Conversations; 302; Prentiss Barnes, William Morris

Oh. Womanhood. Oh thou she will never love another the other she would never love another bird and stand by me oh oh wow I love most about the old but why take having me in news with phone book. Oh and you say this with all the hardy and Google Groups that I am wearing notice my own life for a small room have had me game we mean we need to keep the single man months

of the law. Hello hello. Things didn't go by was low. You. Know. At a time when I wasn't Harriet solve the world's problems in appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show was all an inspiring singer. I really wanted to do doo wop music flooded the airwaves with its unique sound and at the helm of all the hoopla a group of five shine through they call themselves the moon glows in the night we're going to welcome one of the original members of the moon goes Mississippi native Prentiss parts along with the president of Hallelujah records William Morris. Glad to have both are here. Bill good to have you here. Thank you. Their answer if ik I'm going to get you to do that here in a minute. Right and we're trying so here you are a nice young kid up there in Chicago with your buddies. What year was it the profit before the 1954 who was three of you. Right when I was on it they're a star now we were got by the last to pick the other guy you know with me and who was at the time you're poor. Andrea spoke again it was three what

was it Alan Freed her life Rick on the set of the Moon dog but he was the biggest man and that was he was I don't know if Rossum he was really a good guy. He was you know really worse. So thank you I think he took a whole lot talking a lot of groups. Oh yeah he got a lot of groups on his do up you know. Well that was back in the days when the when the payola and the plughole it was OK. Right now you can all those things I can't do those things no now almost all signs are we had good stories in those signs back then you know really good stories you know story. Did you write any of those songs you were you know you sort of put in there so some of them. I wrote several songs. So Mr. Freeh comes to you when we say we're out another guy was in his club we were just you know going on audition time so we just went in as a you know Business Club just called I said we're going to get on the show a little on this ask you know ask what opportunity to sign with these bands in

these clubs. And some guy hurt us so we call in a free market but it's got a name and it was last name was times and he had a band as I recall and a freedom he listed on vibes on and on on the radio and every listen to it over the telephone on the telephone on the radio today it's just farmers in the boots so he took from out in this carriage. But it's got to kind of figure in here. Yeah so we say send him to his office. Yeah so that's what that's open to those. Did you have a repertoire at that point did you have a lot of music prepared. No not there we sang impact there but as I was there by just different groups we would we liked and we would try to follow those groups you know something like irregulars rip Rene Rick Rick I can't think anybody really wanted to want to take everybody out right now sort of a dominoes they were good right there. Clive Patrick was a bit of Wadi called it the dominoes at that time so he was a good cop of the songs you know. Well how that how then did you go about developing your own

style the Moonglow style when Atlanta Freida CURTIS You know he gave us opportunity so we started requit writing songs then so I wrote a song the first time we were caught the right one for my to for his chance were caught a couple which I've been you know dog and if you have sob how I think we live that I just came to know what I was I faced Fraser a cautery first one I had that feeling that recordings only they're good very scary. Well. Yes and No. I was more nervous you know how or how old were you never about 20 to someone are 21 to 22 and that's allowed it. It was that it was a it was a good time at that time because it was so many groups out there at the time and I don't think we really had two bigger problems. Asked how I saw it and meant it was a little different. We you know we just you were so much you your seat was so much story based drugstore based his songs were about it's about stories. What do you

feel like you know the first time you heard one of those songs on the radio. I tell you. I was really sad you know and I was you know just what a sight it was this really good I just couldn't believe was a dream. This felt like a dream. Remember the first time you were due up on the road and I remember actually the first time I heard them and lotion. I remember I was at a sixth grade party Jane and punish gosh I didn't know you had the tambourine right here in Jackson's overall manship street and we were just meeting the girl she as we were entering into the seventh grade and I can remember that song sincerely and some of the other songs being played there at the party. And little did I know that I would be. Become one of your best Franch AND YOU WANT TO MY BEST FRIENDS years later there was just one of the great dance songs actually in all the world. Yeah this one's ever written. Yeah I speak rather Mars at that time I met lots of nice the guys in gas and danced off the sound.

You know they said you got married you know you have decided what you want I went all over the country at that well yes right right right oh right over here with all those other groups a bunch of groups everybody out working together guy doing it yourself which is worse than half an hour or so and you are set. Yes I'm alone I mean and then another one would come I mean sometimes because it's a 50 to 45 minutes you know some good night apart a pack and a backpack someplace maybe have maybe 25 or 20 minutes go in so many groups you know would come out right you know from my new room I'm going to say I'm like you know it wasn't just one or two bands who write about and do the show I mean it was five six seven and it's about to have a whole bunch of rock platters and I came to write Charles H. Madge goes Dad that I walk in and. I was the name of divine bacon Paul where you have a press what was it with him a couple times but if he did perform or was with he's out there with the love that music. Oh yes indeed he learned a lot from that music I write I write I made him so it was so many different groups out there for mangoes and the

guy saying Putin Oh the Spaniels trying is I mean he's got a rap dance Goodnight Supreme's you know use name of the event. You ended up in Detroit that Motown didn't. Well I had at that time I had this accident that's when we broke up and we spent a lot before the accident and so so hard he went to Motown out of the way. So we're just going out out when the new groups coming in. So that means about 10 years that. Well it was it was a good 10 year maybe 12 years with this 12 years old you know we really really was real hard out there for a good eight not about eight years we were very very sincerely was the was and I think it's just it's just I wrote that's it. That's what a lot of like I was done and said just now about a lot of people has walked up to me and said he does admit the gaffer has at least going to rig a house my guess is that he would call it all gator I record hops at the skate I said he made them met their girlfriend just tried he would show up with a whole big boxing ring right this is one of those little

turntables with the big fat spin on the ride. Can't find those and you're OK. Did the promoters were not very good to you they're worth it. No no you would get if they were good in any of the band or not then were there any of the bands who really got the money that they made. Or was it all average don't think so because we've done a couple of Serbia. Wouldn't be a rock around the clock right. We've done a good show over him so he got he got there you know got a lot at least I'm trying to say he still gets no one on the tube and I notice parchment that he didn't collect what he said you know on this money as nobody did nobody. It was always the promoters or the record company live wherever the people who wrote the contracts and you're out having a good time and do I think. But but what was a good week's paycheck. I just $5 back then were probably £20 I was nice so I'll have a proper seat a hundred dollars maybe in a week's time with songs that were number one

hit Rameau one hits when I notified her you know I know her might have went the other direction but you know if I do you know how much money did do these bands were minutes left and they're still losing because you know the royalties and things even though Prince gets a little bit occasionally it's just a smidgen compared to what musicians and various artists are getting today. For music that well I would debate with them about whose music is the best. But I mean Prince gave us a priceless treasure. They get so little out of you that you had to go to court to get even then. Yeah yeah I had to fight actually to get what you guessing right. So the band broke up in what year six going to 50 right after date 59 you didn't handle that very well did you know are they not. What happened to you. Wow. I just thought this was a dream being a dream for real but up

that the dream come true there was nothing coming out and that I have received from the only songs I wrote I wrote several times and when I don't have the credit why don't you know those signs and you've been traveling all over the country right now live in a pretty good line and tour to begin here having fun. You know John was seven I just went back and back. Well if I would have thought I don't think I would I mean the good in the first place I would have thought that the guy Don whatever would have did it I would have quit or I would have quit my charity if I didn't know this was going to come to but all of a sudden then you had to have a job right you know and it was a very good job. No I never heard it would you get a good job you know because I might if I stayed on and the calls are for a while. Quite a few years started dragging really heavy and. You know I just didn't care about life and war you know. Then I thought I had an accident I really really had troubles then tell me about the accident that was down in Texas what. Yes they were San Antonio Texas I was about to California come home modded wrong with my girls into Arlen Specter raised there but my home was isn't like

Mississippi it's called a caterwaul channel. Anyway I come home in a couple of days late. You weren't singing nobs star when not about myself then but I was had that I had a job with Sky. Bob and Bob the day I had Robin Robin Robin Robin. So I got with him. So we sort of got Lord ludes Willie John Little Willie John Wright memy him when I would have John wrote favor saying I worked in a song I favor. So driving through Texas right on the way back by telephone and I was two days late getting back and just the freight train come process and I was lucky enough to be the first one at the track and my look is so obvious and Diana you know what lungs trying to see that along trying so I looked at a caboose. So the caboose would but I had to sort of you know and track on the tops as way as when I got me and I have to bet my state hospital about two years. It's happened in the six and I got and

they don't want some the one I got. And believe me when I got out of that I'd really done some serious drinking. You know there was much left then and much now so I just drag myself crazy came back here to do Jackson. Well you know I was living home then out there a little karma called Magnolia out there and I just kind I just can't face reality at all. I just had to have something because I can look back at it not just in a hospital that allowed it was you had already dope me up trying to keep me alive I guess in the paint peels on it for a while you know where you go so I do but I reason pick up a drug when I got some kind of accommodation I was in as a whole to get a lot of work miracles. So from home my brother brother home he sighed he said help me. So as I got to Jackson and I 275. So I can see what turned you around. Brother MYERS Yeah. You have that way in people's lives. The term Iran.

How did you hear about it. DEAN I was in Washington in 1980 and I went to the dressing room at a performance that the moon glows were doing there and and Prince was with no he was not was the you know this was Bobby Lester the original lead singer on The Bert Show so singers in rock n roll history clad McPhatter son Billy was singing the group and I went to the dressing room to speak to him at intermission and I got to singing with Billy McPhatter over in the corner of the gas while rehearsing and I started saying it's not his day it's all going to start in a song called Daddy's home. Well they stopped there rehearsing came over and gathered around and sit and start singing it with me and said Come on baby you got to do that song with us and I said oh no man I'm not a singer on it and they felt that I was I mean you're an insurance guy for exactly this is exactly the thing. And I've already had never had a mike in my hands and all my life. But obviously I'd learned that music and he said he heard something

that he liked and he invited me to do the lead on that song and even though I thought he knew I meant no he called me up there once they got in their performance and I did it and I knew a miracle that happened that night it was too unusual of a thing Jean. It really went off remarkably well. I have to say that other people other singers were coming up want to know what group last moment with. Did they tell you about Prince No it was George and I know I don't run home that night. You know you're either a more or did it on the way home that night if you don't know me as I look happy when are we going to have all these flashbacks and I said no this is a spiritual thing Jane. I said Lord you have a reason that this happened this was not just to give me a happy feeling there's something coming and I knew it beyond a shadow of a doubt. And almost a year later to the date I picked up the Clarion-Ledger and three quarters of the front page was covered with the story about Pritish gone to the moon but I was disabled and living here in Jackson CIOs just went up my back and I seen a lot I know now you know

when I called him and that started our friendship then. We've been very close ever since we have a little piece of video from from the pledge not to the TV with the two of you and Evelyn rolling. Take a look here at home and watch these guys. I don't know why but no mom I don't I don't do was to rule out a line of rule out loud is loud. Oh wow that's followed by seeing. The way the break up there. Oh tell me was was was need not the very early they are.

Tell me how this tell me how this Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Award HAMP mean finally the group gets inducted into the hall. Or they call you did the back just enough by that time they knew you were back around you know I was around at that time because our first time we got together with real blows I think it was in New York to disguise a rowdy guy right a guy he heard about us or by me while I'm at so we call what we know so you know that be on his show Manisha we call it you know a group in Harlem association right. This was the first time that you all of them back together and years 25 years as we all know how they look. You know now that it's out. Well the Sonic the original to me. Yeah we had one of those above list of brotherly signs her spots while I go to these and he had died by this time at this time he was already a guy so we got another guy you know farmers and this guy done very good to me and now that went to California got another I did Brian I did bring him of those who are hard right now which I

forget right now we have a rock n roll hall of fame that word either sex or nothing. Hit it just bring back old memories to me and untie bright tears in my eyes and see the guys dive we're good to see him and you know in pretty good condition is got the same voice. Because I'm pretty sure I have heard of you or have some fun. Oh yes and then sometime I get resentment towards what I have here and what you know I have done in the past is nothing no future to a poor hit in the news or just this kind of you know I kind of get resentment toward it wants to whine but I look up and ask God to train me. Except as I cannot change you know so I can't change what happened so I do have some someone's idea Kiran. You know carrying a lot of isn't right a lot of people still care. Tell me Tell me about that night at the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame awards. I agree to this. This was another dream on their way out. Right I mean the thing about Little Richard and when he

got his award you have to show he made a big statement that I finally got what I deserved you know everybody got something and he know that he said years ago it was we got them. You were along then I sent you two tickets right so I will try to take the deal. Yeah yeah that's right I felt very honored to get close. Oh yeah everything well actually some of the people's credit here in town that some of the clothiers and so forth that when they found out about this they said I'd like to be a part of that and they donated a tuxedo and then you you know without going in the names of the stores I mean the community. Yes. Dan AOL I enjoyed back area surely this trip to New York and I got to be more than vicarious to numbers I got to be right there with their little yeah. Simon gives you the order that's kind of nice. Here I think so at his friend's house and you sang there on that stage right. What were you most nervous about. Were you concerned about in that wound.

I think I was nerves were one of the gods I sang with us. Pete kind of got a little bit of a troll or something you know. I mean how would you know plays I know for an hour we remember Fort Bragg's but memories to even see. I like to feel I don't want to never get what I used to be like. And what happened right what I'm like now. So I really thanks about who I was when I met Marzia and what I was when I met back live my your but it was two different people right to do and Pete was my brother Houston bodies My brother so he's he he reached out you know probably like this he made a lot a lot of straight one of most all my family is nice to have you know he was he stood behind me 100 percent. Best they could you know. But I must listen to Houston a lot you know and line a lot from him. And I know that that accident really bang you know earlier you and your buddy dancing because that then there was a big thing the band I did have you guys I moved around right.

Yes it did bug me a lot but it hurt me more. But looking at people that I that they know that I should come out with some big Rolls Royce penthouse yacht. Well you know they were getting all the media then we will all families on the run it's France you know it's kind of hard to you know to live through the thing with this back you had you know in your mind what you could have been. There's a real movement around the country now to try to right some of those wrongs. That's exactly right. And the British get some benefit from the Rock n Roll Hall and thank you. Yes and we're going to do something here in Jackson next year. Wave with that's the plants under way. We haven't announced exactly what it is but it will be a fun it's going to be established there in the greater Jackson foundation that will help people like us and be honest about it sometime I really wonder or fear that we're just man have enough

for you know I know God is all you know. You reach out to about one Fang but I think about this you know how you know you know really really you take time out you know and you know just like this. So we have to do it like this or have we have to see it that I feel that he feels but it's Mandos it from his heart. You know that that river to me it means a lot to me you know. And I to me the CD is out and you have another CD to tell me that that is if you're still with us and that's a good one brand of print is a lie all right you know bad news I want to introduce you to producing this one. Yes. Put the band back together again do another do another recording you think we've got a pretty nice studio here in town you know. Right yeah right. Actually saying that I. Go harder now he's a producer also does work with Smokey Robinson he gets around quite often you know quite a bit he's busy right so I got a small group would be

kind of hard to put a rope right. You know for defensive or very limited in what. But earlier you had a really man easy but you still perform every month though don't you doubt the Alamo. What time well yeah I'll start it. But there they are real vacation I don't know. You know it all region I've been into the good on this over time but I've been asked by I had got you act a couple of you know both a farm one one weekend when I passed in the past so I got a lot of respect for that. I am sing with a church choir right now so I don't go. Gonna be a good bad season so I would know there was a time before that I had to go on my theory my brother but can you teach a kid to do what you do. Is it possible to teach or did you have to just feel it when you were growing up where you have to feed it but those that can listen they can do it but the tiniest little I have to have a go to college or some college.

Yes a rash or some I have to have something to offer them. Not just not on my sever my my my vas and my ideas I have to have some nest off of them you know that they can live followers to like me on the shoulder have to be tough but in the short of it and within the you know what I'm trying to say is this bias or hey man I can't take you to my place in your version which you teach you I can't take a random person teaching you know you have to get involve with kids you have to be there find them regardless you know. Minute that you come up with you have to get do you know. Yeah it's my opinion about it I would have to have something to give them you know. But that's a lot of what the Hall of Fame is doing to their own. My thanks are involved in keeping writers images in the news memories All right. Right. So you take these of all race track you've got to have something to teach these kids to get out of Restrepo you know basketballs whatever kind of you know sport there is you have to have more than that off of them you know to just go out and run come back say well

you go home your fingers which I have had someplace for him to go I got to have something got to have it without you know warm and dry you go on this ride has this really changed you too it really hands Jane and it's just been I'm writing a book about it and it started with that experience in Washington when it really started when I first heard the silence you know back in the sixth grade and low in there and that planted the seed in my heart and the germination really started when I got on the stage with those gash and it led me to this friendship and then one miracle after another happened and I had to repeat again a record which I've written about 145 pages already and and it just keeps on folding so. So much enjoy. So when anything and you by Dobro Moss We don't know some of this in the. This has value in the background right. I sang with you guys

and their induction in the home. I want to save a minute or so here for you to sing together. OK today. Do you have for you on the way out. All right it's been a pleasure to be back. What a treat. Good luck to you. For you to have a concert right here. Yeah that's right be sincerely what would be yeah. What you want to do sincerely. Well I would never have done that one before why don't we try it I mean we hadn't done any of these all of that other night stories this year. Well if the audience will cut us a little slack then we will give it up best picture the writing I managed to move closer to go ahead and. That was to go no go here. Bun Bun Bun Bun. But sincerely. Oh yeah this said. And seriously because I left you know so dear. Please say you'll be my

guy. By and by they go by oh you know now I am here. I'll do the NASA thing I bought what you bought. Please say you be my I. Oh I won't you. Yeah me why I barely know she me but I'll never let those things here and really oh you know oh.