Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, hello everybody. We are here for the pulse. I
am Stormy. Your hosts for today had to sit down
bring him in. Uh huh, keeping our fingertips on the
pulse of our community. You guys. Uh. The one and
only the founder of the Southern Heritage Classic is here
with me today, Fred Jones.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Thank you, Hey, Fred Jones.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Crowd is going crazy.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
How are you feeling I'm feeling.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
I'm feeling good.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Who is that is? Is that the mayor calling? You?
Want somebody want to talk to you? Are you ready?
Because I'm getting ready. We are this weekend. It'll be
a week away, actually less than a week away from
the Classic events because the events start on September twenty fifth,
(00:55):
which is a Thursday, Yeah, which.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Is the Classic Comedy Live with Bruce Bruce, Cheryl Underwoods,
jam and Jay Lemont and a Memphis on Ambrose.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Jones Ambrose Jones is. They're all hilarious. But I just
Fred just saw Ambrose in a in a local show.
He was so funny. So I you that's gonna be
a show.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Yeah. I think I feel good about it. We've done
comedy before, yeah, in the Classics, So that's that's not
a stretch. It's just this year with the number of
changes that we had to make, but it was it
was a it was a good thing. So we had
to make one pivot when one of the artists that
(01:41):
was on the on the Comedy Live Show and Cheryl
under Woods was as a local favorite. Yeah, so everything
is working out.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Yeah, yeah, you should be. That's gonna be a great
show right there, Bruce, Bruce, Cheryl Onunderwood, Jay Lamont jamming
j Lamont at that and Ambrose Jones is gonna be
a great show. That's kicked it off Thursday, September twenty fifth. Now, Fred,
are you excited about this year and the teams this year?
All Corn versus you a p B.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
You know what, I get excited every year because I
learned from the very beginning of this journey that every
year is going to be different. It's something about each
year that makes it unique. But it's always fun because
for me, I get my energy from people that I
(02:42):
meet everywhere from the post office to the grocery store
to the service station restaurant that matter. You know, Hey,
missus Smith, Yeah, they call me for Smith.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Probably everybody's made that mistake or not everybody. I'm sure
your family hadn't made that mistake. But because they're two
Freds too powerful Freds in the city. I mean, come
on now, yeah, I'm sure he's been called Fred Jones before.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
You know we're going to do that. But again, it's
because I've been doing this a really long time in
Classic and the shows and been involved in it. I
mean in the entertainment bent. It's over fifty years so
and a lot of it has been done here in Memphis.
So I'm the local guy who's done pretty good for herself,
(03:36):
been involved some of some of the biggest shows that
ever comes in the area.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
You're not new to it.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
So that's why people respond the way they do, because
you know they're welcome to they start a conversation, Fred,
you know what about the Classic? You know, you know
what you know who's playing this year with it is
you had to move in. I'm glad we got it.
That's the energy that I need. You know that that
(04:03):
I need that I feed off of because I know
that if you know, we have good weather day, it's
as they say, it's own and popping. You know, it's
going to be exciting and with the events that we
have and this is something I want to reiterate with
(04:25):
with everybody, is it's been as as usual with the Classic.
We got we got a concert, we got two concerts,
we got the fashion show, the Guard tournament.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Grade and it looks like like you said, the weather's
going to be perfect.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yeah. Well again, I just wanted to kind of reiterate
this that the Classic is the same except we change,
we change partners the h b c U and what
I'm hearing from from a lot of people from both
all Corn. Of course, you know U ain't p b
(05:03):
ox on Pine Bluff for the third year. They've been
here before. Yeah, they've been to the Classic, They've had
the Classic experience. So now they you know, they had
to start the show. It's like a show, and you
being a supporting cast, you went to the show. But now,
ladies and gentlemen, all Corn say.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
You know, I think the biggest thing sometimes for people
is has been you know, especially people who are new
to learning about all Corn is a lot of people
call them Alcorn, but it's all Corn. So this is
a great lesson. I think after this game, everybody in
Memphis is gonna know how to say all Corn.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Yeah, and again they with blessings that they were also saying, man,
we had another classic.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Yeah, because the classic is it's about it's about culture.
It's about HBCUs which is the biggest thing, and that
has never changed.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
No, And that's you know, one of the things when
the first year we had to make the change, and
you know, they kind of you know, a new star,
and it said, do they have a good band? Well,
what what HBCU school has a bad band? Right, none,
someone bigger than others. Yeah, you know, you know, but
(06:34):
in terms of what they played, how they played, Yeah,
that's something about an HBCU band, And it's something that
always gets people. I say this every all the time.
The first Super Bowl Grambling and another I can't remember
the name of the school that played. They had two bands.
Rambling was one the first year of the Super Bowl. Wow,
(06:57):
people say, really that happened, Yes, it happened. HBCU bands
and even a lot of time when stars are having
their shows, they bring an HBCU man as part of
what they're doing because they got that flavor. Beyonce, you know,
it's it's it's just they got a sound. They gotta
(07:17):
they step different, they form different, a lot of other
schools they might be have better financing, what have you,
but none of them sound like HBCU. So that's right,
HBCU schools this year again all corn State and the
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff u AP B Arkansas,
(07:39):
Pine Bluff.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
There's a lot that happens with the Classic. The Classic
has a lot of moving parts for those of you
that might be new to it this year, and I'm stormy.
It is the pulse, keeping our fingertips on the pulse
of our community. Fred Jones, the founder of the Southern
Heritage Classic, is here with me today. But there's a
lot of moving parts because Thursday, I see you have
the comedy show, but on Friday you've got something. You know,
(08:05):
you got the College and Career Fair, you got the
Classic Coaches Luncheon, which is something you always do, and
then you've got a Classic concert and this year it's
for the jazz levels.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Yeah, I mean we have it. It fits right into
what we're doing. Yeah. Again, we was able to you know,
we two weeks later than than we usually are and
we were able to put I think a great package
together and I feel very good about it.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Branford Marcella's Quartet, The Belonging Tour. Yah, that's gonna be good. Okay,
really good. Now Saturday, you got a lot happening on
Saturday too. This is a full day for you. When
do you get some sleep cause it's gonna Well you
probably are busy up until the Classic. Well maybe when
(09:02):
it's over, you're busy busy.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Well, that's a good point, Stormy. It's not over for
us when the game. The day of the game, I mean,
I'll leave the stadium probably midnight, and for the next
week to ten days, we are busy dismantling all the
things that we built up for this year. Right, And
(09:27):
it takes that loan to take it all down. And
most people think that someoneces they have the fifth quarter
that is over. Yeah, it just starts another work day.
It starts immediately after the Classic.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
So the game I see is at six pm as usual,
and halftime of course Battle of the Bands. Yes, but
the fifth quarter? What are we doing the fifth quarter?
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Well, you know here again, that's ACEBCU culture. HBCU bands
came up with the fifth quarter, okay, and we incorporated
it into the fifth quarter. My son Nathaniel Jones wasn't
Tennessee State's band, and so he keeps in touch with
(10:22):
all of this. So when the fifth quarter started becoming
a thing, we need to incorporate that as part of
what we're doing. So when the game is over, it's
not over. You got another thirty minutes of the fifth
quarter and and people, surprisingly thousands of people will stay
(10:43):
around and listen to the band's play. And it's really
but that's a that's a cultural thing of the HBCU
that you don't see in other situations.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
Yeah, but I tell you something else that's cultural, and
that's been this way from the beginning. The tailgating ain't
nothing like it.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Well, guess what story we started it for us? Yeah,
it was probably less than five hundred people, and it's
you know, it's too hard to this to that and
the other. Now we have more than ten thousand people
(11:26):
on the average every year.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
Man, I think tailgating is probably one of my favorite
things the game. Of course the halftime, but the tailgating
is you gotta come early, you gotta tailgate. If you
missed the tailgating that part of it, I just feel
like you're not experiencing the classic. Just all the essence
(11:52):
of the classic. If you missed the tailgate. We're all
out there, we're buying funnel cakes and we're looking at
all of the people tell us things and everybody celebrating
the Greeks, the the you know, Fred Jones riding around
saying how to everybody. I mean, you know, the tailgating
is just you gotta do the tailgates. For those of
(12:15):
you that just come for the game, I see you,
I hear you, and I know you love that, but
I'm gonna telling you miss it out if you don't
experience the tailgate too. You know, you get to support
a lot of local black businesses, small businesses, a lot
of them.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Well that's the beauty of what the class has become.
Some of the businesses. The biggest one of the biggest days. Yeah,
the time of the classes and so again, there's so
many aspects of it with the game and the halftime
(12:52):
and it shows and the events all of that. But
when you can witness, and that's what happens during the tailgate,
you don't have to know anybody say hey saw me Now,
they don't know what they don't yeh, come over here
and try this to do this, Yes, and that's the
(13:12):
and that's I think that spirit spirits, That spirit, I'm sorry,
is what defines Memphis. You see it on display anyway,
you see you know all other things, all the things
that that we've all read about and were cremed about
that they're saying about Memphis. Yeah, okay, when you say
(13:36):
Southern Areas is classic, the smiles coming on everybody's face
whether they come to the Classic or not, it's a
Memphis at its best, at its finest. And so that's
why it makes it special. And that's why my team,
some of us been together thirty years plus, trying to
(13:58):
make sure that we can all the basis that we
can make this the best experience for everybody.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
Do you guys, It's going to be an experience no
matter who is playing, It's always an experience. But I
feel pretty excited that we've got two teams to celebrate
this year that we have not seen play before for
the Classic. Well, we've seen you APD, But I'm saying
we've these two teams facing each other at the Classic
(14:26):
is something that I'm excited to see because it's something
that I never seen.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
Well here again, it's an and what we have to
embrace for the Classic that it's a new day.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
It's a new day.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
You know, we had a new date, we had a
new teams. We had the teams that were had for
thirty years. They are no longer part of it. So
we have to embrace what is and what is is
Southern Harris Classic. By the way, you can get all
the details on the so then hereagage Classic at Southern
(15:01):
Heritage Classic dot com Southern Heritage Classic dot com. And
when you look at that schedule, you're gonna see familiar
things and you'll see familiarity. That's really a plus for
(15:22):
for for the for the whole entire event. And uh,
with the changes that we've had to make, the biggest
change that we didn't want to have to make that
there was no Southern Heritage Classic. Now once we got
past that hurdle that we knew was gonna have it,
(15:42):
then this time it's back on now. But it's it's
we got quality teams. We got they got tremendous history.
And I can't tell you how many people that I
have met. Uh, I tell this story quick. I saw
(16:03):
this guy was working in you know, he saw me
in his classic this and I can't remember if it
was his daughter or his granddaughter, and she's in the
band at All Corn and they had just played at
the Super at the Super Bowl Super at the super
(16:25):
Dome in New Orleans at halftime. So he showed me
the picture. He's a look, man, you know, look at
this picture. She had a uniform on and everything. He
was so proud, and man, I'll be out there for
the game when they come here. You know. That's that's
what you're looking for. That's what the Classic is. And
(16:48):
again All Corns State Arkansas playing Bluff. They're already working
on this show. They already worked on the show, and
redone this show and all kinds of things going on
because that's what they do, you know. And again, oh,
(17:11):
I want everybody you know to come out and support
not only the schools, support the Classic, but support Memphis.
This is Memphis.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
This is this.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
Is important now to show people without having to put
on a you know, it's without having to have a
press release or whatever. Look, this is the Southern head
of Classic. This is Memphis. This is the way we
do it. That's where we eat food. You know, if
you want to see a whole hog on the pig,
(17:46):
come on and I'm out of mad. You sit them
out of playing spades, don't get mad. And horse shoes,
you know, dancing, having a good time. That's that's what
this celebrating that.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
It's a celebration for sure. Thursday we talked about that's
the Classic Comedy Live a Friday we've talked about that
is the College and Career Fair, the Coaches Luncheon, and
the Classic concert. Saturday, though schedule is pat You got
the classic tailgating that starts at eight a m. That
(18:18):
means we're gonna be eating breakfast out there, lunch and
dinner and snacks and everything. For the Classic that starts
at eight am on Saturday, Penny Hardaway Memphis District Golf Classic.
You got the Classic Parade. Oh that everybody wants to
go to that. That's a big deal right there. Any
surprises this year that you can share with us.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
You know, sometime the biggest surprises is at the last minute. Okay,
you know, okay, But one thing that's not a surprise.
Oars Mound is going to show up, yeah and show
out right. This is that time. The whole focus of
that moment is on this on this parade in Orangeville,
(19:08):
and they take pride in it, and then that's great.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Yeah. And then of course after that, because the parade
starts at nine a m. There's the Classic Battle of
the Bands eleven a m. White Haven High School Stadium.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
Oh yeah, they'll probably have eight or nine bands competing
and whoever wins the the competition will be at the
opening of the of the game later that day. Oh okay,
so it's it's it's just showcase both ways. Win the
(19:46):
contest and then you go to the to the big
game to play as well. Wow. So they'll be there
with all Corn Stadium and U A PB you know,
and I think that's a that's a great prize for
the young people.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
Definitely. Then you've got the classic Fashions and brunch now
that's at eleven a m. At the Haller and Center.
And uh, of course you got the biggest, the thing
we come together for.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
It's the it's the thing that but everything around that.
That football game is it's a Swack Conference game this
year that has new meaning and this is the start
of the Swax season, so all the games going forward
for these schools they mean something in the Swack Conference.
(20:37):
So again that's a good thing. And then of course
we close it out with the because we got the
AutoZone halftime show, and I can't do it like all
corn sounds of Dino mighte. That did a good job.
You're pretty good, pretty good?
Speaker 1 (20:59):
Yeah, okay, And then uapbs.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Watched the musical Machine of the min South.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Yeah, oh that's good.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
And then I'll let you close it out.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
The I guess the second quarter of the game, and
then the fifth quarter is going to be second, well,
the third and fourth quarter rather of the game, and
then the fifth quarter presented by the FedEx Employees and
Credit Association, a grand finale to the Southern Heritage Classic
Football Game featuring the Battle of the Bands.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Can't beat that. I mean, we got the full package.
And again this is the thirty sixth time, and you
can go back and all the all the I call
it turbulence that the Classic has experienced, and this year
is no different. Yeah, but turbulence is never knocked the
(22:00):
plane out the air and I like to ride, but
it gets to your destination. So that's that would be
our destination. We got through the fifth quarter and and
that would be that would be a great achievement for
this year, you know, And I just I can't say
(22:25):
enough storming for the support that this community has given
this event all these many years, because you know how
things people are, you know, fasts, come fast, goal, you know,
you know it was okay one second and it's not.
But the Classic has always been something that people in
(22:49):
this community want to be a part of. A lot
of respect for it and that's why my team we
work as hard as we do to make sure that
we present well. It's important. Yeah, it's a pride fact.
It's just like the people have pride in their school,
their band, their teams. We have pride in putting a
(23:11):
product out that people can talk about. You know, and
I've said this before, I'm at home. I can't. I
can't something goes wrong or doesn't go away supposed to be.
I can't go hide.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
Well, this is home. But you know what the Classic
two is almost like the unofficial start to Fall, because
it's you know, it ain't nothing bigger after that, you
know what I'm saying, Well, you know it's the Classic, man,
it's big. It's when we love it. Every year. You know,
(23:50):
when the Classic is over, we what we do. We
wait for next year, We get ready for Fall and
then We wait for next year because we know it's
going to come back and it's gonna be even better
than it ever was. This is the thirty sixth annual
You Guys Southern Heritage Classic presented by FedEx. And I'm
(24:10):
excited Forred. So you got a lot on your plate
and a lot of good stuff. The Classic Comedy Show
on Thursday, and I do love that this year. And
I know I believe that Prescott has been on one
of the shows previously, years ago.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
We have done comedy in a long time.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
Yeah, but you this year to have one of Memphis
own in here.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
Yeah. It was Ambrose Jones, one of my daughters.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
Less, wait a minute, is he a relative?
Speaker 2 (24:43):
You don't know.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
Last name?
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Yeah, my daughter Leslie was. When we're trying to put
this together, huh, and it's you know, she he was.
He was first on her this what you know? He
he should he should be one of them. You know,
we're trying to I had an idea, yeah, and it's
(25:13):
turned out to be. You know, he's very supportive. If
you see him on social media, he's always doing something
every day. Are positive and we are positive about Memphis,
and I think that that's what we all want to
show and this is the opposite time to do it.
This is us. We leave this point. The Southern Heritage
(25:39):
Class is about what's good about Memphis, and we can
express ourselves, be with our family and friends, enjoy ourselves
in a very positive way. That's Memphis, you know, and
have a good time alone the way. So again, thank
all the people of Memphis, not only for this year,
(26:02):
but also for the years that they supported the Southern
Heritage Classic. Yeah, Southern Heritage Classic dot com.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
And y'all, this is the thirty sixth, by the way,
So man, shout out to everybody who's been to every
Southern Heritage Classic. Have you met anybody that has been
to every one of them?
Speaker 2 (26:25):
I can't say because I never asked that question. It
always gets to the back. I've been coming for many
years and this year, any particular year that they bring
up is it's usually family related. Yeah, yeah, you know,
you know, even people have been gotten engaged, you know
(26:46):
doing the Classic. Yeah, tell that story, and the kids
usually getting me out. You see somebody and you know
when I was a little kid, they now they've grown
up and they got kids, and they bringing their kids
to the classes. Yeah, that's when you know what this
(27:06):
has become. Yeah, you know, and people don't ask me, said,
what fred is you think it was gonna be like this?
I don't know. A songwriter a producer wrote a song,
they think it was gonna be number one. That's right,
But along away you got to do all the things
that bumps them, detours and disappointments and all kinds of
(27:33):
things to get to where we are now. But we're
glad we're here. I want to encourage everybody to enjoy.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
Yeah, and for whatever you need to know about the Classic,
what to bring, what not to of course, you know
to go to Southern Heritage Classic dot com. And if
you want to see the lineup, do you still have
any tickets left for the events?
Speaker 2 (27:54):
Yes, it's ticketmaster dot com. It has tailgate concerts, both
concerts as the game itself all ticketmaster dot com. Even
when you pull up Southern Heritage Classic on Ticketmaster, we
have a page that has all of the our shows
(28:17):
on that one page. Okay, so it's it's pretty convenient. Uh,
Ticketmaster dot com has everything and can other information you
mentioned about the clear bags. I mean that's a nationwide policy, right,
So hopefully people are paying attention and don't get turned
(28:37):
around because it's so No.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
No diaper bags, no, no, you got to have clear bags.
Clear bag, yeah, everybody. And if it's not clear, it's
got to be a really small purse. And by small,
I mean small as they say, weenie. So go and
check Southern Heritage class dot com to find out all
(29:01):
of that and just get ready for an amazing weekend
in the city of Memphis. It always is an amazing weekend.
So it kicks off Thursday, you guys, September twenty fifth,
that is coming up. Then you call you got Friday
September twenty sixth, and Saturday, September twenty seventh the game,
the Southern Heritage Classic Football Game allcorn State versus Arkansas
(29:24):
Pine Bluff. This is going to be good. I know
you APV is ready, They're already ready.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
Yeah. Yeah. This kind of bottles up.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
And I've already gotten some messages from people that are
from UAPB that are going to be in town, some
people that are know. So I'm just like, okay, come on, fam,
let's go and get ready for this family reunion because
it's really a big family reunion, you guys. It's gonna
be good. Southern Heritage Classic the thirty sixth anniversary Southern
Heritage Classic and the lineup is fabulous. Go to Southern
(29:59):
Heredace Classic dot com to find out more. Fred any
parting words before we go.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
This south? That's two words. What these words are to
the people to listen to us and what have you?
Thank you? Oh, thank you. We could not have even
I would say, especially for this year. Oh a lot
(30:30):
of a lot of granted, a lot of thank you
to the people who who were very prawerful about what
we were dealing with and we were able to move forward. Yeah,
so that's simple. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (30:50):
Fred Jones, Ladies and gentlemen, the founder of the Southern
Heritage Classic. This year is the thirty sixth annual Southern
Heritage Classic presented by FedEx And you can go get
your tickets and more information at Southern Heritage Classic dot com.
And we'll see y'all out there for sure. All right,
I'm stormy. It is the pulse, keeping our fingertips on
the pulse of our community. We'll see you next week,
(31:12):
same time, same station. God bless you have a great week.
Well, hello everybody. We are here for the pulse. I
am Stormy. Your hosts for today had to sit down
bring him in. Uh huh, keeping our fingertips on the
pulse of our community. You guys. Uh. The one and
only the founder of the Southern Heritage Classic is here
with me today, Fred Jones.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Thank you, Hey, Fred Jones.
Speaker 1 (00:22):
Crowd is going crazy.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
How are you feeling I'm feeling.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
I'm feeling good.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Who is that is? Is that the mayor calling? You?
Want somebody want to talk to you? Are you ready?
Because I'm getting ready. We are this weekend. It'll be
a week away, actually less than a week away from
the Classic events because the events start on September twenty fifth,
(00:55):
which is a Thursday, Yeah, which.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Is the Classic Comedy Live with Bruce Bruce, Cheryl Underwoods,
jam and Jay Lemont and a Memphis on Ambrose.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Jones Ambrose Jones is. They're all hilarious. But I just
Fred just saw Ambrose in a in a local show.
He was so funny. So I you that's gonna be
a show.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
Yeah. I think I feel good about it. We've done
comedy before, yeah, in the Classics, So that's that's not
a stretch. It's just this year with the number of
changes that we had to make, but it was it
was a it was a good thing. So we had
to make one pivot when one of the artists that
(01:41):
was on the on the Comedy Live Show and Cheryl
under Woods was as a local favorite. Yeah, so everything
is working out.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
Yeah, yeah, you should be. That's gonna be a great
show right there, Bruce, Bruce, Cheryl Onunderwood, Jay Lamont jamming
j Lamont at that and Ambrose Jones is gonna be
a great show. That's kicked it off Thursday, September twenty fifth. Now, Fred,
are you excited about this year and the teams this year?
All Corn versus you a p B.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
You know what, I get excited every year because I
learned from the very beginning of this journey that every
year is going to be different. It's something about each
year that makes it unique. But it's always fun because
for me, I get my energy from people that I
(02:42):
meet everywhere from the post office to the grocery store
to the service station restaurant that matter. You know, Hey,
missus Smith, Yeah, they call me for Smith.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Probably everybody's made that mistake or not everybody. I'm sure
your family hadn't made that mistake. But because they're two
Freds too powerful Freds in the city. I mean, come
on now, yeah, I'm sure he's been called Fred Jones before.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
You know we're going to do that. But again, it's
because I've been doing this a really long time in
Classic and the shows and been involved in it. I
mean in the entertainment bent. It's over fifty years so
and a lot of it has been done here in Memphis.
So I'm the local guy who's done pretty good for herself,
(03:36):
been involved some of some of the biggest shows that
ever comes in the area.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
You're not new to it.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
So that's why people respond the way they do, because
you know they're welcome to they start a conversation, Fred,
you know what about the Classic? You know, you know
what you know who's playing this year with it is
you had to move in. I'm glad we got it.
That's the energy that I need. You know that that
(04:03):
I need that I feed off of because I know
that if you know, we have good weather day, it's
as they say, it's own and popping. You know, it's
going to be exciting and with the events that we
have and this is something I want to reiterate with
(04:25):
with everybody, is it's been as as usual with the Classic.
We got we got a concert, we got two concerts,
we got the fashion show, the Guard tournament.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Grade and it looks like like you said, the weather's
going to be perfect.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yeah. Well again, I just wanted to kind of reiterate
this that the Classic is the same except we change,
we change partners the h b c U and what
I'm hearing from from a lot of people from both
all Corn. Of course, you know U ain't p b
(05:03):
ox on Pine Bluff for the third year. They've been
here before. Yeah, they've been to the Classic, They've had
the Classic experience. So now they you know, they had
to start the show. It's like a show, and you
being a supporting cast, you went to the show. But now,
ladies and gentlemen, all Corn say.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
You know, I think the biggest thing sometimes for people
is has been you know, especially people who are new
to learning about all Corn is a lot of people
call them Alcorn, but it's all Corn. So this is
a great lesson. I think after this game, everybody in
Memphis is gonna know how to say all Corn.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Yeah, and again they with blessings that they were also saying, man,
we had another classic.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Yeah, because the classic is it's about it's about culture.
It's about HBCUs which is the biggest thing, and that
has never changed.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
No, And that's you know, one of the things when
the first year we had to make the change, and
you know, they kind of you know, a new star,
and it said, do they have a good band? Well,
what what HBCU school has a bad band? Right, none,
someone bigger than others. Yeah, you know, you know, but
(06:34):
in terms of what they played, how they played, Yeah,
that's something about an HBCU band, And it's something that
always gets people. I say this every all the time.
The first Super Bowl Grambling and another I can't remember
the name of the school that played. They had two bands.
Rambling was one the first year of the Super Bowl. Wow,
(06:57):
people say, really that happened, Yes, it happened. HBCU bands
and even a lot of time when stars are having
their shows, they bring an HBCU man as part of
what they're doing because they got that flavor. Beyonce, you know,
it's it's it's just they got a sound. They gotta
(07:17):
they step different, they form different, a lot of other
schools they might be have better financing, what have you,
but none of them sound like HBCU. So that's right,
HBCU schools this year again all corn State and the
University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff u AP B Arkansas,
(07:39):
Pine Bluff.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
There's a lot that happens with the Classic. The Classic
has a lot of moving parts for those of you
that might be new to it this year, and I'm stormy.
It is the pulse, keeping our fingertips on the pulse
of our community. Fred Jones, the founder of the Southern
Heritage Classic, is here with me today. But there's a
lot of moving parts because Thursday, I see you have
the comedy show, but on Friday you've got something. You know,
(08:05):
you got the College and Career Fair, you got the
Classic Coaches Luncheon, which is something you always do, and
then you've got a Classic concert and this year it's
for the jazz levels.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Yeah, I mean we have it. It fits right into
what we're doing. Yeah. Again, we was able to you know,
we two weeks later than than we usually are and
we were able to put I think a great package
together and I feel very good about it.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Branford Marcella's Quartet, The Belonging Tour. Yah, that's gonna be good. Okay,
really good. Now Saturday, you got a lot happening on
Saturday too. This is a full day for you. When
do you get some sleep cause it's gonna Well you
probably are busy up until the Classic. Well maybe when
(09:02):
it's over, you're busy busy.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Well, that's a good point, Stormy. It's not over for
us when the game. The day of the game, I mean,
I'll leave the stadium probably midnight, and for the next
week to ten days, we are busy dismantling all the
things that we built up for this year. Right, And
(09:27):
it takes that loan to take it all down. And
most people think that someoneces they have the fifth quarter
that is over. Yeah, it just starts another work day.
It starts immediately after the Classic.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
So the game I see is at six pm as usual,
and halftime of course Battle of the Bands. Yes, but
the fifth quarter? What are we doing the fifth quarter?
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Well, you know here again, that's ACEBCU culture. HBCU bands
came up with the fifth quarter, okay, and we incorporated
it into the fifth quarter. My son Nathaniel Jones wasn't
Tennessee State's band, and so he keeps in touch with
(10:22):
all of this. So when the fifth quarter started becoming
a thing, we need to incorporate that as part of
what we're doing. So when the game is over, it's
not over. You got another thirty minutes of the fifth
quarter and and people, surprisingly thousands of people will stay
(10:43):
around and listen to the band's play. And it's really
but that's a that's a cultural thing of the HBCU
that you don't see in other situations.
Speaker 1 (10:54):
Yeah, but I tell you something else that's cultural, and
that's been this way from the beginning. The tailgating ain't
nothing like it.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
Well, guess what story we started it for us? Yeah,
it was probably less than five hundred people, and it's
you know, it's too hard to this to that and
the other. Now we have more than ten thousand people
(11:26):
on the average every year.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
Man, I think tailgating is probably one of my favorite
things the game. Of course the halftime, but the tailgating
is you gotta come early, you gotta tailgate. If you
missed the tailgating that part of it, I just feel
like you're not experiencing the classic. Just all the essence
(11:52):
of the classic. If you missed the tailgate. We're all
out there, we're buying funnel cakes and we're looking at
all of the people tell us things and everybody celebrating
the Greeks, the the you know, Fred Jones riding around
saying how to everybody. I mean, you know, the tailgating
is just you gotta do the tailgates. For those of
(12:15):
you that just come for the game, I see you,
I hear you, and I know you love that, but
I'm gonna telling you miss it out if you don't
experience the tailgate too. You know, you get to support
a lot of local black businesses, small businesses, a lot
of them.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Well that's the beauty of what the class has become.
Some of the businesses. The biggest one of the biggest days. Yeah,
the time of the classes and so again, there's so
many aspects of it with the game and the halftime
(12:52):
and it shows and the events all of that. But
when you can witness, and that's what happens during the tailgate,
you don't have to know anybody say hey saw me Now,
they don't know what they don't yeh, come over here
and try this to do this, Yes, and that's the
(13:12):
and that's I think that spirit spirits, That spirit, I'm sorry,
is what defines Memphis. You see it on display anyway,
you see you know all other things, all the things
that that we've all read about and were cremed about
that they're saying about Memphis. Yeah, okay, when you say
(13:36):
Southern Areas is classic, the smiles coming on everybody's face
whether they come to the Classic or not, it's a
Memphis at its best, at its finest. And so that's
why it makes it special. And that's why my team,
some of us been together thirty years plus, trying to
(13:58):
make sure that we can all the basis that we
can make this the best experience for everybody.
Speaker 1 (14:05):
Do you guys, It's going to be an experience no
matter who is playing, It's always an experience. But I
feel pretty excited that we've got two teams to celebrate
this year that we have not seen play before for
the Classic. Well, we've seen you APD, But I'm saying
we've these two teams facing each other at the Classic
(14:26):
is something that I'm excited to see because it's something
that I never seen.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
Well here again, it's an and what we have to
embrace for the Classic that it's a new day.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
It's a new day.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
You know, we had a new date, we had a
new teams. We had the teams that were had for
thirty years. They are no longer part of it. So
we have to embrace what is and what is is
Southern Harris Classic. By the way, you can get all
the details on the so then hereagage Classic at Southern
(15:01):
Heritage Classic dot com Southern Heritage Classic dot com. And
when you look at that schedule, you're gonna see familiar
things and you'll see familiarity. That's really a plus for
(15:22):
for for the for the whole entire event. And uh,
with the changes that we've had to make, the biggest
change that we didn't want to have to make that
there was no Southern Heritage Classic. Now once we got
past that hurdle that we knew was gonna have it,
(15:42):
then this time it's back on now. But it's it's
we got quality teams. We got they got tremendous history.
And I can't tell you how many people that I
have met. Uh, I tell this story quick. I saw
(16:03):
this guy was working in you know, he saw me
in his classic this and I can't remember if it
was his daughter or his granddaughter, and she's in the
band at All Corn and they had just played at
the Super at the Super Bowl Super at the super
(16:25):
Dome in New Orleans at halftime. So he showed me
the picture. He's a look, man, you know, look at
this picture. She had a uniform on and everything. He
was so proud, and man, I'll be out there for
the game when they come here. You know. That's that's
what you're looking for. That's what the Classic is. And
(16:48):
again All Corns State Arkansas playing Bluff. They're already working
on this show. They already worked on the show, and
redone this show and all kinds of things going on
because that's what they do, you know. And again, oh,
(17:11):
I want everybody you know to come out and support
not only the schools, support the Classic, but support Memphis.
This is Memphis.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
This is this.
Speaker 2 (17:25):
Is important now to show people without having to put
on a you know, it's without having to have a
press release or whatever. Look, this is the Southern head
of Classic. This is Memphis. This is the way we
do it. That's where we eat food. You know, if
you want to see a whole hog on the pig,
(17:46):
come on and I'm out of mad. You sit them
out of playing spades, don't get mad. And horse shoes,
you know, dancing, having a good time. That's that's what
this celebrating that.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
It's a celebration for sure. Thursday we talked about that's
the Classic Comedy Live a Friday we've talked about that
is the College and Career Fair, the Coaches Luncheon, and
the Classic concert. Saturday, though schedule is pat You got
the classic tailgating that starts at eight a m. That
(18:18):
means we're gonna be eating breakfast out there, lunch and
dinner and snacks and everything. For the Classic that starts
at eight am on Saturday, Penny Hardaway Memphis District Golf Classic.
You got the Classic Parade. Oh that everybody wants to
go to that. That's a big deal right there. Any
surprises this year that you can share with us.
Speaker 2 (18:45):
You know, sometime the biggest surprises is at the last minute. Okay,
you know, okay, But one thing that's not a surprise.
Oars Mound is going to show up, yeah and show
out right. This is that time. The whole focus of
that moment is on this on this parade in Orangeville,
(19:08):
and they take pride in it, and then that's great.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Yeah. And then of course after that, because the parade
starts at nine a m. There's the Classic Battle of
the Bands eleven a m. White Haven High School Stadium.
Speaker 2 (19:22):
Oh yeah, they'll probably have eight or nine bands competing
and whoever wins the the competition will be at the
opening of the of the game later that day. Oh okay,
so it's it's it's just showcase both ways. Win the
(19:46):
contest and then you go to the to the big
game to play as well. Wow. So they'll be there
with all Corn Stadium and U A PB you know,
and I think that's a that's a great prize for
the young people.
Speaker 1 (19:59):
Definitely. Then you've got the classic Fashions and brunch now
that's at eleven a m. At the Haller and Center.
And uh, of course you got the biggest, the thing
we come together for.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
It's the it's the thing that but everything around that.
That football game is it's a Swack Conference game this
year that has new meaning and this is the start
of the Swax season, so all the games going forward
for these schools they mean something in the Swack Conference.
(20:37):
So again that's a good thing. And then of course
we close it out with the because we got the
AutoZone halftime show, and I can't do it like all
corn sounds of Dino mighte. That did a good job.
You're pretty good, pretty good?
Speaker 1 (20:59):
Yeah, okay, And then uapbs.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Watched the musical Machine of the min South.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Yeah, oh that's good.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
And then I'll let you close it out.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
The I guess the second quarter of the game, and
then the fifth quarter is going to be second, well,
the third and fourth quarter rather of the game, and
then the fifth quarter presented by the FedEx Employees and
Credit Association, a grand finale to the Southern Heritage Classic
Football Game featuring the Battle of the Bands.
Speaker 2 (21:34):
Can't beat that. I mean, we got the full package.
And again this is the thirty sixth time, and you
can go back and all the all the I call
it turbulence that the Classic has experienced, and this year
is no different. Yeah, but turbulence is never knocked the
(22:00):
plane out the air and I like to ride, but
it gets to your destination. So that's that would be
our destination. We got through the fifth quarter and and
that would be that would be a great achievement for
this year, you know, And I just I can't say
(22:25):
enough storming for the support that this community has given
this event all these many years, because you know how
things people are, you know, fasts, come fast, goal, you know,
you know it was okay one second and it's not.
But the Classic has always been something that people in
(22:49):
this community want to be a part of. A lot
of respect for it and that's why my team we
work as hard as we do to make sure that
we present well. It's important. Yeah, it's a pride fact.
It's just like the people have pride in their school,
their band, their teams. We have pride in putting a
(23:11):
product out that people can talk about. You know, and
I've said this before, I'm at home. I can't. I
can't something goes wrong or doesn't go away supposed to be.
I can't go hide.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
Well, this is home. But you know what the Classic
two is almost like the unofficial start to Fall, because
it's you know, it ain't nothing bigger after that, you
know what I'm saying, Well, you know it's the Classic, man,
it's big. It's when we love it. Every year. You know,
(23:50):
when the Classic is over, we what we do. We
wait for next year, We get ready for Fall and
then We wait for next year because we know it's
going to come back and it's gonna be even better
than it ever was. This is the thirty sixth annual
You Guys Southern Heritage Classic presented by FedEx. And I'm
(24:10):
excited Forred. So you got a lot on your plate
and a lot of good stuff. The Classic Comedy Show
on Thursday, and I do love that this year. And
I know I believe that Prescott has been on one
of the shows previously, years ago.
Speaker 2 (24:29):
We have done comedy in a long time.
Speaker 1 (24:31):
Yeah, but you this year to have one of Memphis
own in here.
Speaker 2 (24:36):
Yeah. It was Ambrose Jones, one of my daughters.
Speaker 1 (24:41):
Less, wait a minute, is he a relative?
Speaker 2 (24:43):
You don't know.
Speaker 1 (24:47):
Last name?
Speaker 2 (24:48):
Yeah, my daughter Leslie was. When we're trying to put
this together, huh, and it's you know, she he was.
He was first on her this what you know? He
he should he should be one of them. You know,
we're trying to I had an idea, yeah, and it's
(25:13):
turned out to be. You know, he's very supportive. If
you see him on social media, he's always doing something
every day. Are positive and we are positive about Memphis,
and I think that that's what we all want to
show and this is the opposite time to do it.
This is us. We leave this point. The Southern Heritage
(25:39):
Class is about what's good about Memphis, and we can
express ourselves, be with our family and friends, enjoy ourselves
in a very positive way. That's Memphis, you know, and
have a good time alone the way. So again, thank
all the people of Memphis, not only for this year,
(26:02):
but also for the years that they supported the Southern
Heritage Classic. Yeah, Southern Heritage Classic dot com.
Speaker 1 (26:11):
And y'all, this is the thirty sixth, by the way,
So man, shout out to everybody who's been to every
Southern Heritage Classic. Have you met anybody that has been
to every one of them?
Speaker 2 (26:25):
I can't say because I never asked that question. It
always gets to the back. I've been coming for many
years and this year, any particular year that they bring
up is it's usually family related. Yeah, yeah, you know,
you know, even people have been gotten engaged, you know
(26:46):
doing the Classic. Yeah, tell that story, and the kids
usually getting me out. You see somebody and you know
when I was a little kid, they now they've grown
up and they got kids, and they bringing their kids
to the classes. Yeah, that's when you know what this
(27:06):
has become. Yeah, you know, and people don't ask me, said,
what fred is you think it was gonna be like this?
I don't know. A songwriter a producer wrote a song,
they think it was gonna be number one. That's right,
But along away you got to do all the things
that bumps them, detours and disappointments and all kinds of
(27:33):
things to get to where we are now. But we're
glad we're here. I want to encourage everybody to enjoy.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
Yeah, and for whatever you need to know about the Classic,
what to bring, what not to of course, you know
to go to Southern Heritage Classic dot com. And if
you want to see the lineup, do you still have
any tickets left for the events?
Speaker 2 (27:54):
Yes, it's ticketmaster dot com. It has tailgate concerts, both
concerts as the game itself all ticketmaster dot com. Even
when you pull up Southern Heritage Classic on Ticketmaster, we
have a page that has all of the our shows
(28:17):
on that one page. Okay, so it's it's pretty convenient. Uh,
Ticketmaster dot com has everything and can other information you
mentioned about the clear bags. I mean that's a nationwide policy, right,
So hopefully people are paying attention and don't get turned
(28:37):
around because it's so No.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
No diaper bags, no, no, you got to have clear bags.
Clear bag, yeah, everybody. And if it's not clear, it's
got to be a really small purse. And by small,
I mean small as they say, weenie. So go and
check Southern Heritage class dot com to find out all
(29:01):
of that and just get ready for an amazing weekend
in the city of Memphis. It always is an amazing weekend.
So it kicks off Thursday, you guys, September twenty fifth,
that is coming up. Then you call you got Friday
September twenty sixth, and Saturday, September twenty seventh the game,
the Southern Heritage Classic Football Game allcorn State versus Arkansas
(29:24):
Pine Bluff. This is going to be good. I know
you APV is ready, They're already ready.
Speaker 2 (29:32):
Yeah. Yeah. This kind of bottles up.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
And I've already gotten some messages from people that are
from UAPB that are going to be in town, some
people that are know. So I'm just like, okay, come on, fam,
let's go and get ready for this family reunion because
it's really a big family reunion, you guys. It's gonna
be good. Southern Heritage Classic the thirty sixth anniversary Southern
Heritage Classic and the lineup is fabulous. Go to Southern
(29:59):
Heredace Classic dot com to find out more. Fred any
parting words before we go.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
This south? That's two words. What these words are to
the people to listen to us and what have you?
Thank you? Oh, thank you. We could not have even
I would say, especially for this year. Oh a lot
(30:30):
of a lot of granted, a lot of thank you
to the people who who were very prawerful about what
we were dealing with and we were able to move forward. Yeah,
so that's simple. Thank you.
Speaker 1 (30:50):
Fred Jones, Ladies and gentlemen, the founder of the Southern
Heritage Classic. This year is the thirty sixth annual Southern
Heritage Classic presented by FedEx And you can go get
your tickets and more information at Southern Heritage Classic dot com.
And we'll see y'all out there for sure. All right,
I'm stormy. It is the pulse, keeping our fingertips on
the pulse of our community. We'll see you next week,
(31:12):
same time, same station. God bless you have a great week.
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