A Conversation With; 137; Jerry Clower

A production of the Mississippi Center for Educational Television tape number 92 series conversation with program Gerry Klauer. Then 28 30 day three twenty four seventy five directors see more. Of. A conversation with Gerry Klauer. Talking today with noted Yes you see the humorist Gerry Klauer is Ron Fraser of W RV C. in Jackson Mississippi. Yeah zoo County Mississippi the queen of the Delta home of folksy folks neighborly neighbors famous for oil cotton catfish one turtle hatching farm.

Casey Jones if you'll throw in for good measure. And the man with me in the studio today. He's the man what tells the story of the coon hunting party. And that's the tale that what catapulted him into the limelight in this country. You know success never happens overnight. And for Jerry his apprenticeship as a storyteller. Ran for 17 years from a fertilizer salesman to the country's top humorist. Welcome it's nice to have to all you guys are city boys together here to dish thing. Ron I'm proud of you bless you heart a movie as the city used to have years ago. I think I kind of watched you come up in the Dixie Youth Baseball and then you left in you amounted to something and I'm proud of you. Well I've kept up with your career and. It's a pleasure being here in and out of being here with you today. Thank you sir. I want to ask you first I mentioned humorist a lot of people would call you a

comedian. You distinguish between a humorist and a comedian. Well Ron I think a comedian tales funny stories and a humorous tale story is funny. You know I don't have any writers. Nobody is sitting in a place in a battery of people thinking up sharp little one liners for me to say. And I know some world famous comedians who have at least 20 writers on my staff. And certainly I'm not knocking them have beautiful people and they do a great job. But I want opportunity just in that if I have any talent it's a talent to remember. And I just remember playin gator at the swimmin hole and when this streak in-tank come out I said Well that ain't nothing need we used to play gator to wash old and streak in so I made up story about that. And I remember when we used to go coon huntin and other things and so I feel like I am more of a humorous than I would be a comedian. Has your show business success changed your lifestyle in any way.

What has changed style because I drive a bigger car than I used to drive and I give more money to the First Baptist Church you have ever given before and me and Mama's got a little more money than we've ever had and for some people to say oh no all hadn't changed me a bit. It would be lying and I have batted no outline. As far as my Christian convictions in my Christian home and love in my friends and nothing's changed. Me and mama can't sleep in but one bed at a time and I haven't built a big house in it bigger than I had then when I was a full time fertilizer salesman. My schedule has changed back he has had to make some adjustments because he had seen me on television and they'll see them it's good to say I saw yo daddy a Madonna show or show or something like this and it's I never go anywhere and I'm old I'm not recognized this is an adjustment that I have to make. Went to New York recently and went to get off the plane a lady said did you bring your route card way yet. Well she had seen me on

television doing a commercial for these people that. But my last is for is Gerry Klauer from rap Mississippi over Eaton and that sort of thing hadn't changed at all. I'm going to ask you a question now I'm sure all of our audience would ask you if they were here. I'm myself I'm interested. I attempted to record a few records I've had for records and I've just finished releasing a fifth. Everybody wants to know how do you get a start in show business how did you get your start and recording. I'm the worst fella in the world to ask how to get started in show business a lot of young people write me and say Jerry when you hit me get started in show business. Well Ron I literally backed into show business. I got out of the Navy went to Southwest Michigan college they taught me how to play football. I got a scholarship at Mississippi State I got a degree in agriculture. I got me a job with Mississippi chemical corporation set in fertilizer. I developed tell in-country stories

and order to improve my sales technique. And I did this for 17 years and four years ago I was down at Point Clear Alabama at the old Grand Hotel and the somebody said what it was really Hatton from Jackson Mississippi. Roy was there and after I had finished doing the show for the day or Convention Center in Florida last fall Mississippi chemical he said hey I want to make a record I said you crazy. I said yeah I got nothing to lose. So about a month later I was in Lubbock Texas and I was doing the same thing for Mississippi chemical out to head to the feedlot Association. And a guy echoed that day air radio force now does it why don't you back a record. I said What made you crazy. But he said well man you ain't got nothing to lose you go tell the stories in a half. So the next time you speak to a group of farmers I'll take it. And he did it in Music Corporation of America in CA who have such artists as Elton John. Conway Twitty Hello readily and Ricky Nelson and Gerry Klauer now

Flutie as you sit in a sit in a jet plane and said you have some talent. We've heard you work. We had to put you on EMC records. Well eight months later sold a million dollars worth and made three more since Ian and I have been best sellers and wham I was in number one country comic in 73 and 74 was voted by the show business people and I'm a member of the Grand Ole Opry and it's just like a fantastic dream to mean a guy kind of dad me to do it on a tongue in-cheek dad done it and it happened. So that's the way it happened and I didn't pursue it. I just backed into it. Prior to this Had you ever dreamed or as a kid dreamed of being an entertainer. No. I dreamed of being a man what run a road grader. I used to sit on a front porch and see the feller come down a gravel road or run in the road grader and I thought that is a fine nice job and proud of the highest pay and job anybody could ever hail

and I'd run behind a road grader and sit on the back of it and would look up toward him and say lowered one day if I had a big job Lackey is runnin a road grader on a gravel road or would be happy and if you told me 10 years ago that this would happen to me out of said your mental case. It's just something that did happen and but I'm a very simple fellow Ron I think one of the problems we have in show business and everything else people try to make simple things complicated and this is my pet peeve. I get up every morning. And I pray a very simple prayer lowered. I ain't going to work for you today. But Lord I want you to know that I'm on your side and you ain't never made a mistake and you're not going to make a mistake with me. So and as much as I have turned all of my hang ups over to the one what was hung up far my hang ups I'm not going to go through life biting my flying and nails and wondering and worrying. Whatever happens to me obvious planks to you regardless what it

is. Yes I'll give thanks and have faith and keep going. And that's a philosophy I had when I backed into show business and I prayed that same prayer this morning when I got up I don't know of nobody what's seen a happier than me and I go through laugh looking forward to tomorrow and I just live one day at a time. That's great. Kuria I had a similar dream as a kid I want to drive the mosquito truck spraying the mosquitoes are behind me and you know Mayor Appelbaum has the city of skeet at smoke. Yeah I mean you're young and want to run in that smoke and get suffocated by what you get out of that in one of the first questions asked me when somebody says you know you're a clown or I said you know. I mean he knows me more than I know him because I left long before he got to know me. Did you really play football. Yes. That's a number one question I asked the Minnesota State Fair or Canada Hollywood. Did you really play football like your record sales. Answer Is Yes I didn't play in high school because I think his task

would say of him other folks there what eight of us in his senior class and I went to Little junior college in southwest Michigan you got it in a we're patient women taught me how to play and I went up to Mississippi State and played up there and I got a degree in agriculture while at Mississippi State and now as a sports devote some football player and stories I got a little routine about how I walked up on the campus and sew myself up and showed my physique and a football coach said Son Who are you I said I'm a football player and I'm picks in to play here to school and he said I'll give you a scholarship. Just looking at you. But tell me quick what position is it that you play I said I am the man what runs with the football. And that's why one of my records in and being a sports devote to do some sports awards banquets occasionally and I enjoy this too I'm a sports fanatic I don't lack it because they made a rule in the back to Mississippi State Capital. I want

that repealed if at all possible. A bad bout a final ruling. Because I'm a law abiding citizen and a Christian. But until we have an appeal I'm going to fight it and don't think it's quite fair. Good question there. How come they never brought it up when state was losing Well that's a good question. It's kind of a sore subject with me I don't know why I you know stole the tea cake one time when I was a little Bo and my momma caught me and Whitney but she didn't tell me I had to do that to cakes the rest of my live. Now that's Mississippi State folks abuse the privilege all over again. We really did. But the next 3 ball games we said we saw we will do it no more. But what did they do this a good enough you've got to give up the Capitals forever and I just think you oughta warned us and in control any kind of noise. Just like to control the noise at any other stadium. Sure you mentioned the Minnesota State Fair. How are you received in the north. Well this is one of the happy things about my job in his career.

Ron would you believe it I just finished a tour in Boston Massachusetts. Cleveland Ohio and Washington D.C.. The crowds were tremendous. Their reviews in the paper you thought my mama wrote a review and a Cleveland Plain Dealer Cleveland Ohio Washington D.C. with moral Haggard. Oh I have never been prouder to be a Mississippian while at Washington D.C. because people would come out of the theater and around and sunny gummer and the and the delegation from Mississippi the congressman all came one night and that thrilled me to death. For the producer of the show what at the age in Iran to get up and say we've never had this many congressman to come to see an act on a stage and we've had to top entertainers in the world and it just threw me to death that all of the people from Mississippi would come and bring other congressmen with them and. But people would come up to me and say well what a fantastic show at the Smithsonian Institute to artists from Mississippi. And it's a sign show that the arts festival is bringing to Jackson Mississippi

and I've never been prouder to be in Mississippi and when I've seen the land up of Pearl Bailey and all of these fine people to go running for the Arts Festival. But Amberson you've been an author. There's no more no a south east and west in show business for good. There's just no such thing. And if there's no more no south east and west in showbusiness downtown w 18 and one hundred fifty thousand watt Clear Channel radio station in New York City started all country music. Their rating went from 14 to 2 in the city country artist of never had it's a good 52 percent of all recordings made in the world are made in Nashville Tennessee. So I am received in an auth it's beautiful and if I'm perceived in and off I would like very much to get a crusade started. Well there's no more no south east and west and it ain't just one great big American about to live in one other. Period. You're recognized as a country artist now you're on the Grand Ole Opry. Before you got into show business were you an advocate.

Did you like country music. Yes I really did like country music I was a Conway Twitty fan a low readily and fan. I lack all kinds of music and I really do but my favorite brand of music is country music and you know a country music fan. You very seldom ever see him criticize anybody else's music. It's the other people who say August can't stand that stuff. And actually a lot of people love country music and I don't know if he is country music. I was in Huntsville Alabama doing a show and was having breakfast at a restaurant a waitress walk up to me and said Mr. Clough I saw you won't he recognize you. And I love you but I don't like it country music said man what I love is what's playin only laughs maker now listen at that beautiful music you know what it was. It was Henry Mann singing but he was playin release me a country classic Engelberg bop on DICOM was nothing until he recorded release to be a country song right. So you know so the answer is yes I did love country music before I got to be a country artist.

The first time you stepped on stage at the Grand Ole Opry on the same stage that Hank Williams Hank Thompson and Bob Wills Roy Acuff the greats of country music what ran through your mind to remember. Yes I remember it as a little bitty boy. It wrapped folded in a city that several years. I prayed that we'd clear enough money at the end of a crop year that we could go to Nashville and see the Grand Ole Opry. And I never did make it. But to be asked to be a special guest star on the world famous Grand Ole Opry the first time I ever saw the Grand Ole Opry I performed on it. And as I stood offstage and started to walk out there I remembered how I had wanted to go so very badly. And then November was a year to go to be invited Gerry Klauer you've just been in show business two years but we'd like to give you an invitation to become a regular member of the world famous Grand Ole Opry. Fifty years ago 64 members. You'll be the 64

with member Joe and would you like to join. Oh my so I said I would like to join and I am a regular member and then to go back in November and be inducted into the Grand Ole Opry. And I remember as I stood backstage I remember what went through my mind and this was about the time that it would that it suddenly dawned on me what was happening to me up to the day and I was well you know folks it was you you fixin to be a star and I ha ha ha I say could I sell a 50 ton cough or less. But as I was inducted in the Grand Ole Opry I remember I put my wife put my arm around my laugh and I said Don. Things have done happen to me. But do I want you to know is kids at age 13 when you mean you won't get out together in that church and both become Christians together. You the main most one man. You've been the main most one in my life every day of my last book to now and I'm fixing to be honored out here but out and you still remain most woman and she still is by the way.

Me and mom have been married 27 years 27 years Jerry. There's something very unique about you as an entertainer especially as a humorist comedian what have you. All your material is clean. That's a bit unusual for the comedians of these days. Well I'm glad you brought that up because very frankly when I recorded my first album I was told unless I put a little risque Vergel material on the record I'd never be known nationally. Well all of those people would give me that it vast that they have never been known as National as I have I have a letter from Billboard I'm not going to sit here brag but I will tell you some facts and answer your question. Billboard wrote me a letter and said Here you are the first artist ever in the history of show business to put a talking record in a top 10 in a nation and a country jocks. And I've made four while BMS is not a risk a vulgar word on none of them. And those four albums as of last January the first collectively hit so four million dollars worth. And word got out that I'm claiming like you mentioned the Minnesota State Fair. I did the

Minnesota State Fair the largest fire in the world with Harry Reid and Rowan Clark a year ago this year I did it three nights because the Mamas and Papas what brought the little girls didn't have to jump up in the middle of the show and take them out because it was embarrassed over somebody be involved or a tail number on US dollars. And and I'm human enough that I lack the fact that I have defat the experts. Jerry you a talk or no talker can be popular unless he's got a BOGO record tois. I prove that to be a outright lie. And I sure am proud to or proud of your name in all the stories you tell are they about real people and if so do you use the real names of these people. Well the story's out tale are about real people. I changes some of the names of the people file obvious reasons in the stories I tale are all almost true. Will any of the experiences you're going through now be the subject of topical future

tales. Yes you know the lowered so good to me I was doing the Mike Douglas Show in Philadelphia Pennsylvania and was sitting in the green room and a lady come walking and i mode she was a female as to how I had done the reason spit and I want you while Dan and I stood up offered her a chair and she said you said and I I mean sat down and I said Don and what's wrong said I'm in about it I have enough talent to be on The Mike Douglas Show I don't know what we don't know you should hang up and she was a leavin woman libber and all the world and when I got through talking with her I later put it on a record and it stayed in the top 20 in a nation for 34 weeks. So every time I go out I say something to remind me of something to to give me a story lacked this streak in story I'm doing a show in Chattanooga on a TV personality met me at the airport welcome to Chattanooga. Jerry you are have a Christian family. What do you think about the new fad streak and I said new fans. How come you city folks call in that new country people been doing at

all at last and I thought of the Gator it just went in when asked by skinny dipping you know but we had a look out look it's been about become We've got over the whole don't we didn't believe in streaking and we played gator and we selected the gator and she said well if you St.. What did you call it I said run in Nikki. If you didn't run by no public road we didn't even streaking and I put out a record and also so well so I see things quite often. That reminds me of something that I did when I was a kid and I put it on a record or I may see something before I leave. Educational Television here today one a while ago would have done a mobile hold on but the bottoms up was built like a dress. Now I ain't that something. Hate to who have worked chop cotton all day and that dust and you know what that no bitches legs on. I'll have to check with her before I leave for me I may get me another record right here today. But. What about new records dearie what do you have in planning.

Well I bought. A few weeks ago in Picayune Mississippi I recorded a brand new album called lads in Picayune and the Woman's Club woman Civic Club of Picayune Mississippi. And I want all the women to listen to this in this time of negativism and syre faces in that way. It's going to that that the woman City Club in Picayune Mississippi called emcee a record said look we excited about Gerry Klauer do it and I haven't said why not. Yeah. We would get to high school auditorium we'll sell tickets. Ya'll come my manager went out and then the ladies they enthusiasm had Picayune bawling like a big ourselves and we recorded I will down Abba calls the enthusiasm of these ladies were kicked in and it collarbone and wham we recorded I think it's going to be one of the better things I've ever done because I felt at home with these people in Picayune and the album is live in Picayune and it will be released June 1st

only MC erect. Jerry Have they ever tried to I mean your producers. Have you moved into another area. Maybe singing just a little bit in your act. Yeah they have talked to me about this but you know the night I did the Grand Ole Opry for the first time Bill Anderson a superstar in country music a boy that wrote a song city lights that make it good he's got a hit on right now call me off to one side he said don't let him change you said you just like a breath of fresh air to come on missing and what you do is so different Don't let him talk you into changing. I did to Mike Douglas Show with Pearl Bailey the superstar who the arts festival is bringing to Jackson and a man what a nice lady and when I finished the show she warned me she said Jared don't you let him change you. They will bring you to Hollywood and try to make a Shakespearean actor out of you and she also wrote me a letter actually got home and sent me her book and when I saw The Who are a superstar her caliber was going to be featured here at the Arts Festival to just throw me and what had a lot of pressure on me. In fact the MC 8 was talking the

other day to my manager and when I said we need to do a little different with Jerry we need to maybe let him do a patriotic thing and all of the big executives around the table it got to the vast president charge of all country product. He said listen I'm Jerry's recorded for a while bms. They all four national hits until he has one it ain't a winner. Ya'll better leave him alone. And you know that's what Jake Gaither said about Bob Hayes. They throw Jay Gaither one time Florida a man said he runs pigeon toed runs leaned over in a coach if you correct yes you may run faster. He said well I told some folks until somebody out running not food within soul of the NCAA told me until we have wanted Don't say a real good they will food with me. And it's beautiful out there. Let me ask you this. We were talking about the Grand Ole Opry. You've been doing state fairs. You don't do nightclubs.

No I would never flat make the statement that I will not do a nightclub because I may on some occasion feel that I need to get into a certain nightclub expression of view I feel that I lack somebody here but I don't work in nightclubs. I just feel lucky that my image. As a family entertainer It is not I'm not discounting the trainer. I could have the opportunity to work a lot of them and it would be a challenge to make them laugh. But so far I have had plenty of work and knew about for every show we do. We turned down another one and I certainly wouldn't want to sit here with a holier than thou attitude in the past look down your nose at folks that do work nightclubs. I certainly don't do that because I know some Christian entertainers who have a deep Christian conviction that they go work anywhere they get booked and I may preach a little while they're there. They may care the good news into a place if they think it ought to be carrot but up to now I have and I will showcase it to Holborn and the Hollywood

California where some TV producers could come and see me and that is a my club and I walked in and went 20 minutes and walked out. But I had to answer your question and it ain't a big deal. But I haven't worked in nightclubs. You as a person as an individual you're a big advocate of educational TV like we're on right now. Oh man I reckon so. When I knew about every time I come by the educational TV I watch Sesame Street with my children. I had to do a lot of praying to keep from getting just furious because you know the bigots in the racist in the state legislature wouldn't fund public television due to the fact that little black children and little white children played together so peacefully old man and apparently they had been telling some kids that you couldn't do this. And my older children were robbed of the privilege of watching Sesame Street. Can you conceive grown adult people wanting to and you know

how hard a demand for me to got off about television if I want my kids to see you know integrated show. That's hard to be in. I got a little Katie four years ago she was saying made me say yes all the way things and count to 100 because she watches Sesame Street and for years we couldn't watch it in Mississippi because it was an integrated show but thank God we making some progress. Thank God we use being funded now. And the minute the legislature even thinks about not funding it there's enough phone calls and letters hits a desk down at it you thought that the world's coming to any end had a lujah. We got us an Educational Television Association or whatever you call it now and I'm so proud and every chance I get to watch Sesame Street myself. And the forum show that they have with their legislatures man. I live it I don't find me a new hero congressman or senator anger from Hattiesburg I watched him on

that and wish to own this TV show one night who that young fellow impressed me and I'm about ready to turn this country over to some of the young people I know it's the old politicians it's been messing up lately. It had been him young ones and I think maybe I'm about ready to turn this country over to some of the young people I know. JERRY We've made a complete circle here today from beginning all the way from the start of your career around about where we are right now even on a serious subject. Let's go back to get as a city for just a moment all right close out. How do the people that knew you before you were Gerry Klauer entertainer react to you as a person nowadays about the signing and for this I am eternally grateful. I kitsch people and yes use it when tourists come through and they'll say we saw during our on the mike that we show what we saw during our on the CBS special but he lives here. Will you show us his house and some of the people who love me and know me I'll

actually discourage them come into the house. They say well man he's been off on a tour he had been with his family much. I feel years Haslett you get a picture of it but don't bother him no longer than you have to and I will go down the street and and people say Hello yeah. YOU YOU YOU YOU. This has been a conversation with Mississippi's finest humorist Gerry Klauer. You're my new new new new. New.