Fred Jones 2025

It's the 36th Annual Southern Heritage Classic and Founder/CEO Fred Jones talks about it on The Bev Johnson Show on WDIA Radio.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Memphis probably presents the Bev Johnson Show.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
Let me say, bethne.

Speaker 3 (00:13):
Me first, let me you say.

Speaker 4 (00:21):
She's gone Memphis.

Speaker 2 (00:22):
Okay, no matter of the problem she can have so
all the phone and norma on your mind.

Speaker 5 (00:38):
She to be ding in the hair.

Speaker 6 (00:43):
By challing you to just keep the.

Speaker 7 (00:45):
Fing went around picking up the john Show.

Speaker 8 (00:52):
You got this outing there.

Speaker 2 (00:57):
You can hear every day you d I ain't got
me a missopping.

Speaker 3 (01:48):
Good morning, Good morning, good morning, and welcome into w
d i A The Bev Johnson Show.

Speaker 5 (01:55):
I'm Bev.

Speaker 3 (01:56):
It is indeed a pleasure I have you with us
once again on this Monday, September twenty second, twenty twenty five.

Speaker 2 (02:05):
Enjoy this fabulous day to day.

Speaker 3 (02:07):
Get ready to put your ears on as we talk
to the legend.

Speaker 2 (02:11):
What legend, Well you know what week it is.

Speaker 3 (02:14):
It is the Southern Heritage Classic week. In we will
be talking to the founder and CEO of the Southern
Heritage Classic, mister Fred Jones.

Speaker 2 (02:26):
So stick and state for that. When it's your turn
to talk.

Speaker 3 (02:29):
Here are the numbers to dial nine zero one five
three five nine three four two eight hundred five zero
three nine three four two eight three.

Speaker 2 (02:42):
Three five three five nine three four two will get
you in to us.

Speaker 3 (02:50):
And if this day, this this here day, Monday, September
twenty second, twenty twenty five, is your birthday. Happy birthday
to each and every one of y'all out there who
may be celebrating a birthday on this day. You know
what we say, Go out, y'all, go out and celebrate

(03:12):
your life.

Speaker 2 (03:13):
You better, you better.

Speaker 3 (03:16):
When we come back, we'll talk with the founder of
the Southern Heritage Classic, mister Fred Jones in me Bev
Johnson on the Bev Johnson Show on w d I.
A good morning and welcome back to w d I

(04:52):
a The BEB Johnson Show. It is indeed a pleasure
to have you with us once again on this Monday,
September two second, twenty twenty five. Hope you had a
fabulous weekend. Before I talked to my guests, let me
always say, you know, gratitude, Thank you, thank you, thank you,
thank you, and thank you to the folks of Mace.

(05:15):
This weekend I was at the Mississippi Delta Blues and
Heritage Festival in Greenville, Mississippi.

Speaker 2 (05:24):
Thank you to the.

Speaker 3 (05:25):
CEO, mister Howard Boute for having me assistant Chauncey Wright.

Speaker 2 (05:30):
I was hosting again.

Speaker 3 (05:32):
I think it was the forty eighth Annual Mississippi Delta
Blues and Heritage Festival. I think I've been there at
least forty five years doing it.

Speaker 2 (05:43):
But I was there and with.

Speaker 3 (05:44):
My cohorts Ragman out of Jackson, Mississippi, and Serao Hughes Greenwood,
we had a good time. So thank you, thank you,
thank you to all the folks I said hello to
and we took pictures and but we had a great
time at the forty eighth Annual Mississippi Delta Blues and

(06:05):
Heritage Festival. And I have to say this, my sister
Fred Fred, My sister Fred turned it out.

Speaker 2 (06:13):
Miss Shirley Brown, Miss Shirley Brown turned it out. So yeah,
she did. She did what she was she was, she
said what she was gonna do, and she turned it out.

Speaker 3 (06:22):
So thank you all for having me once again, and hopefully,
if the Lord says so, we'll see you next year
for the forty ninth Annual Mississippi Delta Blues.

Speaker 2 (06:32):
And Heritage Festival. Had to say that once again.

Speaker 3 (06:36):
Let me say good morning to the founder and the
CEO of the Southern Heritage Classic. It's back this weekend.
Good morning to you, mister Fred Jones.

Speaker 5 (06:49):
Bev Johnson. How you doing this moment?

Speaker 2 (06:51):
I'm hanging, I'm hanging. I'm hanging, mister Fred Jones. How
you doing?

Speaker 5 (06:55):
I am fabulous good.

Speaker 3 (06:58):
I was thinking about you, Fred, I was mentioning the festival.
I remember some years year back you produced it a
couple of times.

Speaker 6 (07:04):
Well, I was there. I would when you said that
it brought back memories.

Speaker 2 (07:09):
Malcolm, Yeah, yeah, Malcolm Walls.

Speaker 6 (07:13):
We started the Classic in nineteen ninety Okay. I attended
the Mississippi Delta Blues Festival that year for the first time,
and it was a special place and I had gone
several years until we started to have in the Classic.
Had to move dates, so I got to be on

(07:36):
the sands Thursday light.

Speaker 2 (07:37):
It is the third Saturday of the month, and they moved.

Speaker 6 (07:40):
I was finally got it locked into the second Saturday,
the second of course of that. But I remember going
at the first year, and this is kind.

Speaker 5 (07:50):
Of a sidebar.

Speaker 6 (07:52):
Okay, yeah, I was. I think it rained that year,
maybe one.

Speaker 2 (07:57):
Of the other. Yeah, And I.

Speaker 6 (08:00):
Had something that Mississippi Gumbo mud on my and I
had to leave it because I couldn't get it off,
you know, but there was a special moment and I
went to what's the name of the place where they
got the kitchen. Where did you sit in the kitchen restaurant?

Speaker 2 (08:23):
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, it is.

Speaker 5 (08:26):
Yes, it was it was. It was special place. Yeah,
you know.

Speaker 6 (08:32):
It kind of set the tone in a way for
what we ended up doing with the Classical with the
first year. So I attended not only the Mississippi del
the Blues Festals that year. It was my first year
to go into the Zulu sociald Pleasure Club Carnation Ball
in New Orleans, and I was produced that help. I

(08:55):
didn't produce the event, but we changed the how they
present it, started bringing in big named talent. No, we
had the Never Brothers the first year. So I had
a lot of influences from other cultures, other other people
how they were doing things. And it's still a little
piece of this and that. Yeah, but we always we

(09:18):
always came back to Memphis, what we were going to
try to do in Memphis and what we The influences
that you got from all of these other events around
the country kind of went into what the Classic has become.

Speaker 2 (09:35):
Over Yeah, yeah, it's it's a.

Speaker 3 (09:37):
It's a and you're right and they have a good
because I think that year, one year, I think you
were down there, Fred, because I remember Maxine maclam they
brought in the old jads, don't you remember that, Know
at the Mississippi Delta.

Speaker 2 (09:54):
They brought in they brought in the old js.

Speaker 6 (09:58):
Yeah, we at that time, I think you really were
trying to do things, you know, not different, but because
all of this music comes back to.

Speaker 5 (10:11):
The blues, and it does, it does.

Speaker 6 (10:15):
And so we were able to bring talent that people
may have thought that couldn't happen. Well, we had the sponsorship,
so we had big, big name sponsorships. We were able
to do things and do it in a different way.
But again, all of those all of these all of

(10:35):
those roads that we travel and you mentioned Maxine Macklin
my cohorn, and all these many years back roads and
events and.

Speaker 5 (10:49):
Journeys.

Speaker 6 (10:49):
Yeah, missteps and whatever you exactly, but we were able
to see again how other things would done and went
into what we are to end up doing with the class.

Speaker 3 (11:04):
Yeah, you know, I'm just thinking about that and just gosh,
brings back me. But I thought about the old j's
and Maxine and I remember that year. Another year down there, Freda,
you probably remember that they had it on a Thursday.

Speaker 2 (11:18):
Now they brought in Ashford and Simpson.

Speaker 5 (11:20):
Do you remember that.

Speaker 2 (11:22):
They brought in Ashman.

Speaker 6 (11:23):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (11:24):
I mean is going back, I'm going like.

Speaker 2 (11:26):
Yeah, they brought in Ashburn and Simpson.

Speaker 6 (11:28):
Yeah.

Speaker 5 (11:29):
It was trying to expand, Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 6 (11:31):
And again that's what's helpful for me, because you were
into well, other other organizations were trying to expand or
change what they were doing. We were trying to create, Yes,
the Southern Areas Classic, this idea that they had seen
in other places like New Orleans, like Birmingham, like Atlanta,

(11:56):
like Dallas, in Annapolis, and you know, so we got
a chance to be around all of these things and.

Speaker 5 (12:06):
You know, take it all.

Speaker 6 (12:07):
In and yeah, and try to make it work in Memphis.
Well thirty six years.

Speaker 3 (12:12):
Now, well you I'm gonna say that, fred you you've
made it work thirty six years. I can't thirty six
years the Southern Heritage Classic.

Speaker 2 (12:20):
Did you think it was gonna be?

Speaker 5 (12:22):
Yes?

Speaker 2 (12:23):
I've always asked, really, I mean, if people ask you,
I'm sure all that. Do you think it's gonna be?

Speaker 3 (12:28):
Or you just thought, I'm gonna do it one two
years and that's gonna be it.

Speaker 6 (12:31):
No, I never had that thought. I had to thought
I learned early on from a guy by the name
of Dave Swearing at that time was the marketing editor,
the marketing person for the commercial appeal. You said, well,
if you get this thing started, Fred, you know they
had to treat every year, just try to do everything

(12:55):
you can that year and that and when you get
to the next year, you know, you get to that
because every year is going to be different, it's going
to be changed that it's going to be something different
that you have to have to encounter. So the goal
was this quickly the school's jack and State Tennessee State

(13:16):
wanted to play in Memphis, and you know, all all
the roads from this area. But what people the man
that want to accept this, But it leads to Memphis,
m coming out of the Delta, coming out of Arkansas,
coming out of rural Tennessee, come right into Memphis. So David,

(13:39):
Memphis was the spot. And my task was, after I
accepted it reluctantly, was to create something that had the
capability of going from one year to the next year,
the next year and you know how I guess with people,
after you get a couple of years, you know, it

(14:01):
kind of loses its flavor, you know. But what happened
when what has happened with the Classic? They brought their kids,
the kids grow up in the Classic, They got kids,
they're bringing kids to the Classic. So it's kind of
it's kind of just growing on itself. It's it's kind

(14:24):
of well when I really see it, when I when
I'm talking to people and I remember when they were
a little bitty kids and now they are adults with kids,
and it's like, wow, you know, we're still around here
doing this. But going back to the original question, you
are and I say this all the time, you never

(14:47):
met a songwriter who wrote a song who didn't believe
it's gonna be number one. They believe it's gonna be
number with regardless of got much airplay what about it?
But no about it? Think this is gonna be the
numb one hit. I didn't think about being the number
one hit. I just wanted to do it the best
I could do that year, and hopefully it was good

(15:09):
enough to get to the next year, get to the
next year. Because we've had so many I call it turbulence.

Speaker 5 (15:19):
Okay.

Speaker 6 (15:20):
Yes, turbulence has never knocked the plane out the air, okay,
but it can make for some we all know it
makes us some.

Speaker 5 (15:27):
Really rough ride. Yes it does.

Speaker 6 (15:28):
But at the end of the day, the NF at
your destination, we had our destination in Memphis, we had
thirty six and twenty twenty five. We're still going still
in spite of all the things that has happened. Those
things have happened, but we're still going on. So right

(15:49):
now our focus is on twenty twenty five. Now, what
has happened or what may happen in the future, what's
going to happen?

Speaker 3 (15:58):
Get this because I get this question, and I saw
the question. I saw the article you did with the
Try State and they had on their friend it says,
will there be a Southern Heritage Classic in twenty twenty six?
I said, they're going away to twenty six. We haven't
got to twenty twenty five. And I'm sure they people
ask you that question.

Speaker 5 (16:17):
Yeah, it's fine.

Speaker 2 (16:19):
I mean.

Speaker 5 (16:20):
One of the things that I've been.

Speaker 6 (16:24):
That I've done and done very intentional, is to be
honest and straightforward with people. When I come to talk
to Bell Johnson, who we are friends and then friends
forever outside of the radio, right. You know, I couldn't
come in here and give you a bunch of bs

(16:45):
to say that, you know. Yeah, when people and so
they trust what I'm saying and what I'm doing. Yeah,
and I remember what really came to forward hear that
we had the lightning and that we had to counsel
the game and people. You hear all of these stories

(17:06):
later that people went into the concession stand and nobody complained,
nobody pushed, nobody screamed, nobody called a radio station is oh.

Speaker 5 (17:17):
My god, what God? You know what happened?

Speaker 6 (17:20):
Because you know, friend is gonna tell us what's going
to happen and how we're going to execute this. You
got refunds. This is what you have to do where
you have to go. Nobody pushed, the scream or nothing
like that. And that's because of the relationship that you
have with the community. And that's very important to me.

(17:41):
I live in this community, so I got to represent it,
not only myself and my family, this community, this event
in the first class way.

Speaker 5 (17:53):
That's very important to me.

Speaker 6 (17:55):
Okay, yeah, and so that we can you know, whatever
it's going to be, well whatever how things have played
out in the past. I mean, there's there's too many
of even talk about and we're not gonna talk about
it today.

Speaker 5 (18:08):
Right right right. It happened. Hey, we keep moving, we
move on. That's where we are right now, right right.

Speaker 3 (18:17):
If you just tune in, we're gonna talk more with
mister Fred Jones. If you just tuned in, I am
talking with Fred Jones, who is the founder of the
Southern Heritage Classic.

Speaker 2 (18:27):
It's the thirty six year.

Speaker 3 (18:30):
This year we will be telling you who's playing this
year some HBCUs. If you have a question, because Fred
will answer your questions. You have a question or two
for mister Fred Jones, we invite you to call now
nine zero one five three five nine three four two
eight hundred five zero three nine three four two eight

(18:55):
three three five three five nine.

Speaker 2 (18:58):
The three four two will get you in to us.

Speaker 3 (19:02):
You're listening to the BEB Johnson Show on double d
i A.

Speaker 9 (19:09):
Don't go away. The BEB Johnson Show returns after these messages.

Speaker 7 (19:13):
The bed Johnson shown UNIQ.

Speaker 10 (19:49):
Mean, I'm telling him everyone I Beth got talking.

Speaker 3 (19:55):
No everyone, Good morning and welcome back to w d
i A. The Hard and Soul of Memphis. I'm talking
with the founder CEO of the Southern Heritage Classic, Fred Jones.

Speaker 2 (20:16):
Fred.

Speaker 3 (20:17):
Before I continue our conversation, I'm gonna go to our
phone lines to talk to Steve.

Speaker 11 (20:22):
Hey, Steve, Hello, my most beautiful black queen. Bed did
you and Jody heat Man?

Speaker 2 (20:34):
Steve? It was hot in that delta, but but we
had a good time. It was hot, brother, but.

Speaker 11 (20:42):
I was prepared. I was prepared for it. I'm gonna
tell you a couple of weeks ago, I did hot
because I promised my son on a thousand I was
gonna my friend's and so I went and we stayed
after all day. So I tried to stay in shade
and drink a lot of water. Bell, mister Fred Jahnes,
how you doing this morning?

Speaker 5 (21:04):
How about yourself?

Speaker 12 (21:06):
Uh?

Speaker 1 (21:07):
This is Corel.

Speaker 11 (21:08):
Clemer's and nephew. Y'all went to Bucket, Washington together. Hey,
let me let me let me tell you. Hey, you
know Oor was my mama. They said she was one
of the prettiest girls we went to Washington. That was
my mama, Aura, Aura Clemer, that was my mama. Don't
be laughing now, I ain't even trying to date or
none don't you laugh. Yeah, that was my mom. Man,

(21:33):
that was my mom. They were twins. Hey, real quick,
let me say something. My wife loved Bruce Bruce, so
we would definitely be at the show Thursday. And man,
you bring in Bradford Marcella's quartet. Man, I am a
jazz phenomenon.

Speaker 1 (21:46):
Man.

Speaker 11 (21:47):
When I heard that you was bringing him, I think
we When I called my wife and whatever I want
to see, get the teacher. I can't wait to see
this show because I love jazz musicians. Look, I know
your lines lit up like a Christmas tree. And me
and my wife has supported you and my son because
my son graduated from TSU. We at first he went
to plan Blood Arkinsaw, but he was just dying to

(22:09):
get to TSU for them girls and the parties. But hey,
he graduated, so that's all I care about. And uh, like,
I just want to ask you this, and I'm gone
because I know a lot of people wanna talk to today.
Do you get a lot like you know? Beon just
came to Jacksons State and he just messed it up
for the classic he ever went to Colorado and I

(22:30):
hang up a listed But in my opinion, MAInet you know,
I think you're doing a phenomenal job. Just keep it up, Maine.
People talked about God and Jesus Christ. Let them say
what they want to say. But me and my wife
and my sons were gonna continue to support you. I
don't care if you have a minis state playing Central
High School. You see what I'm saying. We gonna continue.

(22:52):
We all continue to support you. Hey Ball, Look he
missus born, Missus Bread. You know, he a black guy,
black be he is this man, one of he. I
think he is the number one promoter and this so
hey man, I can't wait for Friday see that jazz concert.
My wife loves me too. So I know a lot
of people want again and talk to you. But if
you can, man, if you want to just answer that,

(23:15):
do you think that Dion's is really sort of missed
up for the classic? Hey Bell? If you have a
supergrade weekend watching around, watch us some ras and keep
your head on the SWIVEL got the lot. Let you bell?

Speaker 2 (23:25):
Thank you, Steve, Thank you, Steve. All right, Fred, you
want to answer that, Yeah, you want.

Speaker 6 (23:29):
To Yeah, The answer to that is no. You know,
there was a lot of circumstances. There are a lot
of things that happened that probably will never be never
be told for a lot of different reasons, you know.
But as I said before, the Classic has been There's

(23:51):
been a lot of turbulence with the Classic. You can
go down the list, you know, that's Trina to nine
to eleven, to doubleheader, to whole lot of things, you know,
but it never has stopped the Classic.

Speaker 5 (24:09):
So what happened then?

Speaker 6 (24:12):
And I'll say this and I'll move on, the last
year that Dion was the coach at Jackson State, we
had one of our biggest years. So it's a tremendous
impact on Jackson State, uh and the Southern Areage Classic.
And I'll be grateful. I'm grateful for for the time

(24:32):
that he spent there and the time that we have it.
Wishing that could have been different, yes, but blaming I
can't blame. I don't even know what he would be.
Dion want to be at the top of the list
for the blame, okay, for what we have encountered.

Speaker 5 (24:51):
So but we move on though, that's.

Speaker 6 (24:54):
That's something that had happened, and we move on, and
hopefully I wish did everybody else. When we're in it's
a new day for the Classic. Yeah, and there's no blame.
And you heard it from me. I'm not blaming anybody.
God has been real good to me and this evented
and I'm just gonna take that and move on.

Speaker 3 (25:14):
Okay, sounds good. Well let's talk about this year's thirty
six annual Southern Heritage Classic and the two schools. Well,
we got a new school coming on in here at
all corn State, all corn State University, mad Fred Levy.
You know what, And I think about that when I

(25:35):
was in Jackson, when I lived in Jackson and working
radio in Jackson, and I worked in news and at WJMI,
we would always fread broadcast the All corn State games,
and our sports director we would go down there and
I would ride with the learn and going down to
they call that reservation in Lorman, Mississippi.

Speaker 2 (25:55):
On the reservation. That's a beautiful campus, you know.

Speaker 5 (26:00):
And I think that once you for us, for the
people that are.

Speaker 6 (26:09):
Closest to the Classic in Memphis, when you started digging,
when you started peeling back, Yes, a lot of history
on All Corn State, just HBCUs period period in Memphis, Tennessee.
And what you what what I've heard over the last

(26:30):
three years. A lot of those people have stepped forward.
So you have all corners like, okay, where they it's
not like where they come from.

Speaker 3 (26:41):
Already they already I know they've been around for a
long time, long time.

Speaker 6 (26:47):
And you hear all of these moments, these classic moments.
But these schools it's it's just it's this. It makes it,
it makes it easy to do with. It's not like
who is this and what I mean and and and
I'll be straightforward. Everybody you know still wants it to

(27:09):
be what it what it was. I know understand that.
But it's a new day and we need to embrace that.
But alcorn State, Arkansas, Pine Bluff, You ain't you a
p B, Universus Arkansas and Pine Bluff, all those names, yes,
that that they have a When you go and and

(27:32):
check closely the students, the families, uh, the alumni, it
was amazing to me, excuse me last year the number
of band directors that is from U A p B.
I have some association with A with a withe uh

(27:56):
with a pc U. So you know it's a prominent
place for HBCU. So all con stay that's just coming
in at the time. That's okay, it's that time to time.
And one thing they they they found out is that
being in the Classic is not being in any other

(28:17):
football game. People look at it, you know, differently, scrutiny differently. Man,
were getting they tell me, Man, we're getting all these
calls where these people come from. So all those things
are very positive and all coin I'm welcoming them for
the first year.

Speaker 2 (28:35):
And are they excited for it?

Speaker 6 (28:37):
Absolutely absolutely. You know, It's at first it was you know,
it's like m but it got closer to it. Man,
it was like, man, my phone rang off the hook. Man,
my people call him everywhere, you know.

Speaker 5 (28:52):
Okay, you know, And so again.

Speaker 6 (28:57):
It makes my job easier because you know, there are
people out there that want to be a part of it,
and we want to.

Speaker 5 (29:02):
Do it in the first class, right, yeah, and and
and and.

Speaker 3 (29:08):
I'm sure that they again if they are excited because
they're coming to Memphis for the first time, and there
are and they, like you said, for people know, there
are a lot of alumni, people who graduated from Alcorn
State University.

Speaker 5 (29:22):
It's amazing.

Speaker 2 (29:23):
It is a lot of people and who live here
in Memphis.

Speaker 6 (29:26):
Too and work here, yes, and work as well as FedEx,
the first Tennessee Amazon. I mean, you go down the
list and they're all that. You know, they're all working
in these organizations already, so it's kind of stuffed itself.

Speaker 5 (29:44):
Up, not you know, not with a lot of hype
and a lot of you know, come on, come on.

Speaker 6 (29:50):
Yeah, they want to you know, they want to show,
want to be well presented, well represented, and that's what's
going to happen. So again, I'm glad they're they're part
of it, and hope they come out and enjoy themselves,
and and and again.

Speaker 5 (30:12):
Aside from the schools.

Speaker 6 (30:14):
That's playing in the Classic Edition, one of the things
that's happening for the Classic is that Memphis can Memphis
has in a way been and been represented. It are
presented away with the Classic. In other words, we've been
represented all kinds of ways, locally and nationally right exactly,

(30:40):
we live here. We know things are not the way
that we were loaning, but we are not defined by that. Okay,
but you can be defined by what happens to the Classic,
whether you go to the Classic or not.

Speaker 5 (30:53):
It's a good thing. So man, this is a good
thing for Memphis. This is what we do.

Speaker 6 (30:57):
We we educate our kids, were exposing them. We're having
a good time. There will be a good football game.
And regardless of what football game that you go to
you watch, that will not be a better halftime than
an HBCU game, whether Jackson State, Tennessee State, All Corn,

(31:21):
Mississippi Valley, You're going to be entertained by some of
the best musicians are around.

Speaker 5 (31:27):
That's consistent wherever you go.

Speaker 6 (31:30):
So all we had to do is just present all
the other stuff that goes along with it and and
and have a great time and embrace that and and
this especially in Memphis at this moment, with all the
things that's being talked about, the classic is intact.

Speaker 5 (31:47):
We're gonna have a game, We're gonna have a parade,
we're gonna have.

Speaker 2 (31:54):
Fashion show.

Speaker 6 (31:55):
Yeah, we're gonna do our thing, and we're gonna and
we're gonna stop and represent ourselves. I'm not worried about
that part. Okay, My part is the logistics. But that's
what our staff. We were working all the weekend to
make sure the rest of the week, all the way
to the fifth Court. Yeah, to make sure that we
have our ducks and the roy as they say. But

(32:18):
I think I know we'll be fine. And again, the
Classic represents Memphis and that's important to all of us
that work around the Class and the Classic.

Speaker 5 (32:31):
Y'all.

Speaker 3 (32:32):
It is Saturday, September twenty seventh, and Fred, we want
to talk about.

Speaker 2 (32:36):
All the things you're going to have.

Speaker 3 (32:39):
And I love how you said it's a classic cultural celebration.

Speaker 5 (32:44):
Yes it is.

Speaker 6 (32:45):
That's why I'm saying you can embrace this. Yeah, and
you don't get these generations of people. Kids, I mean
when you when you go to the Classic, you're going
to see grandma, grandpa. Yeah, okay, mother and fault right kids,
that's right, June Bug or everybody like they say, everybody

(33:07):
gonna be out there, yes, coming to the game to
represent that their family, their extended family, and you're gonna
see all that in plate, you know. And so I
just encourage everybody to go to Southern Heritage Classic dot com.
The Southern Heritage Classic dot Com has all the information

(33:31):
right there, our contact information if you need anything, if
you're out of town, it's one eight hundred three three
two nineteen ninety one. So but we got all the
whole schedule. But again, it's who we are. Okay, this
is not made up. We didn't make this up this year.

Speaker 3 (33:57):
Right, it was those newcomers out there. It's been going
on for thirty six years.

Speaker 6 (34:04):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (34:05):
So so the Classic so on Thursday, and Steve mentioned
the comedy show. You got the comedy show coming on Thursday.
That's September twenty fifth.

Speaker 6 (34:15):
Yes, and I need we need to take time to yeah,
for prayers and most a lot of people saw the
posting for Dale Givings. She was originally to be on
The Classic and to head emergency surgery. I mean I
didn't I couldn't say, I wouldn't say at the time,

(34:36):
but once she posted it on social media, So prayers
go out to she and her family and her husband.
And I know he was really worried about it when
he mentioned it to me. So I wanted to say
that she's listening to our family, the prayers to the family,
and hopefully everything would be well. But again, it's called

(35:01):
The Classic Comedy Live at the Orphum, the Bruce Ruce,
Cheryl Underwood.

Speaker 2 (35:07):
Cheryl, that's my girl, that's my girl, Cheryl Underwood.

Speaker 5 (35:11):
Yeah, she's still talking about the former mayor.

Speaker 2 (35:14):
Yeah, Mayor Harrington. I know, I know why I'm gonna
call his day that's my guy too. Cheryl loved to
hear him some man her some Mayor Harrington.

Speaker 6 (35:24):
Yeah, and Memphis old as a host Ambrose Jones and
my daughter was a big, a big follower years when
we were put in this, this comedy show together. So
got a real good comedy show, real good event on
Thursday at the Orphilm. Tickets available at ticketmaster dot com.

Speaker 2 (35:45):
And Jammine Jay gonna be there.

Speaker 6 (35:48):
Jay le Mont, Jay Lemont has been I know fourteen
this is I think this is the fourteenth or fifteenth years. Okay,
Jammy Jay Lemonte been at the classroom. Yeah, I love Yeah.
And he cause he's got a lot of talent, yes
he does. And a really nice guy too, Fred.

Speaker 2 (36:09):
You're right.

Speaker 3 (36:10):
He is a really nice guy, very nice guy. And
I remember when we were together, just nice guy. We
were together on the Tom Joiner Cruise and and Tom
fell in love with Jim Jacob Tom and Tom started
having but Tom Tom Joiner fell in love with Jimmy

(36:33):
Jay and and when we I did the cruise for
for Tom and he was on there. But he's he
is a very nice guy, just nice and humble.

Speaker 5 (36:42):
Yeah, well again he's been. He's like a staple here and.

Speaker 6 (36:47):
Again when we were putting this together, it's kind of yeah,
we started, you know with Bruce, Bruce and okay, where
we're going to go and.

Speaker 5 (36:58):
And it's turn not to be a really good show.
So I'm looking forward to that on Thursday.

Speaker 3 (37:03):
Yeah, that's gonna be. So that's the comedy show, y'all
Thursday night? Can can they still get.

Speaker 6 (37:07):
Tickets from tickets at ticketmaster dot com at or off
in theater box office?

Speaker 3 (37:11):
Okay, okay, something different, Fred, you bring in some jazz.
I mean, this is the first time that I've known
a class with entertainment that you And tell me if
I'm wrong that you bringing in jazz.

Speaker 6 (37:25):
Yeah, well, you know it's you know, it's a new
day in a lot of different ways. Yes, and it's
kind of setting the stage. I don't know what's happening now,
but what happens in the future. You know, if if
you had she could control the universe, I mean, you

(37:48):
would have had the Queen's show that was last night.
You would have had it on Friday night or Thursday night, right,
you know. And but the scheduling, I mean I probably
missed having an opportunity probably about four or five days,
you know, at that time, with the time that we
started talking about it, right, that can happen. But that's

(38:10):
going to be a way of the future that we
will see other types of entertainment as a part of
the classic. Okay, yeah, and I would like to do
seem we're talking about something different, but it's not it's
like comedy. We've done comedy before years ago, right it back.
But I like to maybe do a Memphis.

Speaker 2 (38:34):
Something something I got you, I got you you know,
yeah what that looks.

Speaker 6 (38:39):
Like with the talent and thetalent. Yeah, right, and have
a big celebration.

Speaker 5 (38:46):
That's a good idea for it. I like that. Yeah,
I do like that idea.

Speaker 3 (38:50):
Well, we just you know, you thinking. I know, you
have to think ahead of time. You can't wait, you
and and people don't know. You don't wait to the
last minute. Once this classic is over, you start working
on the next time. You don't even you don't get
a break.

Speaker 6 (39:05):
Well, you know, I managed the time away because I mean,
man's the time in a way that it doesn't get
to be all consuming.

Speaker 5 (39:14):
Okay, people don't really concerned about me.

Speaker 6 (39:16):
It's afraid I know, you business a business, business, right,
Sometimes you just just say shut the shut.

Speaker 11 (39:22):
Well you have to do.

Speaker 6 (39:23):
You have to shut down and shut down then, you know,
then maybe just overnight, but then we'll try it again tomorrow.
But again, the jazz was a big piece, and you
couldn't ask for any more jazz ray.

Speaker 5 (39:39):
Than having that.

Speaker 3 (39:42):
Marshall's yeah, because I remember when he was the bad
leader for the Tonight Show, right, Jay Leno.

Speaker 6 (39:49):
Yeah, but this family's father yea, brothers, brothers. They're very
talented and international as well. Yeah, it's a good player.
And again those tickets are available at ticketmaster dot com
and at.

Speaker 2 (40:03):
The theater, right, okay, Then that that's on Friday night.

Speaker 5 (40:08):
Right, right, that's on Friday night, Okay, okay, okay, and.

Speaker 6 (40:13):
Then on Saturday, I'd like to just go down the list,
down the list so much, it's so much going on Saturday.
We say on the schedules that's eight o'clock for the
Classic tailgate, but actually it starts setting up on Thursday.

Speaker 2 (40:32):
Is it sold out?

Speaker 10 (40:34):
No?

Speaker 6 (40:34):
Now we still have some available, okay, all of them.
All everything is ticket messer dot com.

Speaker 5 (40:39):
Okay.

Speaker 6 (40:40):
If you go to ticket master and put in Southern
Heritage Classic, they'll take you to a page where all
of the shows, the comedy show, the cash show, the tailgate,
and the game was on one page.

Speaker 5 (40:53):
That's good information.

Speaker 6 (40:54):
But as we all know, the Southern hare's the classic tailgate.
As they say, ain't no joke.

Speaker 2 (41:05):
No, it ain't no joke.

Speaker 5 (41:07):
Man they bring you know, I'm just fascinated what they
what the I mean. It's like they.

Speaker 6 (41:18):
They put it on a show at their tailgate spot
right right, you know, whole hogs, all the chicken, all
the men. I said, I said, one year, I forget
the guy. You know how you go and have Hamburger paddies.
They opened up the box, the whole box. They must

(41:38):
have been twenty four or thirty paddies in there. Nothing small.
Listen right, I said, Oh my god, Fred, come back.
You can eat it, right yeah. And that's the beauty
of what this one particlar particular event has done. You
don't have to know anybody. They don't have to know

(42:00):
Fred Jones or Beth Johnson or whatever. They see you
want something to eat exactly you want to you know.
And I tell people if you you know, whether you're
doing horseshoes, whether they's playing beer with spade, Domino Fried chicken, catfish, ribs,

(42:23):
Bobby blaying right, dB king two pot. You hear it all,
and everybody's.

Speaker 5 (42:32):
Happy, happy at the tailgating.

Speaker 6 (42:34):
They happen they you know, because you're playing whatever music
you're playing, it doesn't bother the other person. And one
thing that happens bare if you remember all of this,
everybody sounds system. It's like they putting on a show.
It's not the little stereo, it's not. And you're correct,

(42:56):
I mean, the what in the world is this? It's
a you know, it's it's a it's this pleasant pleasure
to watch it. And I'm riding around and I'm this
kind of you know, just seeing how when everybody's doing
it what have you. And sometimes I can help them
and they always want me to eat. I can eat

(43:20):
all this food. I trying to get to midnight Saturday,
the night you know. But anyway, that's the tailgate. First
thing that morning and the other things that day is
that the Penny Hardaway. Myth is just regard Classic, which
about the way this year is already sold out.

Speaker 5 (43:37):
Tunic National.

Speaker 6 (43:40):
The Classic Parade, also known as the Orange Mound Parade, right,
people strutting their stuff and it's that's the cultural part
of Orange Mound has been a bigger part of this
community for whatever long before hour I came along as

(44:02):
a human being and to see them every year that
rise to the occasion. This is their time, this is
our parade, and we're gonna represent that's a special moment.
So that's the cultural proud of this. I mean, you
can't you can't buy this. You know, either you have

(44:27):
it or you don't. Either it's there or it isn't.
And when we just plug right in and say we
have in a classic parade, they aren't in the Southern
areagage classic. And they've been doing this since two thousand
and one. It's happened to be the year of nine
to eleven. That's going on at at nine o'clock and
then at ten o'clock, sorry, at eleven o'clock on the

(44:53):
other side of town. Were in white Haven, Okay, white
Haven High School. They have eight or nine bands that
will be come uh uh you know again, young people
really doing that thing, and whoever wins that particular contest
will perform at the pre game that either at the

(45:16):
big game. So it's working with our young kids and
we we deal with them where they are, but we
were showing them that that there's other things and and
other places that they can go. So that said the
eleven of Flacon. Also the fashion and brunch this year

(45:37):
at the Halarin Center.

Speaker 2 (45:39):
I had the ladies on. They talked about it and
they moved the vineyard, which I love.

Speaker 6 (45:45):
Well, it's it's stepping up when you see Holarin Center.
You're when they first mentioned.

Speaker 5 (45:49):
It to me, I go, oh uh huh. You know,
it's right back in the moment, and that's a special moment.

Speaker 6 (45:58):
And they have been a part of the Classic since
from year two, so you know again these events have
become institutions as a part of the Southern Heritage Classic,
which is a good thing. And then we have.

Speaker 5 (46:18):
The football game.

Speaker 6 (46:21):
All corn State Arkansas pine Bluff is the first conference
Swack Conference game, so he has an added flavor to
it that we then maybe had before. So maybe if
something might happen like this in the future, what we'll see.
But the All corn State Arkansas pine Bluff at the

(46:45):
Southern Heritage Classic at six pm. I'm looking forward to it.
I'm looking forward to the halftime with the sounds of
dynamite all corn State and mar the music machine of
the Mid South. In fact, All Corns Band just played

(47:06):
at the super Dome a week ago Sunday, and they're
playing at Macy's.

Speaker 5 (47:11):
Parade this year.

Speaker 2 (47:13):
Oh wow, good, So.

Speaker 6 (47:17):
A and U app Eats band is over here a lot.
I mean, yeah, they got they do. They make an appearance.
And I remember when I first heard about them three
years ago at the white Haven Parade parade.

Speaker 2 (47:34):
Yeah, yeah, they turned it out, Yeah they did, they
turned it out.

Speaker 6 (47:40):
I was there so again the halftime show with autos
own and and I want to take the hats off
to all the sponsors that make this happen and the
things made me think about little things that that sponsors do.
But uh attoson and you hear a lot more about

(48:03):
FedEx over the next couple of days. They've been responsible
for thirty years. But when you go into an ATTO's
one store that was right in the front door, there
was a sign that says Southern Heritage Classic Alcorne State,
Arkansas and Bluff and one hundred and eighteen stores.

Speaker 5 (48:26):
Wow, So we're.

Speaker 6 (48:28):
Taking this and constantly was as they pushing the envelope. Yes,
and then we continue to build this. You're going to
see this more and more and more where it'll be
corporately involved and taking these things to another level. Of course,
we close out with the fifth Quarter. As we know

(48:49):
bell the fifth Quarter was was was created by HBCUs
they were doing it, call it the fifth Quarter, right
and my son they thank you who was forming at
the Band of Tennessee State years ago. Uh hum, you
know I had to consult with him or something. We
need to make this a part of the classic right right. So,

(49:12):
and the first thing I said when it first came
up years ago, it was ain't nobody gonna stay around
that long. I was wrong, You're wrong, for they stay
around right and then, and they have a good time.
In fact, we had to say, it's like at the
at the party, this is the last we got to

(49:34):
go to go Yeah, hey, I love it.

Speaker 5 (49:38):
So it's that kind of.

Speaker 6 (49:41):
If it sounds like it in my voice, it's you know,
it's exciting, you know, I know it's exciting to see
this work in our community, especially at this time. We
need to we need to have a laugh and have
a good time. Yes we do, Yes we do as
the community.

Speaker 5 (50:01):
But down any.

Speaker 6 (50:04):
Saying okay, now everybody stand up and say we're having
a good time. Well you have to, you know, just
get out the way and let them do their things
and go on from there. So I'm excited. It's a
great time for the Classic. It's a new day with
all Cone State and Arkansas Pine Bluff and we just

(50:25):
keep we just keep plugging along.

Speaker 5 (50:27):
And that's what.

Speaker 6 (50:31):
Taking this a little step, you know, that's what we
do as a people. Maybe I might somebody might say
you dev ain't a little bit, but we've always taken
it and made good out of things.

Speaker 2 (50:49):
I agree with you on that, yeah, you know, and
we we.

Speaker 5 (50:52):
Made this special.

Speaker 8 (50:55):
You know.

Speaker 6 (50:55):
It's Fred Jones. Yeah, decided the cousin. We picked the name,
and we did stuff.

Speaker 5 (51:00):
And all that stuff. But the people have taken over this.

Speaker 6 (51:05):
That meaning the parade and the fashion show and our
tournaments and all of these things are well respective because
the people have rallied around it.

Speaker 5 (51:16):
Say you know, this is ours. I love it. I
love it.

Speaker 3 (51:21):
We are talking with Fred Jones, who is the founder
and CEO of the Southern Heritage Classic.

Speaker 2 (51:27):
You have a question or two for him this day.

Speaker 3 (51:30):
We invite you to call now nine zero one five
three five nine three four two eight hundred five zero
three nine three four two eight three three five three
five nine three four two will get you in to us.

Speaker 2 (51:45):
You're listening to dou w d.

Speaker 9 (51:49):
I A got something to say.

Speaker 11 (51:52):
Say it.

Speaker 9 (51:52):
Next with Tennessee Radio Hall of Famer Bev Johnson on
w d IA, the.

Speaker 4 (51:59):
Bev Just and Shall.

Speaker 6 (52:17):
Over the.

Speaker 10 (52:20):
Working hard to break you outa day now Saving.

Speaker 3 (52:34):
Monday, Welcome back. We are talking with Fred Jones, the
founder and CEO of the Southern Heritage Classic. Coming up
this weekend. It's the thirty six annual.

Speaker 2 (52:56):
Fred. I'm going to our phone line to talk to
some of our listeners.

Speaker 1 (53:00):
Hi, Jewel, Hey Bill, pardon you.

Speaker 13 (53:03):
I'm doing well in you and I want to congratulate
you too on your forty six years. You go ahead,
you know you still got it. You gonna be you
gonna be all right.

Speaker 3 (53:15):
That's why I love you like you is forty nine, Jewel,
forty nine years at radio.

Speaker 2 (53:22):
Right, that's right, Thank you.

Speaker 11 (53:24):
You still gonna get there.

Speaker 2 (53:26):
Thank you, thank you. You have a question for mister Jones.

Speaker 13 (53:32):
Hey, Fred, how you doing.

Speaker 1 (53:33):
You don't remember me?

Speaker 2 (53:35):
No, you don't, Jewel. He meets so many folks, Jewel,
I know, but.

Speaker 13 (53:41):
I met him at the they had a job fair
out there in North Memphis, and I was one of
the first person that made it. I rolled out a
plus out the here.

Speaker 11 (53:50):
Okay, and you and he took pictures of all us.

Speaker 13 (53:54):
That's how I remember you, even though my last name
is Jones.

Speaker 1 (53:57):
Two.

Speaker 13 (53:58):
I'm Ambrose mama.

Speaker 5 (54:01):
Okay, okay, So you're coming to the show.

Speaker 13 (54:04):
I sure am right, Jewel, Yeah, I'm gonna be there. Okay,
it's gonna be off to change to I need another
question at the end.

Speaker 1 (54:18):
And so you can answer it.

Speaker 13 (54:19):
Don't you have to need to bring the.

Speaker 2 (54:21):
Clear bags at the hallerin.

Speaker 11 (54:24):
Ye, at the orph.

Speaker 13 (54:28):
Because I know at the bombs you gotta bring them.

Speaker 6 (54:32):
So yeah, it's clear bags everywhere. Now that's a national
I'm glad you brought that up.

Speaker 10 (54:38):
Jewel.

Speaker 13 (54:38):
Yeah, I just wanted to make sure because I got one.
I had to have that when I worked.

Speaker 5 (54:44):
At the Yeah.

Speaker 2 (54:49):
Yeah, that that's that's all over Jewels. So good. I'm
glad you brought that up, that question of clear bags.

Speaker 13 (54:54):
Okay, okay, thank you, all right, thank you.

Speaker 5 (55:00):
That's far to see you on Thursday.

Speaker 2 (55:02):
Okay, and and and at the stadium. And I'm glad
she brought it up.

Speaker 6 (55:06):
You have to have a clear bag, right, and people
get it, gets so angry, but it's not your calling. Yeah,
and we've been talking about it forever, right, you know
it's everywhere you go. So again, bring your clear if
you have to bring in you want to bring in something,
bringing in a clear bag.

Speaker 5 (55:25):
It's as simple as that. That's it. You know, no
exception because.

Speaker 6 (55:30):
You know we are looking for anything to happen. But
then again, just ye to do the things that we know.
That's that you have to do today. Clear bag is
one of them.

Speaker 2 (55:42):
Yeah, and thank you juliful, because I usually think about
that question.

Speaker 3 (55:46):
But yeah, you have to have because if you don't,
you have to take, ladies, your purse back.

Speaker 2 (55:51):
To your car down and sure you don't.

Speaker 3 (55:53):
Want to walk wherever you park, especially at the game,
oh lord, because I mean one year that we had
somebody was with me, they had to take we had
to take the purse back to the car.

Speaker 2 (56:04):
But clear bag, clear okay, w d I A Hi, Larry, are.

Speaker 1 (56:11):
You doing I'm doing well in you I'm doing great.
Let me tell that young man boy, you did your homework.
If you the one put this together, you went you
went to dig and deep and you followed the instruction
to get it done. People don't. People think Jay Steak

(56:32):
is number one. But it's a lot to see all con.
A lot of people just low key and then they
thank them cheerleaders that they they need to see all
gone cheerleaders.

Speaker 11 (56:48):
But you know what who I give you.

Speaker 1 (56:52):
I take my head off to you, young man. You
did your homework. It's a billions of people. All con
is the thing that you you gonna see people all too.
Matter of fact, my whole family is alumni for all calls.
Pretty much.

Speaker 14 (57:08):
It's it's it's it's off the change though that a
lot of people really don't give all coin to credit.
But when they show up, you see it's gonna be
a pack house.

Speaker 1 (57:20):
I mean pack out. I mean all car can hold
it on. He did his homework. I give him that.

Speaker 11 (57:27):
He and then he did deep.

Speaker 1 (57:29):
He did deep. Yeah you went deep with that one, Yes, sir.
But uh to you, miss uh Miss Beth Johnson forty
nine years. Let me tell you you you've been at George, don't.
I mean I said the last twenty years you had
already had to keep. I mean, but but it's good
that you keep. It's good that you just keep going

(57:50):
and and and and and and and please never let
your key go out because your keeps be flaks. You
you gonna bring it up every other year.

Speaker 14 (58:01):
You're gonna do pop up with something and and it's good.

Speaker 1 (58:04):
I mean you, thank you, Larry.

Speaker 3 (58:09):
We want and and Fred wants, hey all your family
them all for nights to be at the game on Saturday.

Speaker 2 (58:18):
Fred wants to say something. You go on for it.

Speaker 6 (58:20):
I think that's one of the things that we need
to do on all a species. When when they have
the opportunity, like a Southern heritage classroom to be out front.

Speaker 5 (58:32):
You need to.

Speaker 6 (58:33):
We need to we need to step out. We need
to grab the opportunity, you know. And I remember that
briefly looking back when we're trying to do this, we're
trying to get people on board and trying to get
TV to show it and stuff and spending a lot
of time and a lot of money producing where we

(58:55):
could be on TV where people can see what we're doing. Now,
with social media, you're on TV all the time, so
they need to see everybody represented, everybody come together, have
big numbers and all of that stuff. We need to
we need to show, we need to show up and
and and big numbers. Yeah, and so because everybody just

(59:17):
see that all corn Ox all Pine Bluff. You know
they got it going on. And we can show that
this weekend at the Southern area this class.

Speaker 2 (59:26):
Yeah, well, thank you, Larry. We're gonna be looking for you, Larry.
All right, bye bye.

Speaker 3 (59:35):
W D I a hi caller, Good morning, Hey, good morning, captain,
good afternoon.

Speaker 11 (59:42):
All right, all right, you knowiced the former police land
to work with him all the bed. I'm the one,
and I got to call Prayer Class seventy three, who
looking for him yesterday, Saturday or whatever to cook out,
but he usually walk through there. I'm working now playing
security guard for him on the front. But you can
see him coming back and forth to the bean. But
I said, hell, we're looking for I had to micro
all hot for you, waiting for you and everything. You

(01:00:03):
and brother will the herrings. But anyway, look, we're gonna
promote this thing all week long because I will be
pulling Grand Marshall in the parade at Orange Mound here,
I'll be pulling on the bikes and everything, and I'm
asking all the motorcycle riders and Memphis come on out.
Don't be chat. Come on out and let them see
your pretty bikes and things. All your car drivers, come
on out, get in the parade, sign up, get in there,

(01:00:23):
get on the phones right now as well. Because this
is big. Like he said, it's custom. It's for us.
It's not for the city, it's not for the rest
of I mean, it's for us. If you say you
Orange Mount, are you bringing them down? All they come
on out, don't stay back now. I got tickets for
the show, but I ain't for the game. But I've
never been in the game before. I've never been in that.
And I said I was sitting there for police, but

(01:00:44):
I never walked in the game. We started tail gave
me and two guys leaning over a pickup truck back
in nineteen let's say ninety one. We leaned over truck.

Speaker 1 (01:00:52):
Never did go in.

Speaker 5 (01:00:53):
So it's snow.

Speaker 14 (01:00:57):
Show.

Speaker 11 (01:00:57):
Were with litty Boatskay. We started that and it went big.
And this didn't know they were sending tickets to this thing.
And we're still gonna have DJ there mouthing out there
and you have a good time. People come from all
over the country.

Speaker 13 (01:01:10):
So this is big.

Speaker 11 (01:01:10):
I mean, encourage hear about it me, don't hear about
it gonna be there all.

Speaker 13 (01:01:15):
Thank you man, keep.

Speaker 2 (01:01:18):
Going, keep going, thank you, thank your captain.

Speaker 5 (01:01:21):
But you need to go to the game.

Speaker 2 (01:01:23):
Yeah, the game.

Speaker 5 (01:01:25):
You need to see you at the game.

Speaker 2 (01:01:26):
At the game.

Speaker 5 (01:01:26):
Appreciate it.

Speaker 2 (01:01:27):
W D I A on the Forgetful tells j is
so wonderful.

Speaker 15 (01:01:33):
Listen to your show and listening to mister Fred John,
I did someone out there listen? Because I know years
ago a lot of people pupling forgot. But I don't
you remember when out here y'all need to play other
teams Jackson State and Tennessee State. Remember that people, I said, please,
you know, why can you Grandmarman or somebody else you

(01:01:53):
know play and stuff? And it's doing happens them will
be a good thing. Man, keep it up. But I'll
tell you something else that needs to uh yeh, I
need to look into that's the answer. Let's say, let's
say a University of Message player Jackson State. Let's say
a Grammarly player Arkansas.

Speaker 3 (01:02:12):
Well, Unforgetful, let me let me say this to you.
Let me say this to you, HBCUs they do play
white schools and that's part of their their their schedule.
They've they've already been doing that. So that's nothing new.
That's nothing new. That's nothing new. Well, you said the but,
but the classic is the Southern We we want to

(01:02:33):
highlight HBCUs playing each other. We're we're high highlighting those
black university Okay you're talking about Well, I'm talking for
mister Joe. Well we won't keep it.

Speaker 10 (01:02:47):
Oh my god.

Speaker 15 (01:02:48):
Okay, sometimes.

Speaker 2 (01:02:52):
Go go mister Jones. We tell all forgetful.

Speaker 3 (01:02:55):
We we we highlight black colleges and university opinion.

Speaker 5 (01:03:01):
Well, let me just say this.

Speaker 2 (01:03:03):
Let him say this.

Speaker 5 (01:03:04):
I forget go on, I forget we we.

Speaker 8 (01:03:10):
Uh.

Speaker 6 (01:03:11):
I'm just saying what was done with the Classic. We
take these schools and we put him in a on
another platform at another level. That was the background of
classics in the beginning. But Jay Gaither down at Florida
and m and Annie Robinson and Gramlin you know, and

(01:03:36):
John Marrit at.

Speaker 5 (01:03:37):
Tennessee State and uh.

Speaker 1 (01:03:41):
Jack.

Speaker 6 (01:03:43):
That was their goal to take these schools and put
them in a in a in a position where they
can get a lot of notre routed, a lot of
public a lot of publicity. And I want you all
to think about this, the Southern Heritage Classic. It's about
as much publicity and notoriety as any event.

Speaker 5 (01:04:06):
Probably in the country.

Speaker 6 (01:04:09):
Okay, but who makes up that to historically black school
we've taken them, you know, as as much as we
talked about all Corn and arxall Pine Bluff for Jack
and State Tennessee State, Grambling and and and uh and Valley.
When you put it in the classic you put you're

(01:04:31):
hitting that button that they didn't have before. So you
take it for granted to today. But I think it
becomes important more today to highlight these schools, okay, and
just as opportunity for them to play each other, to

(01:04:54):
enjoy each other, to enjoy each other's comfort, company, and
and and without trying to.

Speaker 5 (01:05:04):
To make a stretch. We didn't have to stretch to
get to all Corn and Oxhall Pine Bluff.

Speaker 11 (01:05:11):
It wasn't.

Speaker 6 (01:05:11):
It wasn't said, oh my god, who is this although
we may have wanted it to be like it was,
but it was not a stretch. Because that is what
I think this is all about. You're not trying to
excuse me, You're not trying to change anything. You're not
trying to say, well, we are against something. We are

(01:05:31):
not against anything. In the Southern herisage fact that it's
all positive to put these schools and and and and
just when it really comes into play, these young people.
I tell this quick story. I come in telling a
lot of stories. But this young lady I met at FedEx,

(01:05:52):
I can't think her name. When you hear this, you
know I was talking about her. She came to the
Classic with her parents and decided that she wants to
go to an AHBCU. There she comes, she graduates, comes
to work for FedEx. Guess who she's represented. She represented

(01:06:17):
fed X at the Southern Heritage Classic. Okay, yeah, it
don't get any better than that. It doesn't, Okay, right
in front of you. So you're not trying to talk
against playing who they play the world of college sports,
and especially football is changing every single day it is.

(01:06:42):
So if we got a chance to highlight an ABCU
like we do at the Classic, neither seize that opportunity
and move forward. You're not knocking against any anything or
anybody wants to do. But I think that to have
the Classic where it has our whereas original, where you

(01:07:03):
don't have to try to what is this kind of
moment all con State and argusas Pine Bluff, you don't
have to reinvent the wheel.

Speaker 5 (01:07:13):
You know what this is exactly, and we need to
embrace it, right we do?

Speaker 2 (01:07:19):
Does that answer your question? Unforgetful?

Speaker 11 (01:07:21):
Hey, missus Jones.

Speaker 2 (01:07:24):
Hello, he's listening to you. What's your question?

Speaker 1 (01:07:26):
I wonder?

Speaker 15 (01:07:27):
I wonder is they gonna work out the problem between
Tennessee State and Jacket State test? That's the original way,
you know that you were speaking of.

Speaker 2 (01:07:36):
Yeah, he already mentioned that we move in. Okay, go
on for it.

Speaker 6 (01:07:40):
Okay, my tole focus on my staff and my team.
Let's focus on twenty twenty five, Thursday, the twenty fifth
of September till the fifth quarter on the twenty seventh.
I'm not thinking about anything else. What happens in the
future happens. Okay, what happened in the past and has

(01:08:03):
happened were in the moment now, you know, nobody said anything.

Speaker 5 (01:08:08):
We've been doing this interview. We're gonna have great weather
this weekend.

Speaker 2 (01:08:14):
I was thinking about because I've been watching the news.
Lord please, we don't want no rain. But yes, great.
A matter of fact, today is the first day of fall.

Speaker 5 (01:08:25):
So I'm glad. Right, So I'm saying this is this
is a chance to.

Speaker 6 (01:08:33):
It's so many elements that are uh come into play
this weekend that I can't Whatever happens in the future,
it'll happened, you know. Yeah, you know it's not I
can't say today. I don't I really don't know, right,

(01:08:57):
I can tell you that comes third Bruce, Bruce and
the comedians up here at the office and at the
Saturday night at the fifth quarter, you know, all corn
State and Aguxas Pine Bluff will be doing that thing,
a lot of things in between. That's mine and my

(01:09:20):
staff focus, that's our focus. Were not focus on anything else.
So hopefully everybody else will understand that and embrace that
this is the time to not worry about anything else
that's going on in the community. And we all know
what I'm talking about. I'm not talking in cold yeah exactly. Okay,
Let's enjoy this moment, you know, and and not worry

(01:09:45):
about all the other things that's going on, what may
happen in the future, what's happening now when they're gonna
come and look.

Speaker 2 (01:09:55):
Right exactly, And you're right, we can't worry about that.
And I agree with you said.

Speaker 3 (01:10:00):
We're going to embrace this weekend, embrace the classic like
we've been doing all along.

Speaker 2 (01:10:06):
We're going to have a good time. People go enjoy that.

Speaker 3 (01:10:09):
The young people see these two black schools, these HBCUs
and like you said, maybe one day they may want
somebody to want to go to an all Corn or
or Pine Bluff.

Speaker 6 (01:10:22):
Absolutely are some of the others, you know. And one
of the things that I need to mention this is
the classic college and the career fair.

Speaker 5 (01:10:31):
Oh yes, yes.

Speaker 6 (01:10:32):
On Friday morning, Ryan Harris and his group from the
City of Memphis, we all talk have for years talk
about going to college, right, you know, but you just
don't walk in the door and say I'm here.

Speaker 2 (01:10:50):
It doesn't work like that.

Speaker 5 (01:10:51):
It's a process process.

Speaker 6 (01:10:53):
And then they've added companies where it shows you, you know,
how you know about the resume and how you look
and how you talk and what it's expected when you
go to these businesses and what have you. So that's
a good way of showing our young people what you

(01:11:14):
have to do for their life and for their career.
So that's invaluable. Yes, and all of these things that
we talked about comes under the unpreller of.

Speaker 5 (01:11:25):
The Southern heritage classes.

Speaker 6 (01:11:27):
Okay, it's more to faceted than but it's impact our
community in a positive way.

Speaker 5 (01:11:38):
I can't say anything.

Speaker 3 (01:11:39):
Else, I know, but you said at the beginning it's
a classic cultural celebration.

Speaker 2 (01:11:46):
That's what it is. And you want people to celebrate,
you know.

Speaker 3 (01:11:51):
And how you all celebrate support Fred Jones or get
your tickets to the comedy show, to the Classic concert,
get it to the game, get it, get it to
the fashion show.

Speaker 2 (01:12:06):
That's how you support the Southern Heritage Classic.

Speaker 5 (01:12:09):
Right.

Speaker 6 (01:12:10):
And you support the community because all the different agencies
within the community that are part of the Classic, right, okay.

Speaker 5 (01:12:20):
And the bigger part is that.

Speaker 6 (01:12:25):
Over the years, collect collectively, the schools have earned over
sixteen million dollars the Classic. Okay wow. And so you know,
I'm proud of that and the fact that that we
were able to do it with the support of the community,
with support our sponsors, with support of people who believe

(01:12:48):
in what we're doing. And so you want to keep
that going. You want to keep that going. And the
time to do it is this year, not what made
what happened?

Speaker 5 (01:13:00):
Next year?

Speaker 2 (01:13:01):
Next year?

Speaker 14 (01:13:01):
Right?

Speaker 5 (01:13:02):
What's going on this year? What happened with somebody?

Speaker 9 (01:13:05):
You know?

Speaker 5 (01:13:06):
And again.

Speaker 6 (01:13:09):
I want to go on the record again if it's
anything that you want to know about your Southern areage class.
It's Fred Jones. I'm not going anywhere. I'm not hide
behind the door, right exactly. You know, if you want
to ceb at Steve's exactly, that's right right. And my

(01:13:30):
hat's off the Miss Steene. Yeah, she's been you know,
I'm a diabetic, so I got to eat good and
you know this, Oh man Jesus, you know, so.

Speaker 5 (01:13:42):
I had to give my give my salute to her.
That's and that's a personal one.

Speaker 6 (01:13:47):
But by the same token, she's my doctors told me,
you know wherever you've been needing, no, stop, keep going.

Speaker 2 (01:13:55):
Keep Let me go back to his phone line, Fred
w D I a hi caller.

Speaker 8 (01:14:01):
Hey dev Hey, mister Jones past, who are you? I
am wonderful. I am wonderful.

Speaker 1 (01:14:09):
You know.

Speaker 8 (01:14:10):
I get so excited every time I hear something about
what's going on in the South. I used to live
in Mississippi, right. I lived there for a year, and
I thought it was so exciting, you know, because when
I was there, everybody in my family is an alumni
of Jackson State. Right, So on Saturdays, instead of us

(01:14:30):
going to the joints, were going to the football game.

Speaker 13 (01:14:33):
I said, wait, wait, wait.

Speaker 8 (01:14:34):
I would do football, old people, everybody goes to the
football game. I was like, man, but we had the
Chicago City Classic or whatever, I don't know what it's
called here, and I wanted to go. I met these
guys in nineteen sixty nine. They were from Gramlin University.

(01:14:57):
So when I graduated from high school and seventy one,
I say, shoot, I'm going to Grounded. I gotten accepted
at Jackson State. Ain't grounding. I just want to go
because they had a good band, right and stay with
the Sonic Boom. But I am so excited about listening
to mister Jones and his you know, great venture that

(01:15:19):
he's pat for all these years. I want to go
to the Southern Classic. Don't want to come down there?

Speaker 2 (01:15:25):
Well, well, well you better drive on down here.

Speaker 5 (01:15:28):
Or a fly get come on Pat there Classic dot Com.

Speaker 3 (01:15:32):
Yeah, it's your information, Pat. It is PATS this Saturday though.
See you wait, you knew it was coming.

Speaker 8 (01:15:41):
Up, but well it's this so much going on bed.
I don't mean to interrupt because I'm trying to get
there in November. So all two members that much.

Speaker 3 (01:15:52):
Well, if you get if you know, folks, where you
are Illinois. Pat, tell them to come on down to
the Classic, because they come.

Speaker 2 (01:15:59):
From all.

Speaker 3 (01:16:02):
And like my friend said, go on Ticketmaster and you
will give you all information or the Southern Ariage Classic
Southern dot com dot com going.

Speaker 2 (01:16:11):
It has all the information you need.

Speaker 8 (01:16:15):
Okay, all right, love y'all. I mean joined your show
as you show, have a good one and go for
whoever team you.

Speaker 2 (01:16:28):
Well, you know what. I'm rooting for either one all Cord.

Speaker 3 (01:16:32):
Well you know what, Pat, because it's an h b
C U and and and in my my education I
was I was educated at two HBCUs, Rust College and
and Jackson State University.

Speaker 2 (01:16:45):
So whichever team wins, I'm rooting for them this year.

Speaker 8 (01:16:51):
My son I told you he went to Rust College.
All Right, you guys, have a wonderful day.

Speaker 2 (01:16:58):
Love you love you too, Pad. Yeah, and for a
past calling from Illinois. So but but people come from
all over to the Classic.

Speaker 6 (01:17:06):
Well that's what I'm talking about. This is a two way,
you know. It's one of my daughters lives in right
outside the Fort Lauderdale. She listens to WDIA every day.

Speaker 5 (01:17:21):
Yeah you can, you know.

Speaker 6 (01:17:23):
So that's the beauty of what has happened today. And again,
we started the Classic in nineteen ninety and every time
I say this to some young person. We started the
Classic before there was social media, very little internet fax machine,

(01:17:46):
you know. You know now you can you listen to WDIA.
It sound crystal clear in Chicago, right, get that out. Yeah,
New York to California, anywhere in the world you can
listen to w DA. And the fact that you have

(01:18:07):
a conversation about the Southern Heritage Classic in Memphis that
speaks volumes of what things where we are today. We
have come a long way, like that line when that
the long way, baby, we have come a long way.
And I'm just glad I've been able to put this

(01:18:27):
part of my career where I've seen the changes and
had something like the classics that have been able to
evolve and stay significance from nineteen ninety to twenty twenty
five were still are forced. So it's something that people enjoy,
and that's that's a really good thing.

Speaker 2 (01:18:52):
Yeah, So come on in and enjoy.

Speaker 3 (01:18:58):
And again for people had got this email question, uh
F I was gonna say, and he talked about the tailgating.

Speaker 2 (01:19:05):
There's still a few slots left.

Speaker 5 (01:19:08):
That's what you said. Right, So thank you.

Speaker 6 (01:19:10):
Let's go to again Southern Heritage Classic dot com. You
go to you go to Tailgate, click on ticket Master.
That'll take your right to the page. You know, I
got all the got the map there. You click on
Tailgate has the map and everything there. So again that's
part of the new technology that we've been able to

(01:19:32):
do well. We've taken the event and make it a
part of of what's what's going on now. It always
amazing to me when we put stuff on TikTok and
I'm going like, wow, right, that's new. Two or three
hundred people looked at it like like instantly, I was like, whoa,

(01:19:53):
you know, but that's a good thing. We still mean something,
you know to you know, to young people that said, well,
you know, we don't mean you'll.

Speaker 5 (01:20:02):
See it and play this week?

Speaker 6 (01:20:03):
Are they coming out with mom and Grandmama's granddaddy there.

Speaker 5 (01:20:08):
That's right.

Speaker 3 (01:20:08):
Hold on, Callers and listeners will take this break. I'm
still talking with the CEO, founder of the Southern Heritage
Classic celebrating thirty six years this year. Hold on as
we go to the other side of the Bev Johnson
Show on doub d I A.

Speaker 9 (01:20:28):
Whether you're in Arkansas, Tennessee, or Mississippi on Facebook, Twitter,
or Instagram. Thank you for listening to the Bev Johnson
Show on doub d Ia Memphis.

Speaker 4 (01:20:39):
The Bev Johnson Show, Bell Doesn't Show, Bell.

Speaker 2 (01:21:12):
Tis time Talking and home Away?

Speaker 3 (01:21:18):
Help you go?

Speaker 2 (01:21:19):
You go so get ready.

Speaker 4 (01:21:23):
In time show show, Let's Go? Bell, doesn't we make
Gordy by here wrong?

Speaker 3 (01:21:35):
You d.

Speaker 4 (01:21:38):
Listen to one to thay you know it's time the
belt to this show of the Mountain show Lucky, Let's go.

Speaker 2 (01:21:49):
We are rocking and rolling.

Speaker 3 (01:21:50):
On this Monday, September twenty second, twenty twenty five, I'm
talking with the founder CEO of the Southern.

Speaker 2 (01:21:58):
Heritage Classic, Fred Jones is in the house. The Classic
is this.

Speaker 3 (01:22:04):
Weekend September twenty seventh, and Afreid go back to our
phone lines to talk to David.

Speaker 12 (01:22:11):
Hey, David, good afternoon, my most beautiful African Violet. How
you doing today, my sister?

Speaker 2 (01:22:17):
I'm doing well, brother, How are you today?

Speaker 10 (01:22:21):
Well?

Speaker 12 (01:22:22):
Rainy days and Monday it called it stormy Monday, but
tuesdays just the same.

Speaker 13 (01:22:27):
Yes, right, but I'm all right, Okay, how you doing, Fred?

Speaker 5 (01:22:31):
I'm doing great? How much yourself?

Speaker 12 (01:22:34):
I'm holding on brother, Look, I gotta tell you, I
was looking forward to some lamb and some grits this
weekend over at Mahogany, but instead.

Speaker 10 (01:22:49):
After my birthday weekend.

Speaker 12 (01:22:50):
But instead I'm gonna buy a ticket to Southern Heritage
and enjoy that.

Speaker 10 (01:22:56):
Are you welcome?

Speaker 2 (01:22:57):
Good for you, David, Once you say I said good
for you? Good good.

Speaker 12 (01:23:03):
I haven't been in years and I've always had a
great time. And then since you got two new teams,
I like to see how they do this thing. So
on top of that, and let me say to everyone
out there that if you've.

Speaker 1 (01:23:19):
Never had the HPCU experience of.

Speaker 12 (01:23:22):
A classic, you're missing out. Even if you've been to
a PWI, you know, there's something special about the family
atmosphere of an AHDCU football game, and especially a classic.
Now I'm going to say this, Bell, I am so
happy that you got brother Fred and now instead of

(01:23:43):
doctor Taylor, because Hampton got the football beat out of
them by Howard University in Detroit, wasn't it.

Speaker 10 (01:23:53):
Don't remind me?

Speaker 2 (01:23:56):
Right?

Speaker 10 (01:23:57):
I know, brother, that now, and that made even worse to.

Speaker 12 (01:24:02):
Be honest with you, because that's your that's mischigan, is
your your time.

Speaker 2 (01:24:07):
My part of the country.

Speaker 12 (01:24:11):
And then that was a that was a week after
Jackson State beat Hampton. So this ain't been a good
football year for the for the Hampton Pirates. But we
love all these BCU spread and we're thankful that we
have such a festival here in Messis that we can
enjoy and as you said, we need a break with

(01:24:32):
all that is going on from that madness. And I
think this is a great way to show people and
show ourselves that we we can love on each other
and like each other to both of those things and
and have a memory from the classic. The only thing
that that I think it's it's first above a classic

(01:24:54):
is a homecoming at at HBCU. Boy Bell, you know.

Speaker 10 (01:24:58):
What that is, don't you bear? That's something else?

Speaker 1 (01:25:00):
It is something it is so but a classic is
a is a close.

Speaker 12 (01:25:04):
Second to a homecoming at hbc U. Folks, and and
and take your children. Let them know that there's another
world out there too, a different world that they say
you used to say on TV.

Speaker 3 (01:25:15):
So once again, one of the things, David, excuse me,
I want to and I know you you're you're a
big jazz fan, and you know Fred is bringing in
rapid Marcello's Quartet.

Speaker 10 (01:25:28):
Yeah, yeah, I know, I know, but.

Speaker 12 (01:25:33):
That's look Bell, I had three choices, and I said,
you know what, I talked to them, I think earlier
this year about going out, and I said, you know,
I just to buy a ticket and give it to somebody,
but I know I want to go and and with
me with the way it is, the way transportation is,
I'd rather just go there and not have to worry

(01:25:53):
about for one ride and catching the luber from one
place and just enjoying myself and looking.

Speaker 10 (01:25:58):
For for it.

Speaker 12 (01:25:59):
Now I make I may come by and visit you
if I can get around those p yts and your
boyfriend them all.

Speaker 2 (01:26:07):
Well, David, come on and visit me.

Speaker 3 (01:26:09):
I'm hosting once again the Mayor's tailgate tailgate, you know,
and and and I always host that.

Speaker 2 (01:26:17):
I've been hosting a long time. So we come on
and come on and see me.

Speaker 12 (01:26:22):
Yeah, well, I got to have something put them boy
friends and them p yts you talk about.

Speaker 1 (01:26:27):
But body God got the bodyguard.

Speaker 10 (01:26:29):
You got me, brother.

Speaker 12 (01:26:30):
Yeah, thank you, fred Man, keep it, keep on, keep
it on, brother. We appreciate what you've done for our city.
It's one of the it's one of the great things
about message.

Speaker 10 (01:26:40):
Thank you y'all.

Speaker 5 (01:26:40):
Have a good day, you too, David, Yeah, thank you
very much, David. I appreciate that.

Speaker 3 (01:26:45):
Fred has always said that the classic has been great
for Memphis.

Speaker 6 (01:26:50):
And one of the things I want to say too
is that we talked about it and now if you
for the person that was in Chicago, you can see
it again. If you can't make it to Memphis, you
can see it on HBCU.

Speaker 2 (01:27:04):
Go okay, HBCU, What Ford, HBCU, go go okay, hbc
you can go okay. I didn't know that.

Speaker 5 (01:27:14):
Yeah, And.

Speaker 6 (01:27:16):
You know, for the people that are listening that can't
make it to Memphis, that's they do a really good
job in their presentation and really show highlight that HBCU
culture and how that works. So the HBCU go your
check on your local listing for for whereas where you

(01:27:37):
can pick it up.

Speaker 5 (01:27:38):
Oh, I love that. Thank you for letting us know.

Speaker 2 (01:27:40):
W D I a high caller.

Speaker 10 (01:27:44):
Hey babe, we'll spread.

Speaker 5 (01:27:46):
How you doing doing great? Thank you? How about yourself?

Speaker 10 (01:27:49):
All right? I'm doing all right. I'm calling from Arizona.
I'm on all radio out here.

Speaker 2 (01:27:58):
You're in the Arizona.

Speaker 10 (01:28:00):
Yes, ma'am.

Speaker 2 (01:28:01):
All right, well, thank you for listening. KP.

Speaker 10 (01:28:04):
Yes, ma'am, yeah, I listened to my hometown. Mphis is
my hometown. Okay, good yeah, yeah. But most the friend,
I thank you, sir for your service to Memphis. Uh
oh for thirty six years yourself.

Speaker 5 (01:28:20):
Yes, wow, thirty six years.

Speaker 12 (01:28:23):
Wow.

Speaker 10 (01:28:24):
Yeah, thank I thank God for you. Well, I thank
God for you.

Speaker 6 (01:28:29):
Well again, as I've said I said it earlier in
this interview, that's we've been blessed, you know, you know, sir,
with the amount of things we have to encounter and
what have you, but we're able to each year to
put the best foot forward, and that's that's our goal.
So people like yourself that are from Memphis, that you

(01:28:54):
know you're proud of. This is what they're doing in
our hometown. I mean exactly getting slam all over the
place for everybody. Yes, but again, the Southern Heresa clact
is something that we all can put be proud of
where you're in Arizona or Illinois or New York or

(01:29:14):
wherever you are. Mephansy he said, well, I know we
got the Southern areas classic, and so that trying to
keep it going and keep it going and you know,
continue doing that in a positive and something that.

Speaker 10 (01:29:29):
So thank you very much, Thank you so much. I
just want to say this and I'm gonna get off
this phone so other callers, but I thank you for
like I said, your years of service yours too, bill uh.
And also I thank you for having the mind. I
love jazz. And when I heard that you was going, uh,

(01:29:51):
you know, have a section there for the you know,
have a concert for jazz. And I thank god I
went to I went to a game. The last time
I went to the Heritage, I was staying there and
I'm an old Chuck driver, so uh uh, I was
staying there and I went they were back in the eighties.

(01:30:12):
And I thank God for you. Uh just keep on
doing what you're doing. My prayers are with you. And
uh hey you putting Memphis. You put Memphis on the
mathmast free.

Speaker 5 (01:30:25):
Thank you.

Speaker 6 (01:30:26):
Yeah, well you're welcome. Like I said, just enjoying it. Yes, sir,
Arizona HP go.

Speaker 10 (01:30:33):
Yes, sir, there you go, and there you go. I
sure wish I could be there.

Speaker 5 (01:30:40):
Okay, well you can't watch that's right, yes.

Speaker 11 (01:30:44):
Sir, sir, you got it right right. Thank you all
did y'all.

Speaker 10 (01:30:50):
Y'all take care of you too.

Speaker 3 (01:30:51):
By bye w D I a high caller. Hello, Okay,
a call back. But again, Fred, this is the weekend.
We're getting ready for the thirty six annual Southern Heritage Classic.

Speaker 5 (01:31:09):
This Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Speaker 3 (01:31:11):
Right and all again we'll go back and people don't
know they're going to comedy show. You know, Adele had
had to have mergency. So in that place, Cheryl Underwood's
gonna be here.

Speaker 5 (01:31:22):
I love Cheryl. You don't have to say anything else.

Speaker 2 (01:31:25):
I love cheryln and her purse.

Speaker 5 (01:31:30):
On her own. That's that's her.

Speaker 3 (01:31:33):
Yeah, And don't forget y'all that that that's that's coming
up Thursday, the Class Comedy Classic.

Speaker 2 (01:31:41):
On Friday, it's the Classic concert, right Fred.

Speaker 5 (01:31:45):
Yes, absolutely again.

Speaker 6 (01:31:49):
And then on Friday, but then on Saturday is the
whole list of things from the tailgate to the golf,
to the parade right to the ballot of the bands,
to the fashion show, the game and the halftime and
the fifth quarter, all of those things of this Saturday.

(01:32:12):
And you can see the schedule at Southern Heritage Classic
dot com. And I just want you to you know,
you can link there's a link there to each one
of the schools. You can see what they're doing. Yeah,
all those kinds of things, and just we made it convenient.

(01:32:33):
And I mean you mentioned social media. Were on Facebook,
were on TikTok, We're on Instagram, we on x linked
in all of these things that you have to incorporate
now because that is what's happening now. And I mentioned

(01:32:59):
to all sponsors that that are helping us put the
word out and what have you, and this is this
is a this has become a big deal and and uh,
I just hopefully well, in fact, I know that people
that you know like what is what has been?

Speaker 5 (01:33:20):
What has happened?

Speaker 3 (01:33:21):
I was going to ask you Fred, you know we
always talk about and people get excited the Classic Parade.

Speaker 2 (01:33:28):
Are are both of the schools going to be in
the Classic?

Speaker 5 (01:33:31):
Absolutely?

Speaker 12 (01:33:31):
Okay?

Speaker 2 (01:33:32):
I want I want to let y'all know the first,
the first.

Speaker 6 (01:33:36):
Band down the street will be all Corn because that's
the way we set it up. Okay, all Corn, Yeah,
because they are the visiting team and visiting and go first.

Speaker 5 (01:33:46):
Okay, Okay, So.

Speaker 6 (01:33:48):
Yes, both bands will be in the parade. In the
parade along with Seemilar Claud that hundreds of people, people
coming from everywhere.

Speaker 5 (01:34:01):
Somebody call her from Nebraska.

Speaker 3 (01:34:03):
What, yeah, I know Claude has been doing this a
long time, and they want to know because that Orange
Mind parade. And you know what, fred I remember years
ago and you say, it's nothing like it, and I
remember going to it for the first time, and then
when I was the Grand Marshal.

Speaker 2 (01:34:19):
I couldn't believe those folks were out there like that, Fred,
I mean.

Speaker 6 (01:34:24):
Them folks were out they tailgate before the tailor exactly exactly.

Speaker 2 (01:34:29):
I couldn't but I said, oh.

Speaker 6 (01:34:31):
My goodness, but it's nothing like BEV. People doing what
they like to do that and nobody is going to
be critical of what they do, you know. You know,
it's like you know, somebody said, you know, I don't

(01:34:52):
eat pork, but you're not gonna say anything because people
have ribs to tailgate exactly.

Speaker 5 (01:34:58):
You know, you don't eat, but you don't eat it.
But they're gonna have all kinds of stuff, right, and
and that's okay.

Speaker 6 (01:35:06):
And that's something again, that's that's priceless and it is
and now this is before your time in Memphis. That
parade is always special to me because somebody always asks me,
what is your special event?

Speaker 5 (01:35:21):
And I have to repeat this story every year.

Speaker 6 (01:35:25):
It's the parade and Orange Ground when I can stand
up there and look back to the west and you
see all of these people, see all these little kids,
see everybody just just just smiling and and seeing the
little cars and seeing the horses, and seeing the bands

(01:35:47):
and seeing the little marching organizations, dance groups and what
have you all in there. And it reminded me of
when when I was at the Booget Washington High School.
I was in the band and we parted march and
the catten makers j Beleeve and I tell this story

(01:36:10):
every time, but you know, it's it's it's really emotional
for me because I remember when I was We marched
down Main Street and returned come down Bill Street, and man,
we was just we were ready and you got to
hand the part and had had a grand stand and

(01:36:30):
people would be so many people packed in that at
that corner which is now BB King and Bill Street,
and we had to march single five. I was a
trumpbone player, so I'm in the first I'm in the
first row and we had to march one and it's
kind of weak. Oh man, it was so to watch

(01:36:54):
that play out in Orange Mountain.

Speaker 5 (01:36:59):
And noing that.

Speaker 6 (01:37:02):
That it's a part of this thing that started on
a blank sheet of paper that has turned out to
be the Southern heresage classic. And you watch these people, man,
you can't have forgetting emotionals. You see these kids, and
you see and you remember when you were a kid
and card making. Julie came in and I wanted to

(01:37:23):
go to Churches Park and later I got a chance
to march in the parade and as a as a
kid at school, that's priceless and you can't put a
you can't put a price on that.

Speaker 5 (01:37:39):
So only the only thing that again, that we want
to do at this moment.

Speaker 6 (01:37:48):
I don't want to keep saying this over and over again,
but we have a chance to show this city, so
this country.

Speaker 5 (01:37:59):
What we are. That's right, we are.

Speaker 6 (01:38:02):
We are loving people. A few people have got away
in decided that they want to go in another you know,
another direction, but they don't define us. This is not
what we you know. We we want the best for
our city, want the best for our people, and for

(01:38:23):
the moment this weekend, you know that's what we plan
on doing.

Speaker 5 (01:38:29):
That's right, No more, no less.

Speaker 3 (01:38:34):
That's right, and I must say this, and it is
going to be family, fun friendly and we don't want
to buy out there acting no food.

Speaker 5 (01:38:42):
We don't have that.

Speaker 2 (01:38:43):
We don't have that at the Classic. I'm saying it,
so we don't have to say anything.

Speaker 3 (01:38:47):
But I'm said, we don't have nobody acting for we
don't have that stuff at the Classic.

Speaker 2 (01:38:52):
So come and to have a good time. And as
as Fred said, let the world see.

Speaker 3 (01:38:56):
What Memphis is all about. That we know how to
have a good time and a good time doing it.
Absolutely all right again, Fred, I love you being here.
Talk about the Classic. Tell them that website where they
get all the tickets.

Speaker 6 (01:39:12):
Okay, at Southern Heritage Classic dot com. If you need
to talk to someone, I guarantee you if you call
us and leave a message because the phones are ringing
off the hook right now.

Speaker 5 (01:39:24):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (01:39:24):
It's nine on one three nine eight, six, six five
five are told free at one eight hundred three three
to nineteen ninety one.

Speaker 3 (01:39:38):
Looking forward to it. I'm always I'm ready, Fred, I'm ready.
It may not be my school, but I'm ready.

Speaker 5 (01:39:44):
I'm excited.

Speaker 3 (01:39:46):
My niece just texted me and said, my niece is
coming from Dallas, so nieces, so they coming, so we excited.

Speaker 6 (01:39:54):
Now it's it's gonna be fine. I mean, you know,
we just staying in the moment, not to what if
for what as all? I mean, that doesn't it's not
gonna do any good. Let's stay in the moment.

Speaker 12 (01:40:05):
Weather.

Speaker 6 (01:40:05):
It's gonna be nice, people because talking about how hot
it was last week, it's gonna be the highest, gonna
be at least ten degrees cooler than it was last week.
And the sun's gonna shine and we're gonna have a
good time and we're gonna be safe, and that's right,

(01:40:25):
and enjoy this moment. But again, I want to take
time to think.

Speaker 5 (01:40:31):
Bev.

Speaker 6 (01:40:32):
You know, like I said, you've been a friend of
mine for a long time, this radio station, or you
know some of the stuff you repeat all over again
when when I was a little boy, and it was
we played baseball at Elie Brown Park with w D
I a uniform. So this this station has been a

(01:40:56):
major part of my life, in fact, all of my life.
And I want to thank not on the station, but
the management and the people who listening for their support
for all the things that I've done and been a
part of and not only celebrating thirty six years of
the Classic, but it's over fifty years of being in entertainment,

(01:41:19):
so you've got a chance.

Speaker 5 (01:41:20):
I've had a.

Speaker 6 (01:41:22):
A front row seat at a lot of different things
that you know, you know, it's always this is the
one that always gives me. Well you had watchtacks. Yeah,
I tell them it's some of this story about how
we got there, right exactly because I was with Isaac.

Speaker 5 (01:41:45):
At the time, you know.

Speaker 6 (01:41:47):
So again I wanted to thank people for their support
and all these years for it. You know, if Fred joneses,
they say I'm the legend and all of that, but
it's a w d A has played a major, major
part and what I've been able to accomplish, not only
here but around the country and the thing that we've done.

Speaker 5 (01:42:07):
So I want to take this time and say something
thank you. You're welcome, well, thank you, thank you.

Speaker 2 (01:42:13):
And we're getting ready for the thirty six annual Southern
Heritage Classic Alcorn State University versus Arkansas Pine Blook.

Speaker 5 (01:42:23):
It's a super classic weekend. Absolutely yes, it is.

Speaker 2 (01:42:28):
Thank you, Fred, thank you, and thank you for being here.

Speaker 5 (01:42:31):
All right.

Speaker 7 (01:42:32):
The views and opinions discussed on the Bev Johnson Show
are that of the hosts and callers and not those
of the staff and sponsors of WDA.

Speaker 3 (01:42:45):
I want to thank you callers, I want to thank
you listeners for joining us this day on the Bev
Johnson Show. We do, we really do appreciate you. So
until tomorrow, please be say keep a cool head, y'all,
don't let anyone steal your joy. Until tomorrow, I'm Bev Johnson,

(01:43:08):
and y'all keep the faith.