suggested he record an album of them. This LP, 'Jerry Clower from Yazoo City Mississippi Talkin', was released on the Lemon label and advertised only by word of mouth. It sold more than 8,000 copies in a relatively short time and brought Clower to the attention of MCA. The company signed him to a contract in 1971. His album eventually made it on the Billboard charts for a long stay. This was followed by several other strong-selling LPs, including 'Clower Power' and 'From the Mouth of Mississippi', which led to Clower joining the Grand Ole Opry in 1973. In addition to performing live comic routines, Clower has hosted the nationally syndicated radio show 'Country Crossroads' and the TV show 'Nashville on the Road'. Clower is also the subject of a documentary film, 'Ain't God Good'. Clowers routines are based on people he knew in Amite County, Mississippi. He has written three books based on this material, the most recent being 'Stories from Home' (1992). In addition to his comedy, Clower is very serious about his religious beliefs, being a Baptist deacon and an active member of the Gideon Bible Society. He says Cristianityis the single greatest influence on his life. He is also a passionate advocate of education, family life, and racial equality and integration."
When Jerry joined the Opry, he was the first new comic that had been signed in a number of years. Jerry remembered it emotionally: "It's undescribable, because, you see, I had prayed as a little boy that at the end of a crop year we'd have enough money for us to go see the Grand Ole Opry. And we never made it. Now, here I was on it! Grand Ole Opry star Jerry Clower! Woooo!"
Jerry remained an Opry member until his death. He passed away in Jackson, Mississippi following heart surgery.
He joined the Grand Ole Opry on October 27, 1973 and was the last member to join the Opry while the show was still at the Ryman Auditorium. In memory of Jerry Clower, here is the Opry line up from Saturday October 27, 1973, the night he was inducted as the Opry's newest member.
6:30 Mrs Grissoms
Osborne Brothers(host)
Bill Carlisle
6:45 Rudy's
Willis Brothers(host)
Louie Roberts
7:00 Rudy's
Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper(host)
Jim & Jesse
Hank Wada
7:30 Goo Goo
Porter Wagoner(host)
Dolly Parton
Crook Brothers
Harold Weakley
Mack McGaha
8:00 Martha White
Roy Acuff(host)
Grandpa Jones
Del Wood
JERRY CLOWER
8:30 Stephens
Hank Snow(host)
Bobby Bare
Ray Pillow
Fruit Jar Drinkers
9:30 Kelloggs
Osborne Brothers(host)
Willis Brother
Louie Roberts
Del Wood
10:00 Fender
Jim & Jesse(host)
Bill Carlisle
10:15 Union 76
Porter Wagoner(host)
Dolly Parton
10:30 Trailblazer
Roy Acuff(host)
Grandpa Jones
Wilma Lee & Stoney Cooper
10:45 Beech-nut
Bobby Bare(host)
JERRY CLOWER
Crook Brothers
11:00 Coca-Cola
Hank Snow(host)
Ray Pillow
Hank Wada
Fruit Jar Drinkers
Sam McGee
11:30 Elm Hill
Marty Robbins(host)
Mary Lou Turner
Marty Mitchell
There you have it. As you can see, this was not one of the Opry's strongest line ups.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I count 18 members, only twice as many as the average two-hour show now.
ReplyDeleteI always thought his best story was about the pessimistic barber, and I do it for my friends, but without the sound effects he did. They love it, and not because I tell it well--I don't!
I guess looking back at the older Opry shows, I was getting spoiled. Some of those older line ups were impressive. This one just seemed to have a lot of filler people on it.
ReplyDeleteI saw Jerry several times at the Opry and maybe it was just me, but for the most part, I just didn't get for his humor. Oh, he was funny, no doubt about it. I guess maybe, it was his style. He was distinctive in his red suits and he was very well liked.
I did enjoy him when I listened to him on the 'Country Crossroads' program. That seemed to be on almost every Sunday morning and I can remember listening to it while traveling.
Byron, I really think part of it is that he was more of a storyteller than a comic--he told funny stories. By contrast, Minnie Pearl and Rod Brasfield, The Duke of Paducah and Archie Campbell, were more like the standard comics doing a monologue or dialogue. Some of Clower's stories didn't do much for me, I have to say. But I honor Jerry Whitehurst for his Clower impression!
ReplyDeleteFred in Bismarck here:
ReplyDeleteYes, Byron, you might have been temporarily spoiled. What would we give today to see a bill that included the Osborne Bros., Jumpin' Bill, the Coopers, Jim & Jesse, Porter, the Crook Bros., Roy Acuff, Grandpa, Hank Snow and the incomparable Marty?
Fred, to be fair, as much as I want to turn the clock back ... but wouldn't it be nice if that many members appeared? Or, for that matter, felt as though management wanted them to appear?
ReplyDeleteWasn't the 7 pm segment in 1973 sponsored by Shoney's?
ReplyDeleteLooking at old Opry programs and notes, after Luzianne stopped sponsoring the 7:00 segment, Rudy's began to be one of the sponsors for that segment. There was a short period of time when it looked like Shoney's and Rudy's traded off on the segment. Rudy's, for example, sponsored the March 9, 1974 show, but the following week, Shoney's sponsored the segment, which was the week the new Opry House opened. Then in April, Rudy's was back to sponsoring the segment, but after that Shoney's took it.
ReplyDeleteAlso, prior to taking 7:00 on Saturday, Shoney's sponsored the 10:30 segment on Friday night. After they took the Saturday slot, Rudy's began to sponsor the 10:30 segment on Friday night, so they basically switched spots. When the Opry moved to 2 shows on Friday night, Rudy's took the 11:30 segment on that show. They also kept their 6:45 Saturday slot.
Hope that helps you out, but in 1973, most nights it was Rudy's sponsoring that segment. If you are looking for exact dates, let me know and I will see what I can find. Maybe an interesting post for me would be to look at the history of the Opry's sponsors for each segment and provide a history. If any one is interested in something like that, let me know.
There's a clip of George Morgan signing off the last Friday night at the Ryman, and the Shoney's banner is behind him (I MISS those big sponsor banners). The Opry's 70th anniversary special cut it off, but you can see it, and I believe Hal Durham or Hairl Hensley (I can't tell with the music) can be heard on other clips doing the sponsor mention.
ReplyDeleteJerry Clower and Wendy Bagwell were two of my favorite comedians. Both proved that you did not have to use foul language to be funny. I really miss them both.
ReplyDelete