October 28, 2024 • 56 mins
Artist, Journalist, and Author Wiley Henry has written a new book called "Daddy A.C. Moohah Williams and his Teen Town Singers" on The Bev Johnson Show on WDIA Radio.
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Speaker 1 (00:25):
Memphis probably presents the Bed Johnson Show.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Let me say Bath gave me fist. Let me you
say Bath.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
She's gone hempist gain.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
No matter of the problem, she can help me solve all.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
The phone and normal thing.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Come by ship under there to be riding in the hair.
I'm chilling you to just keep the first.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
When rival pigging up, Miss Josing show because.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Bell got her talking, get.
Speaker 5 (01:18):
Heavy the fucking you in here every day.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Indeed, I ain't my beel got me a missed talking gay.
Speaker 6 (02:10):
Good morning, Good morning, good morning, and.
Speaker 5 (02:12):
Welcome in to wd I A The Bev Johnson Show.
It is indeed a pleasure to have you with us
once again on this Monday, October twenty eighth, twenty twenty four.
Speaker 6 (02:26):
Enjoyed this fabulous day to day.
Speaker 5 (02:29):
Got ready to put your ears on as we share
good news this day. I have a very special guest.
First hour, we'll be talking about one of wdi's favorite
Think about that for a moment. Second half, we'll talk
to the folks from the place I love the most,
(02:49):
Southwest Tennessee Community College. Friends will be in today to
share the good news. As always, when it's your turn
to talk, you know you can. All you need to
do is dial the ease numbers nine zero one five
three five nine three four two five three five nine
three four two eight hundred five zero three nine three
(03:14):
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 you And if this day,
(03:35):
this a day, Monday October twenty eighth, twenty twenty.
Speaker 6 (03:43):
Four, is your birthday.
Speaker 5 (03:47):
Happy birthday to each and ehy one of y'all out
there who may be celebrating your birthday on this day,
We say God, y'all go out and celebrate your life.
Speaker 6 (03:59):
You bet out you bet. When we come back. Actual
guest in the studio.
Speaker 5 (04:06):
This day with me, Bev Johnson on the Bev Johnson
Show only on w d I A h Good morning
(05:18):
and welcome back to wdi A The Bev Johnson Show.
It is in add a pleasure I have you with
us once again on this Monday, October twenty eighth, twenty
twenty four. Enjoy this fabulous day to day. Hope you
had a fabulous weekend, a great weekend. Before we get
(05:39):
to our guests, let me say thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you to all of you all who
came out to celebrate the second anniversary a Rocking Cheer
on Saturday night.
Speaker 6 (05:50):
We had a ball. Yes we did, y'all. We had
a ball. We had a ball.
Speaker 5 (05:56):
Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you
all who came out and as Miss Leil rounds Al
Paris lj Echoes Head in the house, Sheba Pots right,
Marquis of Soul, TJ. Moore out of Houston, Texas, a
lot of folks in Jimmy Townsend.
Speaker 6 (06:13):
We had a good time.
Speaker 5 (06:15):
So thank you, thank you, thank you, Ron Milin, thanks
you all for coming out in al and just supporting
the Rocking Cheer for two years. Second year anniversary. We
had a good time. So again, thank you, thank you,
thank you, and thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you,
thank you. Well this morning, I am excited to have
(06:37):
this guest in the studio and I wanted him. I
wanted him here last week because on Friday we celebrated
Wdia's seventy six anniversary. Seventy six years old. On Friday,
WDA the birthdate October twenty five.
Speaker 6 (07:00):
It was nineteen forty eight.
Speaker 5 (07:02):
Yeah, so I wanted to come in, but I said,
but this is Okay, we're celebrating. This is our birthday month,
our anniversary month. So I want to welcome in to
the studio. You all heard this name. Yeah, he's a
great artist. But mister Wiley Henry is in the house
and with all the things that he does, he's author
(07:23):
now and he has you all written a book on
one of Wdia's well known personalities, Ac MoU Ha Williams Junior,
and the name of the book is called Daddy. Ac
Mouha Williams Junior and his teen town singers and ladies
(07:47):
and gentlemen welcome in for the first time on the
BEB Johnson Show. Mister Wiley Henry. Good morning to you, Wiley,
how are you?
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Good morning bell. It is a pleasure to be on
your show. I tell you I've been listening to you
for years and years and years and years, but now
I'm on the BEB Johnson Ship.
Speaker 5 (08:07):
Well, I'm glad to have you, brother. You have touched
my heart this day with what you've done. But before
we talk about the book, Wiley, tell our listeners a
little bit about Wiley Henry.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Well, I am blessed to be able to do quite
a few things in the city A lot of people
know me as an artist.
Speaker 6 (08:29):
Yes, that's how I know. I mention you first of
you are artist, Yes.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
Yes, yes, I feel that the Lord has blessed me
to accomplish quite a bit in this city as an artist.
And then also I'm a journalist, a writer. I was
the deputy editor of the Trashitate Defender. A lot of
people remember that I served on the staff of the
(08:54):
Trashitate Defender, believe it or not, for thirty years. Now
I'm not that old, but wow, what years about thirty years? Wow?
And during that time, of course, within that time period,
I've accomplished quite a bit as a journalist, actually winning
(09:16):
up to eight to ten national, regional and local journalism awards.
And then after that, of course i'm a photographer. A
lot of people see me as a photographer so and
now an author, yeah right, And so often say that
(09:41):
I'm blessed to be able to do what I'm doing
because of course I can't do any of this on
my own. That would have to help. Well, anybody would
have to have a high power to do what I do,
or anybody who has a gift. It comes from a
high power. And so I like to say that I'm
(10:02):
a renaissance man, Okay. I like that. Back in the day,
the renaissance artist was capable of doing almost anything and
doing it equally well. And so I feel that because
of the gilts or the gifts that the Lord has
(10:22):
given me, I'm able to do each one equally well.
Speaker 6 (10:26):
I like that. Now, Now, Wiley, are you a native Memphian?
Speaker 3 (10:30):
Yes? I was raised and born here, born and raised
here rather, and I come from a family of eight
I have. Of course, I had my mother and father.
They're deceased, and I have six siblings, one past. My
(10:51):
youngest sister passed about oh, I guess seven six or
seven years ago, so it was eight of us. And
I am the oldest son of Wiley, Henry's senior and
DESSI Henry the oldest son. I have two sisters older
(11:13):
than I am. So but my two sisters, uh look
at me as I guess, being the oldest, since I'm
the uh you might say, the I guess the man
child of my family the family right, So so, Wiley, So.
Speaker 6 (11:32):
What area of of of Memphis that you grew up in.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
I grew up in North Memphis, North Memphis. I went
to North Side High School, Wow, Cougar like Stan Belle.
Huh like Stan Bell Look, that's right. Every time we
see each other, we mentioned Cougar. We came from north Side,
the Great north Side High School. Uh and uh I
(11:58):
came up. I grew up on uh bree love wow love. Okay,
people might remember that. Oh yeah, who know me?
Speaker 2 (12:09):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (12:09):
And then also in the Klondike area. So I've only
known uh the north North Memphis community. Didn't grow up
and never lived in South Memphis. My parents always loved
North Memphis.
Speaker 6 (12:25):
Okay, wow wow.
Speaker 5 (12:27):
So I just I wanted you to give a little
history so people know who who they're they're listening to.
And so Native Memphis from North Memphis at North Memphis.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
No, that's what they say. No, no, no, no, yes.
Speaker 5 (12:42):
If you've tuned in this morning, we are talking with
mister Willy He and we're gonna get ready to talk
while we're gonna take a break.
Speaker 6 (12:48):
But just something exciting. You heard a little bit about.
Speaker 5 (12:52):
Him, an artist, a journalist, photographer, and now Arthur. But
we're gonna be talking about something very special. So I
want you to stay tuned. When it's your turn to talk,
you know you can five three five nine three four
two is our number eight hundred five zero three nine
three four two eight three three five three five nine
(13:15):
three four two will get you in to us. You're
listening to the Bev Johnson Show on do w d
I A, The.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
Bev Jocen Show, Don't Go Away.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
The Bev Johnson Show returns after these messages.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Working hard to bring you out.
Speaker 5 (14:03):
They Good morning and welcome back. We are talking with photographer, journalists, artists,
(14:33):
and arthur mister Willie Henry. His book is called Daddy,
Ac Moha Williams Junior and his teen Town Singers. And
for those of you all who are listening across the
country maybe not know who in the heck was Ac
Mouha Williams. Well, he was a very popular radio personality
(14:57):
here at w d I A and I am so
proud to have Wiley Henry here to talk about his
new book and Daddy, and I wanted to ask this
question before we get into it, Walley, why did you
decide to write a book on acmu Williams?
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Had, of course known of a. C. M. Williams for years,
I mean as a young person, a child. But I
was asked by one of your colleagues, Mark Stansberry, Yeah,
who asked me to write the book on AC MUA
(15:38):
Williams because he wanted a book that would talk about
his life, his legacy, and he wanted to leave that
for posterity for people coming behind you, all who may
not know about what AC Williams had done. But he
(16:01):
wanted the book to leave a lasting impression, and so
he asked me to do it. Marcus is a very
very good friend of mine, and of course he has
followed my career for years and years, and so he
asked me to write the book, and of course I
consented to do it because I knew A. C. Williams. Actually,
(16:26):
when I was at the tri State Defender, I wrote
a feature story on A. C. Williams, and that was
back in the mid nineties, and so I got a chance.
I went over to his home, his apartment, which was
located over Onion, and got a chance to meet him
(16:47):
and his wife, and so I got to know him.
And then after I got the consent to do the book,
of course I was unaware that his daughter, Joan Patterson,
was a member of my church, Golden Gate Cathedral, and
(17:12):
so once they had agreed, Mark and the people who
the board rather who represented the w DA Goodwill Fund.
They had given me the green light to do the book.
And so when I did mention it to his daughter,
(17:35):
his daughter was I mean, she was over the moon
because nothing had been done about her father. And she
of course consented, she said, yes, let's do it. And
it was a labor of love. And she was very
(17:57):
instrumental in applying me with information and not just information,
but we're talking about her father's scrap book that was
compiled over the years that actually told his story in
pictures and photographs and also handwritten notes by ac Ac.
(18:23):
I guess he knew his place in history and he
decided that he would write some things down. And so
what I did was I took some of that information
and used it for the book. And so what better
the better person to tell the story than the person himself? Yes, wow, Yeah,
And so I owe it to Joan and also Mark
(18:49):
because Mark also supplied information what he had because he
collected things over the years. And then also there was
a teen town singer, Joe Plunkett, she also supplied information,
so I got I received quite a bit of information
from those who were there were teen town singers and
(19:15):
who loved and respected Ac Muhaw Williams. And it's a
good thing that they served or they preserved this information,
not knowing that one day Wiley Henry would come along
and write the book.
Speaker 5 (19:34):
So when you were getting the information, and I'm thinking,
because you call it daddy, is that you found out
that a lot of the young people looked up to
mister Williams as daddy.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Yes, as a matter of fact, in the book, I
interviewed about nineteen teen Town singers, Okay, and those teen
Town singers, believe it or not, they're in their late
seventies eighties and one of them is over ninety.
Speaker 6 (20:13):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
So they all called him daddy because he was kind
of like a surrogate father. Some of them didn't have
fathers in the home, but as teenagers growing up, and
let's be real, let's be frank, they grew up in
the hood, and so some of them didn't have fathers.
(20:36):
And so because mister Williams carried himself like a father
and they believed in him and they looked up to him,
they called him daddy. And they called him daddy because
he was not just a surrogate father, but he also
(20:58):
was there director of the teen Town singers, and often
I used the word in the book. He was their progenitor.
He was everything to these young people. And right today,
even though they are well up in age, they still
(21:22):
call them daddy. They still remember him as daddy. Wow. Yeah,
So he left a lashing impression on these people, a
lashing impression.
Speaker 5 (21:35):
One of the things that and when I was looking
through the book, and you know, you have photographs and
and I think that people don't know and I say
this all the time because w D i A has
rich history, but also the folks who worked here during
that time mister Williams started, you know, they were educators.
(21:58):
As we think about the first nat D who was
a school teacher, Booker.
Speaker 6 (22:04):
T Washington, Washington, mister Williams was also a school teacher.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
Talk about that. Yes, mister Williams, he he was a
school teacher. He taught biology at Manassas back in the day.
Actually spent eight years at Manassas, which of course I
attended Manassas back in my junior high years, so I'm
quite familiar with Manassas. But he he taught biology. And
(22:36):
after after teaching biology, well, first of all, let me
back up, he also was a principal of a school
in Trenton, Tennessee. It was the principal. A lot of
people don't know. I didn't know that he was a principal,
but that was only short lived. And then he also,
(22:58):
as I mentioned, he was a biology teacher at Manassas
and after serving eight years, that's when he decided that
he would come up. Well, actually he started a choral
group at Manassas before he came to WDA, and he
got the ideal from a group called the Young America Sings,
(23:26):
which was a white choral group of young quite boys
and girls. And so I guess he figured that, hey,
we can do the same thing in the black community,
and so he came to WAA and sold the idea
to Burge Ferguson, John Pepper. You know, they are owners
(23:49):
of the right, and so they bought the ideal and
so the Teen Town Singers were founded in nineteen forty nine. Wow,
nineteen forty nine, so that's a long time ago.
Speaker 6 (24:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
So so mister Williams, because I don't know why I
was thinking, so he came Wiley to w D.
Speaker 6 (24:11):
I was it in forty nine?
Speaker 3 (24:14):
It was in forty nine, Okay, I don't.
Speaker 5 (24:15):
Know why I was thinking he came in the fifties,
but forty nine.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
It was forty nine, and actually mister Williams was the
first full time black full time employee of WDA.
Speaker 5 (24:31):
Wow, the first the first full time employee, first full
time now of course in that.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
D Yeah, he was already on the era. Yeah, but
he part time, he was part time, but they hired
mister Williams A. C. Williams as the first black full
time and he came in. Of course, he was, he promoted.
He was a community oriented person. Well, same thing with
(24:58):
net yes, yes, yeah, And so I think AC was
very instrumental, instrumental in bridging the WDA with the black community,
and a lot of things happen in the black community
under A. C. Williams because of his relationship with WDA.
(25:24):
And so that's when the Teen Town Singers were formed,
were founded back in forty nine, and it lasted, I
want to say, about twenty twenty one years, about twenty
one years. And throughout that history he touched the lives
(25:49):
of over seven hundred young people during that twenty one
year span. A lot of people and reasons why a
lot of people hold him in high esteem even today
because of what he did for them. A lot of
those kids, if you familiar with the history, a lot
(26:12):
of those kids end up going to college. They received scholarships.
We may not look at two hundred dollars being much
a lot, Yes it was, yes, yes, but a lot
of them did receive scholarships. And also he steered a
(26:38):
lot of those kids to black universities and colleges like
Tennessee State University, which was his alma model, so they
received an education after graduating from from high school. So
he did a heck of a lot for the kids.
(27:01):
And you have to respect a man who devoted his
life to helping the youth to achieve what they have
achieved today. And a lot of them have had become
very successful or they were very successful successful, and as
I mentioned, they're the nine and seventies, eighties, nineties, but
(27:23):
doing their career, they were very successful.
Speaker 5 (27:26):
Because if you when you think about it, and in
people listening across the country, when we talk about the
Teen Town Singers, they had some famous folks in there
that we know now.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
Yes, yes, and one of them of course was Colin Thomas,
Carlo Thomas. Yes, and also her brother Marvel.
Speaker 5 (27:45):
Marvel, Yeah, yes, who are who are the children of
Rufus Thomas, who was also air personality here at.
Speaker 3 (27:54):
W Yes, yes, yes, And let me tell you the
story about Colin. I talked to Colin a lot. You know,
she's a very good friend of mine. And Carla was
very young at the time. You had to be in
ninth grade in order to become a member of the
(28:15):
Teen Town Singers. And because Cola was young I think
she was, if I remember, I think she was like
twelve or thirteen or something like that. And so she
told me, she tells me, or she told me that
she literally had to beg her father to join the
(28:41):
Teen Town Singers because she was too young. But because
her father had this relationship with Ac, of course you
know how that works, she was able to get on
board and join the Teen Town Singers. And of course
she stayed on till she graduated. And once you graduate,
(29:05):
that was it you you you out and you moved
on because it was for uh teenagers in high school
and you move out, you go to college or whatever
you decide to do. And of course she went to
TSU yes, yes, and uh and graduated from Hamilton. So
(29:32):
a lot of these kids at that time. They came
from schools like Mananza's Bookerchief Washington Carver, Douglas Hamilton. These
were black schools, and he cultivated their lives and they
were able to achieve some things that they probably didn't
(29:54):
know that they were capable of achieving.
Speaker 6 (29:59):
So and understand that he was a disciplinarian.
Speaker 3 (30:04):
Yes, And I tell you every every team towner that
I spoke to, they all agreed. They all said the
same thing. It was a consensus. They all said that
mister Williams, even though he was good at what he did,
(30:27):
he did not play because if and Mark would tell
you this, if if you were at rehearsal, if you're
supposed to be a rehearsal at five o'clock, you cannot
show up at five or one or else you won't
get in. Wow, and Mark would say that that's why
(30:52):
he learned that you have to be on time. And
if you if you arrived, let's say, if you arrive
a few minutes earlier, you're late. You have to be
there and be there on time. He was a stickler
for time.
Speaker 5 (31:12):
Yeah, I've heard that, and I've heard Mark tell that story.
Oh yes, if you've just tuned in this day, we
are talking with mister Wiley Henry. He has a new
book called Daddy A. C. Moohaw Williams Junior and his
Teen Town Singers. And I'm just gonna open up our
phone lines and just see while if if you were
a teen town singer, are your your.
Speaker 6 (31:33):
Memories of A. C.
Speaker 5 (31:35):
Mohaw Williams five three five, nine three four two eight
hundred five zero three nine three four two eight three
three five three five nine three.
Speaker 6 (31:44):
Four to two.
Speaker 5 (31:45):
Also, I think in the book Walley, you I don't know,
talked about and I don't know in your book how
he uses get the name moha.
Speaker 6 (31:55):
Oh, yes, yeah, moha, he got.
Speaker 3 (31:57):
Move ha, moh movehaw, yes, mohawk Uh. Isn't any of
your name that means the mighty, the mighty one.
Speaker 6 (32:07):
Yeah, And he.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Used that name over the era and people knew him
as Mouhall. Now they'll tell you, the teen towners will
tell you that they couldn't call him mo haw.
Speaker 6 (32:25):
I'm sure they couldn't.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
No, no, they couldn't call him mohaw. But of course
the listening audience knew him as mouha. Right, Yeah, So
that's what that that means the mighty one.
Speaker 5 (32:41):
The mighty one were we are talking with mister Wiley
Henry going to open up our phone lines your memories
of A. C.
Speaker 6 (32:47):
Mouhaw Williams. This is a great book Wiley Henry has
written on A C. Mohawk Williams Junior.
Speaker 5 (32:53):
It's called Daddy ac Mouhaw Williams Junior and its Teen
Town Singers. Three five nine three four two is our
number eight hundred five zero three nine three four two
eight three three five three five nine three four two will.
Speaker 6 (33:10):
Get you in to us.
Speaker 5 (33:13):
You're listening to double d i A the Bevjsial.
Speaker 7 (33:38):
You're listening to Tennessee Radio Hall of Famer Bev Johnson
on w d I.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
A N you did the things I'm telling you to everyone.
Speaker 8 (34:13):
Talking everyone, and welcome back to w d I A.
Speaker 5 (34:28):
We are talking with mister Wiley Henry, artists, photographer, journalist,
now Arthur. His book is called Daddy A C. Mouha
Williams Junior and his Teen Town Singers.
Speaker 6 (34:41):
Wiley.
Speaker 5 (34:41):
We are going to our phone lines to talk to
some of our listeners. Thank you for waiting, Doctor l listen,
but Gray, how you doing, Doctor Gray Beverly.
Speaker 7 (34:53):
I am elated that to be be with you on
your show and with Wiley Henry.
Speaker 6 (35:00):
Yes, sir, you doing all right, I'm.
Speaker 7 (35:02):
Doing well this. I'm just elated all this history that
that Wilder is bringing to us. And one of the
one of the main purposes to commission while to do
the book was to preserve this history. And he did
an excellent job. So why the congratulations, Thank you great,
thank you.
Speaker 3 (35:20):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 7 (35:22):
I want to share with you that on Saturday evening
I went to hear Vanise Thomas.
Speaker 3 (35:27):
Oh you did, she's in town and she was.
Speaker 7 (35:30):
And I gave her a copy of the book. And
I haven't had any response from that, but I gave
her a copy of the book. As she finished up
her concert and then turned to the rev of me
was Color Thomas, and I gave her a copy of
the book. So the Thomas sisters have have copies of
your book. And again we've done a great service for
(35:53):
preserving the works of Muha Williams.
Speaker 3 (35:57):
Well, look, I appreciate you, doctor Gray, and you know
you did one of the prefaces and uh with your
knowledge and history of w Dee and also a c
newhaw Williams. Uh, it's it's such a pleasure. I mean,
you've been a proponent of preserving history, uh as long
(36:19):
as I can remember, and you know that's been decades.
So we appreciate you.
Speaker 7 (36:24):
Well, we appreciate that. You know the other thing about
Muhaw Williams, all of the programs that he saw benefiting
Caucasian people, he wanted those programs for us. For example,
w d A little League baseball. Yeah, we played, we
played wd I A baseball because of Mohaw Williams. Also
(36:48):
the the uh the school that I think it's carwell,
while you can double check them, but that was a
school for crippled children. Okay, they didn't have cripple children's
services until the AC put that together for us. And
it was all supported by the w d I A
good wheel fund. So again I just had to call
in and thank you for that. And there's the great
(37:10):
privilege to work with you. Oh why can't we talk
about the the commission art for AC wor.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
Yes, yes, let's do that.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (37:20):
We we're going to unveil a portrait of ac Muha Williams,
Doctor Green. When is that going to be That's.
Speaker 7 (37:28):
The first Sunday in December.
Speaker 3 (37:30):
Pernday in December.
Speaker 6 (37:31):
Yes, and where is that going to be, doctor Gray.
Speaker 7 (37:34):
That's gonna be at Salem Guilfield. Okay, Stafford Hunt reverend,
that was his church and he was a deacon there,
quir director trustee. Uh, he was mister Salem Guilfield.
Speaker 3 (37:47):
Yes, we would do it.
Speaker 7 (37:49):
We would do it at that church on the first
Sunday in December. And there we're getting more information to
you about that. Please do materialize. You would be.
Speaker 3 (37:56):
Happy and there's going to be a wonderful portrait. I
just won't let you.
Speaker 7 (37:59):
Know, will that That's why we commissioned you.
Speaker 3 (38:03):
All right then, all right, you know I appreciate you,
doctor Gray.
Speaker 7 (38:07):
Thank you, thank you so much.
Speaker 6 (38:10):
Bye bye bye bye. Brother Omar, Yes, good afternoon.
Speaker 9 (38:17):
I'm telling you all lighting up my day, he and
both of you. But I remember that when I graduated
in nineteen sixty three at BT dew you know, we
leave our love father. I remember, I've heard I remember
miss Catherine Johnson. I think she organized that great little lady.
Speaker 6 (38:37):
Yeah she was. She was the musician.
Speaker 5 (38:39):
She played the piano, yes, yes, yeah, she played the
piano for the teen Town right.
Speaker 3 (38:45):
They were a team a Williams and Ms Catherine Johnson.
Speaker 9 (38:49):
Yes, I remember a great little lady. I just stayed
around the music area. I remember Carler. I stayed next
door to the Whaleams. Colin would go up to miss
when she's a teenager, and I was a teenager too,
a little younger, but she grew up. Miss Dell Walliams
and learned to get her music list is every now
and then Miss stall Walliams music directing teacher at Hamilton
(39:13):
all right, mm hmm. I was real close to the waalms.
They was right next door to me. I know every
one of them and uh around every now and then.
Speaker 3 (39:27):
Huh were you a team town singer?
Speaker 9 (39:30):
You want to said? Yes, I was a listeners. I
got a good eye for some good music. I'm gonna
tell you why I got good uh hell eye for music. Man,
I should have been in and I was a good
listener all around us.
Speaker 7 (39:46):
Well.
Speaker 9 (39:47):
The wals uh cross the street were mister Floyd Newman,
mister Woodton. Don't tell me I didn't hear music every day.
Speaker 6 (39:57):
Yeah, brother Omar, Okay, Brother Omar.
Speaker 7 (40:01):
I enjoyed this.
Speaker 9 (40:02):
I'm glad the brother's there and I can let you
know some things that you already know what. I wanted
to listen in the audience, to listen to some of
those things that I had to throw in. Yes, sir,
and I was district and those great people that I
named you are too, brother.
Speaker 3 (40:18):
Well, I appreciate you, Brother Omar.
Speaker 5 (40:20):
Thank you, Brother Omar. Yes, all right, bye bye. Also,
Wiley and the book. I one of the things that
I loved about the book. And I was just skimming
through that you the pictures. Where did you get the
photographs from?
Speaker 3 (40:35):
The photographs came from the scrap book. Oh, his scrap
scrap book. Because I was wondering, I said.
Speaker 6 (40:41):
I wondered, did Mark give you any pictures?
Speaker 3 (40:44):
He gave me some, okay, but the bulk of the
photographs came from the scrap book that was compiled for
ac Wow muha Williams.
Speaker 6 (40:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (40:56):
And that scrap book, of course, is in the possession
of this daughter, John Patterson.
Speaker 6 (41:04):
Wow. Beautiful pictures, beautiful pitch.
Speaker 3 (41:08):
And she actually John actually loaned the book. She she
was a resident residence here resident here in Memphis for
a little while. Of course I mentioned earlier that she
was a member of my church. But then she left
and moved to California to live with her son, but
(41:29):
she left the book, the scrap book here with me,
and of course I promised that I would take good
care of it, because you know, that's the only one. Once.
Once that's gone, then that's the history. Because uh, that
scrap book was loaded with information and photographs that he
had collected over the years. Uh never never seen, never
(41:52):
before seen photographs.
Speaker 6 (41:55):
Wow, but I love some of them.
Speaker 5 (41:58):
And it just just takes you back because I just
think as a child, you know, listening to the Teen
Town Singers, I can remember them coming on the radio
and and and Mouhar And as you said earlier, he
was responsible for so many community events. You know, he
overseed the good Will Review, He was on the good
with the good Will fund the Starlight Review began so
(42:22):
he could help the crippled children disadvantage.
Speaker 3 (42:25):
Yes, yes, yeah, right, and so uh he was responsible.
Of course there were others yeah, well who were there
who helped A. C. Williams, But I think Ac was
the the you might say that the he took the
lead on this, and he was able to help raise
(42:51):
funds for these these these projects. Yeah, for the community,
and a lot of people remember those projects. They remember
the good Wear review, the Skylight reviewing, all of that,
and the Teen Town Singers they also, believe it or not,
they performed during that time. And one good thing about it,
(43:15):
a lot of those young people back in the day,
some of them were probably shy and didn't want to
sing before an audience or whatever. But Ac was able
to get them out of their shyness and and and
these He brought out that creativity that was you might say,
(43:36):
locked inside because of fear of singing before an audience
or whatever. But he brought all of that out. And
now you have great a singers who started back under Ac.
Like I said, Colin Thomas color Uh mentioned before that
(43:58):
she was a little shy, but you can't tell it now.
Speaker 6 (44:02):
Right exactly.
Speaker 5 (44:03):
And when you think about the Teen Town Singers also,
you all Isaac Hayes was a member.
Speaker 3 (44:09):
Yes, of the Teen Town. Yes, everybody remembers Black Moses,
that's right, they did, That's right, he was and Isaac
was was the the balladeer Black Moses soul Man. Yeah,
so he was all of that and he represented Memphis well.
Speaker 6 (44:29):
Yes he did, Yes, he did, and all and.
Speaker 3 (44:32):
All of those great entertainers people who not just were entertainers,
or singers, but they were administrators, sports figures. They random
gamut as, foy as professions. UH started on AC so
he was responsible for a lot of careers. Yes, you
(44:56):
might say.
Speaker 6 (44:57):
Yeah, I love that good our phone line w D
I a high caller.
Speaker 4 (45:03):
Hello, Hi you on the air. Yes, I was Colling
Wanley Henry. That name sounds very familiar to me.
Speaker 10 (45:12):
Are you Jackie Jordan's brother the artist? Yes, I am okay,
I'm work with Jackie and FedEx for a very long time,
and I heard.
Speaker 4 (45:23):
You, and I simply want to commend you. I too, am.
I am a writer an author, and it takes a
lot of work to put together a book and to
preserve history that is really really outstanding. And I like
to congratulate you on that park Well, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 3 (45:39):
What's your name?
Speaker 4 (45:41):
My name is Ethel Woods. I write under the name
of Eve Alexander's Jackie knows me. We have been in
contact for a very long time since we left that
X But I remember her saying that I said Wyn
to hear me, I said, when I heard the name,
I said, this sounds like Jackie's brother, the artist. She
used to talk about you all the time at work, you, well,
(46:04):
you know what I don't. I didn't know. I mean
sometimes people have other names, and but I said, you
know what, I just I like if that's the name,
and I look like it's stuck in my head. And
she showed us some of your work, pictures that you do.
I mean they were fantastic. I mean my brother, my brother,
my brother. I mean she was always talking about you.
You know, he's gonna have a showing you's going to
(46:26):
do this.
Speaker 10 (46:26):
My brother, that's my brother.
Speaker 4 (46:28):
But I thought that, I said, you know, then I
heard they say artists and she said photographers and more things.
It's like, has to be him, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 5 (46:37):
But I.
Speaker 4 (46:40):
Know how much work it takes to put in a book,
because I've written four, and it takes a lot of
works of pulls of books together. And you're working with history.
You have to have it has to be accurate, it
has factual. I mean, it's all a lot of work, let.
Speaker 8 (46:57):
Me tell you.
Speaker 3 (46:58):
So it took me to years to complete this process,
this book two years, And like I said, it was
the labor of love history. And I like researching and
discovering the beauty of people and history and all of
(47:22):
that is. I think it's important because if we don't,
if we don't preserve our history, then I wonder what
the next generation is gonna what will happen to them?
Speaker 4 (47:39):
You know what, mister Henry, I've noticed in the literary
world with different authors I looked at was Shonda Pays,
the Billingslee, Victoria Christopher Murray, Sibbley Warner, and Piper huge Lee.
A whole bunch of people. What they're doing now, they're
writing and the writing history fiction. They're going back and
(48:02):
they're retelling the story. I think Rashon Hading McDaniels and
I wanted her to do and Low, but Papri Huse
had already done and Law. But I did do research
on a Low and it depressed me because when I
found out how she allowed herself to be used and
was extremely gifted and tolerted. I'm telling you no patterns anything.
(48:25):
She did a lot of detail work, and I just
kind of got a little frustrated in an allowing herself
to be topped down on the prices and with bank
Western But history is there. But that's what a lot
of write of fiction writers are doing. They're going back
and they're grabbing history. They're pulling things people from history,
and they're writing about us.
Speaker 3 (48:46):
And I think that's important too because, as you will know,
in this political climate that we're dealing with now, their
erasing history.
Speaker 6 (48:56):
So yeah, yeah, well, thank you, thank you for listening.
Speaker 4 (49:01):
You are so welcome. You guys, have a great rest
of your day.
Speaker 6 (49:04):
You too.
Speaker 2 (49:05):
Bye bye.
Speaker 6 (49:06):
While the people listening, where can they get this book?
Speaker 7 (49:11):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (49:11):
They can called actually they can call a news Artists
Baptist Church at nine zero one seven five four three
nine seven nine, and they can purchase the book through
the church. And doctor some of gray should have mentioned this,
(49:33):
but they have a nonprofit called Nashoba and that's the
nonprofit arm of the church. And so but they're handling
the distribution, so good of the book. So that I
call that number.
Speaker 5 (49:51):
Okay, and I'll make sure I give that number out
to our listeners again in w D I a hi, caller,
how are you doing? I'm doing well, common man?
Speaker 6 (50:00):
How are you?
Speaker 11 (50:02):
I'm doing fine. I went to college. Just say hello
to you, guess missus Whalley and uh yeah and yes
hello was well how you doing? And I just want
to say congratulations to you and I applaud you for
the good work that you're doing. I also want to
say that I'm a proud graduate of Northside High School
and a proud member of the north members of community community.
Speaker 3 (50:23):
Yes we got something in common.
Speaker 11 (50:25):
Oh man, if you North Memphis, you my brother, you
know right, yes, sir? And look man, it makes me
just proud to know of some of the people that
come out of North Memphis that has been really constructive
and productive in this city, such as the Baileys, you know,
Judge Coffee, Peene hot Away, yourself, and so many people.
Speaker 7 (50:46):
Man, it just really makes me feel.
Speaker 11 (50:47):
Good to know that these people came out of the
same community that I grew up in.
Speaker 5 (50:52):
All right, comment man, thank you comming man, appreciate your
bell by.
Speaker 6 (50:58):
Again. This has been a plever, a privilege and a pleasure.
Speaker 5 (51:03):
Whiley to have you on to talk about ac Mouha Waism,
especially this is our anniversary month.
Speaker 3 (51:09):
I loved that.
Speaker 5 (51:09):
I said, I got to get Wiley on to talk
about the book so people can know about Ac Mouha Williams,
who was so instrumental in this station. And I, you know,
while they had the pleasure when I first was hired
at w D I a mister Williams was still working here.
He was he was doing the gospel in the morning,
(51:30):
and he was the community public affairs director. But I
liked him, and it's just just a nice, nice, nice man.
Speaker 6 (51:40):
And I'm like you.
Speaker 5 (51:41):
I remember going over to his house on an apartment
at Union. But I am so just honored that I
was able to meet him.
Speaker 3 (51:49):
Oh, yes, yes, I was too, Yes too. And I
like to say this about you. I mean you you're
such a legend yourself, don't.
Speaker 6 (52:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (52:00):
I mean you've been part of WDA's history for a
long time. I think you mentioned how many years I've
been here, forty one years years. Yeah, yeah, So you
have a legacy yourself, and I appreciate that because you've
done a lot for this community as well. And I'm
glad to I'm glad and happy that you were able
(52:22):
to provide a preface for the book.
Speaker 5 (52:25):
I was gonna say, y'all, Whyley asked me to write
and I did. I did, Yes, thank you because you
didn't have to ask me. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 3 (52:33):
Right, But you did a good job. And if anybody
was going to write anything about AC and especially the
longevity that you have with the station, it would be you.
Thank you. So I appreciate you.
Speaker 6 (52:48):
And let me say this, y'all before you get out
of here, that we talk about whiley is a fabulous.
Speaker 5 (52:54):
Artist and you were commissioned to do those fifty portraits.
Speaker 3 (53:00):
Actually actually not you didn't know. I didn't do those.
Speaker 6 (53:05):
You didn't do those.
Speaker 3 (53:06):
I've done a lot of other things.
Speaker 5 (53:08):
Yeah, yeah, I've seen some of your work, but you
you're a fabulous artist.
Speaker 3 (53:13):
Yeah, thank you, thank you. I appreciate it. Yeah, I
appreciate it. If anybody decides that they want to come
to the Unveilain, yes, at Salem Guilfield On. I think
it's some of the first that's the first Sunday we're
going to do Unveilain and I think people will be
(53:35):
pleasantly surprised, uh to see the portrait. I usually don't brag, okay,
the work, because I think that's left up to people.
Beauties in the eye of the behold.
Speaker 6 (53:51):
Well, I'm looking forward to see.
Speaker 3 (53:53):
But I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, Bill. And then
after that we'll work on a portrait of your suit.
Speaker 6 (54:00):
That sounds like a wad okay, that sounds good.
Speaker 5 (54:03):
But thank you so much wildly for being here and
writing your new book. It's called Daddy Ac Mouha Williams
Junior and his Team Town Singers. I love that, and
again they can get the book and I'll give that
number at news startists right. Any other last words you'd
like to say to our listeners.
Speaker 3 (54:23):
Well, I would like to say to the listeners of
those who know me or know of me. I appreciate
all of the support that I've received from the community.
I've been a part of this community for ages, and
I've done a lot in the community. I've not just
in this community, but my work has has been featured
(54:45):
in newspapers, magazines. I've been all over the place, and
my art work has been marketed nationally, regionally, all over
and I appreciate the love and that I get from
the people in this community. Memphis is a fabulous place.
Memphis is a hot bed of talent, not just in music,
(55:10):
but in art as well, and I think we're the
talk of the nation, Memphis.
Speaker 6 (55:17):
It is.
Speaker 5 (55:18):
Thank you Wiley Henry for being here and your new book,
Daddy Ac Mouha Williams.
Speaker 6 (55:24):
Junior, Teen Town Singers. Thank you for writing it.
Speaker 3 (55:27):
Thank you, thank you there for having me.
Speaker 6 (55:29):
You are so welcome, mister Wiley Henry.
Speaker 5 (55:32):
When we come back, we are getting ready to go
to the other side of the Bev Johnson Show.
Speaker 6 (55:39):
Right here on w d i A
Speaker 1 (55:43):
The Bev Johnson Show, whether you're in Arkansas, Tennessee, or
Mississippi on faceboo fook, Twitter or Instagram, thank you for
listening to The Bev Johnson Show on w d i A, Memphis,
Memphis probably presents the Bed Johnson Show.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Let me say Bath gave me fist. Let me you
say Bath.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
She's gone hempist gain.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
No matter of the problem, she can help me solve all.
Speaker 4 (00:55):
The phone and normal thing.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Come by ship under there to be riding in the hair.
I'm chilling you to just keep the first.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
When rival pigging up, Miss Josing show because.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Bell got her talking, get.
Speaker 5 (01:18):
Heavy the fucking you in here every day.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
Indeed, I ain't my beel got me a missed talking gay.
Speaker 6 (02:10):
Good morning, Good morning, good morning, and.
Speaker 5 (02:12):
Welcome in to wd I A The Bev Johnson Show.
It is indeed a pleasure to have you with us
once again on this Monday, October twenty eighth, twenty twenty four.
Speaker 6 (02:26):
Enjoyed this fabulous day to day.
Speaker 5 (02:29):
Got ready to put your ears on as we share
good news this day. I have a very special guest.
First hour, we'll be talking about one of wdi's favorite
Think about that for a moment. Second half, we'll talk
to the folks from the place I love the most,
(02:49):
Southwest Tennessee Community College. Friends will be in today to
share the good news. As always, when it's your turn
to talk, you know you can. All you need to
do is dial the ease numbers nine zero one five
three five nine three four two five three five nine
three four two eight hundred five zero three nine three
(03:14):
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 you And if this day,
(03:35):
this a day, Monday October twenty eighth, twenty twenty.
Speaker 6 (03:43):
Four, is your birthday.
Speaker 5 (03:47):
Happy birthday to each and ehy one of y'all out
there who may be celebrating your birthday on this day,
We say God, y'all go out and celebrate your life.
Speaker 6 (03:59):
You bet out you bet. When we come back. Actual
guest in the studio.
Speaker 5 (04:06):
This day with me, Bev Johnson on the Bev Johnson
Show only on w d I A h Good morning
(05:18):
and welcome back to wdi A The Bev Johnson Show.
It is in add a pleasure I have you with
us once again on this Monday, October twenty eighth, twenty
twenty four. Enjoy this fabulous day to day. Hope you
had a fabulous weekend, a great weekend. Before we get
(05:39):
to our guests, let me say thank you, thank you,
thank you, thank you to all of you all who
came out to celebrate the second anniversary a Rocking Cheer
on Saturday night.
Speaker 6 (05:50):
We had a ball. Yes we did, y'all. We had
a ball. We had a ball.
Speaker 5 (05:56):
Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you
all who came out and as Miss Leil rounds Al
Paris lj Echoes Head in the house, Sheba Pots right,
Marquis of Soul, TJ. Moore out of Houston, Texas, a
lot of folks in Jimmy Townsend.
Speaker 6 (06:13):
We had a good time.
Speaker 5 (06:15):
So thank you, thank you, thank you, Ron Milin, thanks
you all for coming out in al and just supporting
the Rocking Cheer for two years. Second year anniversary. We
had a good time. So again, thank you, thank you,
thank you, and thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you,
thank you. Well this morning, I am excited to have
(06:37):
this guest in the studio and I wanted him. I
wanted him here last week because on Friday we celebrated
Wdia's seventy six anniversary. Seventy six years old. On Friday,
WDA the birthdate October twenty five.
Speaker 6 (07:00):
It was nineteen forty eight.
Speaker 5 (07:02):
Yeah, so I wanted to come in, but I said,
but this is Okay, we're celebrating. This is our birthday month,
our anniversary month. So I want to welcome in to
the studio. You all heard this name. Yeah, he's a
great artist. But mister Wiley Henry is in the house
and with all the things that he does, he's author
(07:23):
now and he has you all written a book on
one of Wdia's well known personalities, Ac MoU Ha Williams Junior,
and the name of the book is called Daddy. Ac
Mouha Williams Junior and his teen town singers and ladies
(07:47):
and gentlemen welcome in for the first time on the
BEB Johnson Show. Mister Wiley Henry. Good morning to you, Wiley,
how are you?
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Good morning bell. It is a pleasure to be on
your show. I tell you I've been listening to you
for years and years and years and years, but now
I'm on the BEB Johnson Ship.
Speaker 5 (08:07):
Well, I'm glad to have you, brother. You have touched
my heart this day with what you've done. But before
we talk about the book, Wiley, tell our listeners a
little bit about Wiley Henry.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Well, I am blessed to be able to do quite
a few things in the city A lot of people
know me as an artist.
Speaker 6 (08:29):
Yes, that's how I know. I mention you first of
you are artist, Yes.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
Yes, yes, I feel that the Lord has blessed me
to accomplish quite a bit in this city as an artist.
And then also I'm a journalist, a writer. I was
the deputy editor of the Trashitate Defender. A lot of
people remember that I served on the staff of the
(08:54):
Trashitate Defender, believe it or not, for thirty years. Now
I'm not that old, but wow, what years about thirty years? Wow?
And during that time, of course, within that time period,
I've accomplished quite a bit as a journalist, actually winning
(09:16):
up to eight to ten national, regional and local journalism awards.
And then after that, of course i'm a photographer. A
lot of people see me as a photographer so and
now an author, yeah right, And so often say that
(09:41):
I'm blessed to be able to do what I'm doing
because of course I can't do any of this on
my own. That would have to help. Well, anybody would
have to have a high power to do what I do,
or anybody who has a gift. It comes from a
high power. And so I like to say that I'm
(10:02):
a renaissance man, Okay. I like that. Back in the day,
the renaissance artist was capable of doing almost anything and
doing it equally well. And so I feel that because
of the gilts or the gifts that the Lord has
(10:22):
given me, I'm able to do each one equally well.
Speaker 6 (10:26):
I like that. Now, Now, Wiley, are you a native Memphian?
Speaker 3 (10:30):
Yes? I was raised and born here, born and raised
here rather, and I come from a family of eight
I have. Of course, I had my mother and father.
They're deceased, and I have six siblings, one past. My
(10:51):
youngest sister passed about oh, I guess seven six or
seven years ago, so it was eight of us. And
I am the oldest son of Wiley, Henry's senior and
DESSI Henry the oldest son. I have two sisters older
(11:13):
than I am. So but my two sisters, uh look
at me as I guess, being the oldest, since I'm
the uh you might say, the I guess the man
child of my family the family right, So so, Wiley, So.
Speaker 6 (11:32):
What area of of of Memphis that you grew up in.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
I grew up in North Memphis, North Memphis. I went
to North Side High School, Wow, Cougar like Stan Belle.
Huh like Stan Bell Look, that's right. Every time we
see each other, we mentioned Cougar. We came from north Side,
the Great north Side High School. Uh and uh I
(11:58):
came up. I grew up on uh bree love wow love. Okay,
people might remember that. Oh yeah, who know me?
Speaker 2 (12:09):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (12:09):
And then also in the Klondike area. So I've only
known uh the north North Memphis community. Didn't grow up
and never lived in South Memphis. My parents always loved
North Memphis.
Speaker 6 (12:25):
Okay, wow wow.
Speaker 5 (12:27):
So I just I wanted you to give a little
history so people know who who they're they're listening to.
And so Native Memphis from North Memphis at North Memphis.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
No, that's what they say. No, no, no, no, yes.
Speaker 5 (12:42):
If you've tuned in this morning, we are talking with
mister Willy He and we're gonna get ready to talk
while we're gonna take a break.
Speaker 6 (12:48):
But just something exciting. You heard a little bit about.
Speaker 5 (12:52):
Him, an artist, a journalist, photographer, and now Arthur. But
we're gonna be talking about something very special. So I
want you to stay tuned. When it's your turn to talk,
you know you can five three five nine three four
two is our number eight hundred five zero three nine
three four two eight three three five three five nine
(13:15):
three four two will get you in to us. You're
listening to the Bev Johnson Show on do w d
I A, The.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
Bev Jocen Show, Don't Go Away.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
The Bev Johnson Show returns after these messages.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
Working hard to bring you out.
Speaker 5 (14:03):
They Good morning and welcome back. We are talking with photographer, journalists, artists,
(14:33):
and arthur mister Willie Henry. His book is called Daddy,
Ac Moha Williams Junior and his teen Town Singers. And
for those of you all who are listening across the
country maybe not know who in the heck was Ac
Mouha Williams. Well, he was a very popular radio personality
(14:57):
here at w d I A and I am so
proud to have Wiley Henry here to talk about his
new book and Daddy, and I wanted to ask this
question before we get into it, Walley, why did you
decide to write a book on acmu Williams?
Speaker 3 (15:17):
Had, of course known of a. C. M. Williams for years,
I mean as a young person, a child. But I
was asked by one of your colleagues, Mark Stansberry, Yeah,
who asked me to write the book on AC MUA
(15:38):
Williams because he wanted a book that would talk about
his life, his legacy, and he wanted to leave that
for posterity for people coming behind you, all who may
not know about what AC Williams had done. But he
(16:01):
wanted the book to leave a lasting impression, and so
he asked me to do it. Marcus is a very
very good friend of mine, and of course he has
followed my career for years and years, and so he
asked me to write the book, and of course I
consented to do it because I knew A. C. Williams. Actually,
(16:26):
when I was at the tri State Defender, I wrote
a feature story on A. C. Williams, and that was
back in the mid nineties, and so I got a chance.
I went over to his home, his apartment, which was
located over Onion, and got a chance to meet him
(16:47):
and his wife, and so I got to know him.
And then after I got the consent to do the book,
of course I was unaware that his daughter, Joan Patterson,
was a member of my church, Golden Gate Cathedral, and
(17:12):
so once they had agreed, Mark and the people who
the board rather who represented the w DA Goodwill Fund.
They had given me the green light to do the book.
And so when I did mention it to his daughter,
(17:35):
his daughter was I mean, she was over the moon
because nothing had been done about her father. And she
of course consented, she said, yes, let's do it. And
it was a labor of love. And she was very
(17:57):
instrumental in applying me with information and not just information,
but we're talking about her father's scrap book that was
compiled over the years that actually told his story in
pictures and photographs and also handwritten notes by ac Ac.
(18:23):
I guess he knew his place in history and he
decided that he would write some things down. And so
what I did was I took some of that information
and used it for the book. And so what better
the better person to tell the story than the person himself? Yes, wow, Yeah,
And so I owe it to Joan and also Mark
(18:49):
because Mark also supplied information what he had because he
collected things over the years. And then also there was
a teen town singer, Joe Plunkett, she also supplied information,
so I got I received quite a bit of information
from those who were there were teen town singers and
(19:15):
who loved and respected Ac Muhaw Williams. And it's a
good thing that they served or they preserved this information,
not knowing that one day Wiley Henry would come along
and write the book.
Speaker 5 (19:34):
So when you were getting the information, and I'm thinking,
because you call it daddy, is that you found out
that a lot of the young people looked up to
mister Williams as daddy.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Yes, as a matter of fact, in the book, I
interviewed about nineteen teen Town singers, Okay, and those teen
Town singers, believe it or not, they're in their late
seventies eighties and one of them is over ninety.
Speaker 6 (20:13):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
So they all called him daddy because he was kind
of like a surrogate father. Some of them didn't have
fathers in the home, but as teenagers growing up, and
let's be real, let's be frank, they grew up in
the hood, and so some of them didn't have fathers.
(20:36):
And so because mister Williams carried himself like a father
and they believed in him and they looked up to him,
they called him daddy. And they called him daddy because
he was not just a surrogate father, but he also
(20:58):
was there director of the teen Town singers, and often
I used the word in the book. He was their progenitor.
He was everything to these young people. And right today,
even though they are well up in age, they still
(21:22):
call them daddy. They still remember him as daddy. Wow. Yeah,
So he left a lashing impression on these people, a
lashing impression.
Speaker 5 (21:35):
One of the things that and when I was looking
through the book, and you know, you have photographs and
and I think that people don't know and I say
this all the time because w D i A has
rich history, but also the folks who worked here during
that time mister Williams started, you know, they were educators.
(21:58):
As we think about the first nat D who was
a school teacher, Booker.
Speaker 6 (22:04):
T Washington, Washington, mister Williams was also a school teacher.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
Talk about that. Yes, mister Williams, he he was a
school teacher. He taught biology at Manassas back in the day.
Actually spent eight years at Manassas, which of course I
attended Manassas back in my junior high years, so I'm
quite familiar with Manassas. But he he taught biology. And
(22:36):
after after teaching biology, well, first of all, let me
back up, he also was a principal of a school
in Trenton, Tennessee. It was the principal. A lot of
people don't know. I didn't know that he was a principal,
but that was only short lived. And then he also,
(22:58):
as I mentioned, he was a biology teacher at Manassas
and after serving eight years, that's when he decided that
he would come up. Well, actually he started a choral
group at Manassas before he came to WDA, and he
got the ideal from a group called the Young America Sings,
(23:26):
which was a white choral group of young quite boys
and girls. And so I guess he figured that, hey,
we can do the same thing in the black community,
and so he came to WAA and sold the idea
to Burge Ferguson, John Pepper. You know, they are owners
(23:49):
of the right, and so they bought the ideal and
so the Teen Town Singers were founded in nineteen forty nine. Wow,
nineteen forty nine, so that's a long time ago.
Speaker 6 (24:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (24:04):
So so mister Williams, because I don't know why I
was thinking, so he came Wiley to w D.
Speaker 6 (24:11):
I was it in forty nine?
Speaker 3 (24:14):
It was in forty nine, Okay, I don't.
Speaker 5 (24:15):
Know why I was thinking he came in the fifties,
but forty nine.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
It was forty nine, and actually mister Williams was the
first full time black full time employee of WDA.
Speaker 5 (24:31):
Wow, the first the first full time employee, first full
time now of course in that.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
D Yeah, he was already on the era. Yeah, but
he part time, he was part time, but they hired
mister Williams A. C. Williams as the first black full
time and he came in. Of course, he was, he promoted.
He was a community oriented person. Well, same thing with
(24:58):
net yes, yes, yeah, And so I think AC was
very instrumental, instrumental in bridging the WDA with the black community,
and a lot of things happen in the black community
under A. C. Williams because of his relationship with WDA.
(25:24):
And so that's when the Teen Town Singers were formed,
were founded back in forty nine, and it lasted, I
want to say, about twenty twenty one years, about twenty
one years. And throughout that history he touched the lives
(25:49):
of over seven hundred young people during that twenty one
year span. A lot of people and reasons why a
lot of people hold him in high esteem even today
because of what he did for them. A lot of
those kids, if you familiar with the history, a lot
(26:12):
of those kids end up going to college. They received scholarships.
We may not look at two hundred dollars being much
a lot, Yes it was, yes, yes, but a lot
of them did receive scholarships. And also he steered a
(26:38):
lot of those kids to black universities and colleges like
Tennessee State University, which was his alma model, so they
received an education after graduating from from high school. So
he did a heck of a lot for the kids.
(27:01):
And you have to respect a man who devoted his
life to helping the youth to achieve what they have
achieved today. And a lot of them have had become
very successful or they were very successful successful, and as
I mentioned, they're the nine and seventies, eighties, nineties, but
(27:23):
doing their career, they were very successful.
Speaker 5 (27:26):
Because if you when you think about it, and in
people listening across the country, when we talk about the
Teen Town Singers, they had some famous folks in there
that we know now.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
Yes, yes, and one of them of course was Colin Thomas,
Carlo Thomas. Yes, and also her brother Marvel.
Speaker 5 (27:45):
Marvel, Yeah, yes, who are who are the children of
Rufus Thomas, who was also air personality here at.
Speaker 3 (27:54):
W Yes, yes, yes, And let me tell you the
story about Colin. I talked to Colin a lot. You know,
she's a very good friend of mine. And Carla was
very young at the time. You had to be in
ninth grade in order to become a member of the
(28:15):
Teen Town Singers. And because Cola was young I think
she was, if I remember, I think she was like
twelve or thirteen or something like that. And so she
told me, she tells me, or she told me that
she literally had to beg her father to join the
(28:41):
Teen Town Singers because she was too young. But because
her father had this relationship with Ac, of course you
know how that works, she was able to get on
board and join the Teen Town Singers. And of course
she stayed on till she graduated. And once you graduate,
(29:05):
that was it you you you out and you moved
on because it was for uh teenagers in high school
and you move out, you go to college or whatever
you decide to do. And of course she went to
TSU yes, yes, and uh and graduated from Hamilton. So
(29:32):
a lot of these kids at that time. They came
from schools like Mananza's Bookerchief Washington Carver, Douglas Hamilton. These
were black schools, and he cultivated their lives and they
were able to achieve some things that they probably didn't
(29:54):
know that they were capable of achieving.
Speaker 6 (29:59):
So and understand that he was a disciplinarian.
Speaker 3 (30:04):
Yes, And I tell you every every team towner that
I spoke to, they all agreed. They all said the
same thing. It was a consensus. They all said that
mister Williams, even though he was good at what he did,
(30:27):
he did not play because if and Mark would tell
you this, if if you were at rehearsal, if you're
supposed to be a rehearsal at five o'clock, you cannot
show up at five or one or else you won't
get in. Wow, and Mark would say that that's why
(30:52):
he learned that you have to be on time. And
if you if you arrived, let's say, if you arrive
a few minutes earlier, you're late. You have to be
there and be there on time. He was a stickler
for time.
Speaker 5 (31:12):
Yeah, I've heard that, and I've heard Mark tell that story.
Oh yes, if you've just tuned in this day, we
are talking with mister Wiley Henry. He has a new
book called Daddy A. C. Moohaw Williams Junior and his
Teen Town Singers. And I'm just gonna open up our
phone lines and just see while if if you were
a teen town singer, are your your.
Speaker 6 (31:33):
Memories of A. C.
Speaker 5 (31:35):
Mohaw Williams five three five, nine three four two eight
hundred five zero three nine three four two eight three
three five three five nine three.
Speaker 6 (31:44):
Four to two.
Speaker 5 (31:45):
Also, I think in the book Walley, you I don't know,
talked about and I don't know in your book how
he uses get the name moha.
Speaker 6 (31:55):
Oh, yes, yeah, moha, he got.
Speaker 3 (31:57):
Move ha, moh movehaw, yes, mohawk Uh. Isn't any of
your name that means the mighty, the mighty one.
Speaker 6 (32:07):
Yeah, And he.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
Used that name over the era and people knew him
as Mouhall. Now they'll tell you, the teen towners will
tell you that they couldn't call him mo haw.
Speaker 6 (32:25):
I'm sure they couldn't.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
No, no, they couldn't call him mohaw. But of course
the listening audience knew him as mouha. Right, Yeah, So
that's what that that means the mighty one.
Speaker 5 (32:41):
The mighty one were we are talking with mister Wiley
Henry going to open up our phone lines your memories
of A. C.
Speaker 6 (32:47):
Mouhaw Williams. This is a great book Wiley Henry has
written on A C. Mohawk Williams Junior.
Speaker 5 (32:53):
It's called Daddy ac Mouhaw Williams Junior and its Teen
Town Singers. Three five nine three four two is our
number eight hundred five zero three nine three four two
eight three three five three five nine three four two will.
Speaker 6 (33:10):
Get you in to us.
Speaker 5 (33:13):
You're listening to double d i A the Bevjsial.
Speaker 7 (33:38):
You're listening to Tennessee Radio Hall of Famer Bev Johnson
on w d I.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
A N you did the things I'm telling you to everyone.
Speaker 8 (34:13):
Talking everyone, and welcome back to w d I A.
Speaker 5 (34:28):
We are talking with mister Wiley Henry, artists, photographer, journalist,
now Arthur. His book is called Daddy A C. Mouha
Williams Junior and his Teen Town Singers.
Speaker 6 (34:41):
Wiley.
Speaker 5 (34:41):
We are going to our phone lines to talk to
some of our listeners. Thank you for waiting, Doctor l listen,
but Gray, how you doing, Doctor Gray Beverly.
Speaker 7 (34:53):
I am elated that to be be with you on
your show and with Wiley Henry.
Speaker 6 (35:00):
Yes, sir, you doing all right, I'm.
Speaker 7 (35:02):
Doing well this. I'm just elated all this history that
that Wilder is bringing to us. And one of the
one of the main purposes to commission while to do
the book was to preserve this history. And he did
an excellent job. So why the congratulations, Thank you great,
thank you.
Speaker 3 (35:20):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 7 (35:22):
I want to share with you that on Saturday evening
I went to hear Vanise Thomas.
Speaker 3 (35:27):
Oh you did, she's in town and she was.
Speaker 7 (35:30):
And I gave her a copy of the book. And
I haven't had any response from that, but I gave
her a copy of the book. As she finished up
her concert and then turned to the rev of me
was Color Thomas, and I gave her a copy of
the book. So the Thomas sisters have have copies of
your book. And again we've done a great service for
(35:53):
preserving the works of Muha Williams.
Speaker 3 (35:57):
Well, look, I appreciate you, doctor Gray, and you know
you did one of the prefaces and uh with your
knowledge and history of w Dee and also a c
newhaw Williams. Uh, it's it's such a pleasure. I mean,
you've been a proponent of preserving history, uh as long
(36:19):
as I can remember, and you know that's been decades.
So we appreciate you.
Speaker 7 (36:24):
Well, we appreciate that. You know the other thing about
Muhaw Williams, all of the programs that he saw benefiting
Caucasian people, he wanted those programs for us. For example,
w d A little League baseball. Yeah, we played, we
played wd I A baseball because of Mohaw Williams. Also
(36:48):
the the uh the school that I think it's carwell,
while you can double check them, but that was a
school for crippled children. Okay, they didn't have cripple children's
services until the AC put that together for us. And
it was all supported by the w d I A
good wheel fund. So again I just had to call
in and thank you for that. And there's the great
(37:10):
privilege to work with you. Oh why can't we talk
about the the commission art for AC wor.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
Yes, yes, let's do that.
Speaker 2 (37:17):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (37:20):
We we're going to unveil a portrait of ac Muha Williams,
Doctor Green. When is that going to be That's.
Speaker 7 (37:28):
The first Sunday in December.
Speaker 3 (37:30):
Pernday in December.
Speaker 6 (37:31):
Yes, and where is that going to be, doctor Gray.
Speaker 7 (37:34):
That's gonna be at Salem Guilfield. Okay, Stafford Hunt reverend,
that was his church and he was a deacon there,
quir director trustee. Uh, he was mister Salem Guilfield.
Speaker 3 (37:47):
Yes, we would do it.
Speaker 7 (37:49):
We would do it at that church on the first
Sunday in December. And there we're getting more information to
you about that. Please do materialize. You would be.
Speaker 3 (37:56):
Happy and there's going to be a wonderful portrait. I
just won't let you.
Speaker 7 (37:59):
Know, will that That's why we commissioned you.
Speaker 3 (38:03):
All right then, all right, you know I appreciate you,
doctor Gray.
Speaker 7 (38:07):
Thank you, thank you so much.
Speaker 6 (38:10):
Bye bye bye bye. Brother Omar, Yes, good afternoon.
Speaker 9 (38:17):
I'm telling you all lighting up my day, he and
both of you. But I remember that when I graduated
in nineteen sixty three at BT dew you know, we
leave our love father. I remember, I've heard I remember
miss Catherine Johnson. I think she organized that great little lady.
Speaker 6 (38:37):
Yeah she was. She was the musician.
Speaker 5 (38:39):
She played the piano, yes, yes, yeah, she played the
piano for the teen Town right.
Speaker 3 (38:45):
They were a team a Williams and Ms Catherine Johnson.
Speaker 9 (38:49):
Yes, I remember a great little lady. I just stayed
around the music area. I remember Carler. I stayed next
door to the Whaleams. Colin would go up to miss
when she's a teenager, and I was a teenager too,
a little younger, but she grew up. Miss Dell Walliams
and learned to get her music list is every now
and then Miss stall Walliams music directing teacher at Hamilton
(39:13):
all right, mm hmm. I was real close to the waalms.
They was right next door to me. I know every
one of them and uh around every now and then.
Speaker 3 (39:27):
Huh were you a team town singer?
Speaker 9 (39:30):
You want to said? Yes, I was a listeners. I
got a good eye for some good music. I'm gonna
tell you why I got good uh hell eye for music. Man,
I should have been in and I was a good
listener all around us.
Speaker 7 (39:46):
Well.
Speaker 9 (39:47):
The wals uh cross the street were mister Floyd Newman,
mister Woodton. Don't tell me I didn't hear music every day.
Speaker 6 (39:57):
Yeah, brother Omar, Okay, Brother Omar.
Speaker 7 (40:01):
I enjoyed this.
Speaker 9 (40:02):
I'm glad the brother's there and I can let you
know some things that you already know what. I wanted
to listen in the audience, to listen to some of
those things that I had to throw in. Yes, sir,
and I was district and those great people that I
named you are too, brother.
Speaker 3 (40:18):
Well, I appreciate you, Brother Omar.
Speaker 5 (40:20):
Thank you, Brother Omar. Yes, all right, bye bye. Also,
Wiley and the book. I one of the things that
I loved about the book. And I was just skimming
through that you the pictures. Where did you get the
photographs from?
Speaker 3 (40:35):
The photographs came from the scrap book. Oh, his scrap
scrap book. Because I was wondering, I said.
Speaker 6 (40:41):
I wondered, did Mark give you any pictures?
Speaker 3 (40:44):
He gave me some, okay, but the bulk of the
photographs came from the scrap book that was compiled for
ac Wow muha Williams.
Speaker 6 (40:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (40:56):
And that scrap book, of course, is in the possession
of this daughter, John Patterson.
Speaker 6 (41:04):
Wow. Beautiful pictures, beautiful pitch.
Speaker 3 (41:08):
And she actually John actually loaned the book. She she
was a resident residence here resident here in Memphis for
a little while. Of course I mentioned earlier that she
was a member of my church. But then she left
and moved to California to live with her son, but
(41:29):
she left the book, the scrap book here with me,
and of course I promised that I would take good
care of it, because you know, that's the only one. Once.
Once that's gone, then that's the history. Because uh, that
scrap book was loaded with information and photographs that he
had collected over the years. Uh never never seen, never
(41:52):
before seen photographs.
Speaker 6 (41:55):
Wow, but I love some of them.
Speaker 5 (41:58):
And it just just takes you back because I just
think as a child, you know, listening to the Teen
Town Singers, I can remember them coming on the radio
and and and Mouhar And as you said earlier, he
was responsible for so many community events. You know, he
overseed the good Will Review, He was on the good
with the good Will fund the Starlight Review began so
(42:22):
he could help the crippled children disadvantage.
Speaker 3 (42:25):
Yes, yes, yeah, right, and so uh he was responsible.
Of course there were others yeah, well who were there
who helped A. C. Williams, But I think Ac was
the the you might say that the he took the
lead on this, and he was able to help raise
(42:51):
funds for these these these projects. Yeah, for the community,
and a lot of people remember those projects. They remember
the good Wear review, the Skylight reviewing, all of that,
and the Teen Town Singers they also, believe it or not,
they performed during that time. And one good thing about it,
(43:15):
a lot of those young people back in the day,
some of them were probably shy and didn't want to
sing before an audience or whatever. But Ac was able
to get them out of their shyness and and and
these He brought out that creativity that was you might say,
(43:36):
locked inside because of fear of singing before an audience
or whatever. But he brought all of that out. And
now you have great a singers who started back under Ac.
Like I said, Colin Thomas color Uh mentioned before that
(43:58):
she was a little shy, but you can't tell it now.
Speaker 6 (44:02):
Right exactly.
Speaker 5 (44:03):
And when you think about the Teen Town Singers also,
you all Isaac Hayes was a member.
Speaker 3 (44:09):
Yes, of the Teen Town. Yes, everybody remembers Black Moses,
that's right, they did, That's right, he was and Isaac
was was the the balladeer Black Moses soul Man. Yeah,
so he was all of that and he represented Memphis well.
Speaker 6 (44:29):
Yes he did, Yes, he did, and all and.
Speaker 3 (44:32):
All of those great entertainers people who not just were entertainers,
or singers, but they were administrators, sports figures. They random
gamut as, foy as professions. UH started on AC so
he was responsible for a lot of careers. Yes, you
(44:56):
might say.
Speaker 6 (44:57):
Yeah, I love that good our phone line w D
I a high caller.
Speaker 4 (45:03):
Hello, Hi you on the air. Yes, I was Colling
Wanley Henry. That name sounds very familiar to me.
Speaker 10 (45:12):
Are you Jackie Jordan's brother the artist? Yes, I am okay,
I'm work with Jackie and FedEx for a very long time,
and I heard.
Speaker 4 (45:23):
You, and I simply want to commend you. I too, am.
I am a writer an author, and it takes a
lot of work to put together a book and to
preserve history that is really really outstanding. And I like
to congratulate you on that park Well, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 3 (45:39):
What's your name?
Speaker 4 (45:41):
My name is Ethel Woods. I write under the name
of Eve Alexander's Jackie knows me. We have been in
contact for a very long time since we left that
X But I remember her saying that I said Wyn
to hear me, I said, when I heard the name,
I said, this sounds like Jackie's brother, the artist. She
used to talk about you all the time at work, you, well,
(46:04):
you know what I don't. I didn't know. I mean
sometimes people have other names, and but I said, you
know what, I just I like if that's the name,
and I look like it's stuck in my head. And
she showed us some of your work, pictures that you do.
I mean they were fantastic. I mean my brother, my brother,
my brother. I mean she was always talking about you.
You know, he's gonna have a showing you's going to
(46:26):
do this.
Speaker 10 (46:26):
My brother, that's my brother.
Speaker 4 (46:28):
But I thought that, I said, you know, then I
heard they say artists and she said photographers and more things.
It's like, has to be him, you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 5 (46:37):
But I.
Speaker 4 (46:40):
Know how much work it takes to put in a book,
because I've written four, and it takes a lot of
works of pulls of books together. And you're working with history.
You have to have it has to be accurate, it
has factual. I mean, it's all a lot of work, let.
Speaker 8 (46:57):
Me tell you.
Speaker 3 (46:58):
So it took me to years to complete this process,
this book two years, And like I said, it was
the labor of love history. And I like researching and
discovering the beauty of people and history and all of
(47:22):
that is. I think it's important because if we don't,
if we don't preserve our history, then I wonder what
the next generation is gonna what will happen to them?
Speaker 4 (47:39):
You know what, mister Henry, I've noticed in the literary
world with different authors I looked at was Shonda Pays,
the Billingslee, Victoria Christopher Murray, Sibbley Warner, and Piper huge Lee.
A whole bunch of people. What they're doing now, they're
writing and the writing history fiction. They're going back and
(48:02):
they're retelling the story. I think Rashon Hading McDaniels and
I wanted her to do and Low, but Papri Huse
had already done and Law. But I did do research
on a Low and it depressed me because when I
found out how she allowed herself to be used and
was extremely gifted and tolerted. I'm telling you no patterns anything.
(48:25):
She did a lot of detail work, and I just
kind of got a little frustrated in an allowing herself
to be topped down on the prices and with bank
Western But history is there. But that's what a lot
of write of fiction writers are doing. They're going back
and they're grabbing history. They're pulling things people from history,
and they're writing about us.
Speaker 3 (48:46):
And I think that's important too because, as you will know,
in this political climate that we're dealing with now, their
erasing history.
Speaker 6 (48:56):
So yeah, yeah, well, thank you, thank you for listening.
Speaker 4 (49:01):
You are so welcome. You guys, have a great rest
of your day.
Speaker 6 (49:04):
You too.
Speaker 2 (49:05):
Bye bye.
Speaker 6 (49:06):
While the people listening, where can they get this book?
Speaker 7 (49:11):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (49:11):
They can called actually they can call a news Artists
Baptist Church at nine zero one seven five four three
nine seven nine, and they can purchase the book through
the church. And doctor some of gray should have mentioned this,
(49:33):
but they have a nonprofit called Nashoba and that's the
nonprofit arm of the church. And so but they're handling
the distribution, so good of the book. So that I
call that number.
Speaker 5 (49:51):
Okay, and I'll make sure I give that number out
to our listeners again in w D I a hi, caller,
how are you doing? I'm doing well, common man?
Speaker 6 (50:00):
How are you?
Speaker 11 (50:02):
I'm doing fine. I went to college. Just say hello
to you, guess missus Whalley and uh yeah and yes
hello was well how you doing? And I just want
to say congratulations to you and I applaud you for
the good work that you're doing. I also want to
say that I'm a proud graduate of Northside High School
and a proud member of the north members of community community.
Speaker 3 (50:23):
Yes we got something in common.
Speaker 11 (50:25):
Oh man, if you North Memphis, you my brother, you
know right, yes, sir? And look man, it makes me
just proud to know of some of the people that
come out of North Memphis that has been really constructive
and productive in this city, such as the Baileys, you know,
Judge Coffee, Peene hot Away, yourself, and so many people.
Speaker 7 (50:46):
Man, it just really makes me feel.
Speaker 11 (50:47):
Good to know that these people came out of the
same community that I grew up in.
Speaker 5 (50:52):
All right, comment man, thank you comming man, appreciate your
bell by.
Speaker 6 (50:58):
Again. This has been a plever, a privilege and a pleasure.
Speaker 5 (51:03):
Whiley to have you on to talk about ac Mouha Waism,
especially this is our anniversary month.
Speaker 3 (51:09):
I loved that.
Speaker 5 (51:09):
I said, I got to get Wiley on to talk
about the book so people can know about Ac Mouha Williams,
who was so instrumental in this station. And I, you know,
while they had the pleasure when I first was hired
at w D I a mister Williams was still working here.
He was he was doing the gospel in the morning,
(51:30):
and he was the community public affairs director. But I
liked him, and it's just just a nice, nice, nice man.
Speaker 6 (51:40):
And I'm like you.
Speaker 5 (51:41):
I remember going over to his house on an apartment
at Union. But I am so just honored that I
was able to meet him.
Speaker 3 (51:49):
Oh, yes, yes, I was too, Yes too. And I
like to say this about you. I mean you you're
such a legend yourself, don't.
Speaker 6 (52:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (52:00):
I mean you've been part of WDA's history for a
long time. I think you mentioned how many years I've
been here, forty one years years. Yeah, yeah, So you
have a legacy yourself, and I appreciate that because you've
done a lot for this community as well. And I'm
glad to I'm glad and happy that you were able
(52:22):
to provide a preface for the book.
Speaker 5 (52:25):
I was gonna say, y'all, Whyley asked me to write
and I did. I did, Yes, thank you because you
didn't have to ask me. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 3 (52:33):
Right, But you did a good job. And if anybody
was going to write anything about AC and especially the
longevity that you have with the station, it would be you.
Thank you. So I appreciate you.
Speaker 6 (52:48):
And let me say this, y'all before you get out
of here, that we talk about whiley is a fabulous.
Speaker 5 (52:54):
Artist and you were commissioned to do those fifty portraits.
Speaker 3 (53:00):
Actually actually not you didn't know. I didn't do those.
Speaker 6 (53:05):
You didn't do those.
Speaker 3 (53:06):
I've done a lot of other things.
Speaker 5 (53:08):
Yeah, yeah, I've seen some of your work, but you
you're a fabulous artist.
Speaker 3 (53:13):
Yeah, thank you, thank you. I appreciate it. Yeah, I
appreciate it. If anybody decides that they want to come
to the Unveilain, yes, at Salem Guilfield On. I think
it's some of the first that's the first Sunday we're
going to do Unveilain and I think people will be
(53:35):
pleasantly surprised, uh to see the portrait. I usually don't brag, okay,
the work, because I think that's left up to people.
Beauties in the eye of the behold.
Speaker 6 (53:51):
Well, I'm looking forward to see.
Speaker 3 (53:53):
But I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, Bill. And then
after that we'll work on a portrait of your suit.
Speaker 6 (54:00):
That sounds like a wad okay, that sounds good.
Speaker 5 (54:03):
But thank you so much wildly for being here and
writing your new book. It's called Daddy Ac Mouha Williams
Junior and his Team Town Singers. I love that, and
again they can get the book and I'll give that
number at news startists right. Any other last words you'd
like to say to our listeners.
Speaker 3 (54:23):
Well, I would like to say to the listeners of
those who know me or know of me. I appreciate
all of the support that I've received from the community.
I've been a part of this community for ages, and
I've done a lot in the community. I've not just
in this community, but my work has has been featured
(54:45):
in newspapers, magazines. I've been all over the place, and
my art work has been marketed nationally, regionally, all over
and I appreciate the love and that I get from
the people in this community. Memphis is a fabulous place.
Memphis is a hot bed of talent, not just in music,
(55:10):
but in art as well, and I think we're the
talk of the nation, Memphis.
Speaker 6 (55:17):
It is.
Speaker 5 (55:18):
Thank you Wiley Henry for being here and your new book,
Daddy Ac Mouha Williams.
Speaker 6 (55:24):
Junior, Teen Town Singers. Thank you for writing it.
Speaker 3 (55:27):
Thank you, thank you there for having me.
Speaker 6 (55:29):
You are so welcome, mister Wiley Henry.
Speaker 5 (55:32):
When we come back, we are getting ready to go
to the other side of the Bev Johnson Show.
Speaker 6 (55:39):
Right here on w d i A
Speaker 1 (55:43):
The Bev Johnson Show, whether you're in Arkansas, Tennessee, or
Mississippi on faceboo fook, Twitter or Instagram, thank you for
listening to The Bev Johnson Show on w d i A, Memphis,
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