June 28, 2025 • 55 mins
My guest(s) today are the children of WDIA's living legend, Brother Ford Nelson. His daughter and son are in Memphis to celebrate their father's 100th birthday!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Memphis, boring and Brad walking the walk and talking and talk.
It's the stan Bell Morning Show weekday mornings from six
to ten am on the Heart and Soul of Memphis,
ten to seventy wd IA.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Okay, so three eight, one, two six listen up South
City Heritage Fest. It saying to me this Saturday. Yes, tomorrow,
eleven am to three A rock Ellie Brown Park. You
know there is miss Singer.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
You know what.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Ellie Brown Park that's on Orleans six one seven South
Orleans as tomorrow, live entertainment, music, knowledge quests, kids zone,
game truck, food truck vendors, service providers, outdoor museum, history
lives here. Yeah, that's gonna be all right there. That's tomorrow,
(00:50):
come on out. I plan to be there as well.
I think we got a doublehead of tomorrow. I'm working
like Brother Ford Nelson's working for being that community to
be working the wagon working, working, working, And I'm gonna
tell you something. W I listen, I got a lot
of this work ethic from Pioneer's a w D. I
A They work man. It is Nat D. Williams, you
(01:13):
know Mark Stansbury.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
They work man.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
I'm talking about you know back in the day. This
is just just so what was the ethic?
Speaker 5 (01:17):
Man?
Speaker 2 (01:18):
You know Bill Atkins and my good friend Max Fortune
and her and you know brother ford Man, they weren't.
Am I right about it? Miss Singleton? Absolutely, Ladies and
gentlemen in the w d I studios. The daughter, the
daughter of brother al Fordson can am I in the
house so far? Brother al Fordson? Just crease? I see
(01:42):
your reaction. Uh, Miss Janet Singleton, am I is that right?
Speaker 6 (01:48):
That's right? Janet Nelson Singleton.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Put that Nelson in. You gotta put that Nelson in.
That's right. Well, you know what, it's so good to
have you in the studio. I mean you're looking. I
see the glow over there. I'm just saying, you.
Speaker 6 (02:00):
Know, I got to catch up to his one hundred years,
so I better start glowing.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
You're going. I'm telling you, thank you so much. You're
more than welcome.
Speaker 7 (02:07):
Man.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
You know, always open the first the two most important
words in the language, thank you, Uh, the most important
word we least important. Now, so you know this is
your show, right, Okay, I'm a decrease so you can
increase and your brother too. Okay, over here to your
(02:32):
to your left, right, yes, Charles, how you doing, Charles?
Couple of mic on charges, Come on up there, Mike present.
You're not for me, You're not a stranger the microphone
you and Nelson or to some degree right, and he's
a Saints fan too. Okay, who did all the Saints
(02:53):
fans stand up?
Speaker 5 (02:55):
All right?
Speaker 2 (02:55):
You got you're in the house. So Charles, right, Yes,
you're last name Vassa. Yes, I get that right, the
s S E R R in your relationship, you're the you. Yeah,
I'm the son whose son you're for? Nelson?
Speaker 4 (03:15):
Good?
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Let me make you got them features? Hold on, let
me stand up. Yeah, I kind of see little resemblance there. Okay,
so we got the daughter and we have the son,
missus Janet Nelson Singleton and the son Charles. Mister Charles, Yes,
Sir Nelson Vassa, Am I somewhere to that work? That
(03:38):
works so WELLK to the show? So is y'all show
you're featuring me. I'm just you know, I'm gonna work
the board and I'm gonna keep the MIC's on and
let y'all kind of say some things. So thank you
for coming to w I those call letters, Missus Singleton,
those letters the callers of the radio station are embedded
in you somehow in your DNA, isn't it?
Speaker 6 (03:59):
Yes, they really are are I mean from my very
beginning of life, because my dad was here when I
was born in the fifties and you know, coming home
every day with whatever the commercial was for the week,
candy bars from you know, payday bars or something like that.
I think it's the result of why my teeth were bad.
(04:21):
But and he didn't eat any of them, by the way,
he just brought them for us. But but yeah, w
D i A has been a household name for me
and my family, my brothers and sisters for quite some time.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Wow, you recognize this gentleman over here on this this
picture here we have in the studio. You recognize that
person right there?
Speaker 6 (04:41):
You've heard oh yeah, Nat Williams. Absolutely did you.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Hear his name in the household or did he ever
come to visit? How did you did your daddy let
you talk to his coworkers?
Speaker 6 (04:52):
You know he did his coworkers. Blessed my bones. Wide
was his real close close buddy. And of course Rufus
Thomas and Nat de you know, they are all friends.
And a quick story about him and his friends my
dad say that they used to make fun of him
(05:12):
and what he would bring for lunch every day, and
if my mother didn't make him lunch, he would drive
across town get him a healthy turkey sandwich with some
alfalfa sprouts on it, or a zip locked thing of
nuts and walnuts. Now this is back in the sixties, okay,
And my dad would make an effort to eat healthy
(05:33):
right and to eat right, and his coworkers would come
on his desk and see what he had for lunch,
and they'd take his lunch bag and run around the
office and make fun of it and say, he got
some grass in there today, and he got all kind
of stuff in there today. I don't know what he's
eating today, you know, But my dad told me that
story a long time ago, how they used to tease
(05:54):
him about eating the right thing. And of course now
we know walnuts which is his favorite, and you know,
some healthy fruit is the way to go. And he
was already doing that back in the sixties. Living well, living.
Speaker 7 (06:05):
Well, being well man longevity exactly.
Speaker 6 (06:11):
Yeah. Yeah. And my brother Charles can attest to at home.
He would, you know, exercise was what he did. His
father made him a weight bench to do sit ups
and exercise on when his father was alive. So we
grew up as kids watching him exercise. This is back
in the sixties and seventies and early fifties. Actually I
(06:35):
was born in fifty four, so yeah, So it's been
a household thing for us.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Household thing. Wd I amy just a staple in the
Nelson family. WDI listeners, we're talking with the daughter of
brother al Ford's and Nelson effectually known as brother Ford
brother brother Ford Nelson on WDIA. How many years he worked?
Did you did you log this?
Speaker 6 (06:57):
Sixty four years he was at the radio station. Sixty
four Yeah, yeah, sixty four years he was at the station.
And as he got closer to in his eighties, of
course and his seventies, people would always come up to
him and say, mister Nelson, when are you going to retire?
And he said he used to tell him retire and
do what. You know, he loved what he was doing.
(07:20):
He feels like there's longevity in life if you continue
to work, and that was one of his mottoos. You know,
I'm happy I don't need to retire. And yes, he
say that there is some dignity I totally agree.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Yeah, and I'm telling you, I always say, man, I
believe in the dignity of work.
Speaker 6 (07:41):
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, my dad did too. He took work ethics,
you know, very very seriously. You know, he would prepare
for his shows and do his research, and even when
he was in his eighties, he'd say, I'm going to
the station on Wednesday, I got a little research I
want to do before my show on Sunday. I'm thinking,
what mean said, you got to do playing his gospel
(08:02):
music all your life?
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Yeah, I know. That's you know, we call it in
the business show prep, okay, show prep prep meaning preparation.
And your daddy was a prepare of the way.
Speaker 6 (08:14):
Yes he was.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
He was. He was a prepare of the way. I
know this sounds similar to somebody else we know, hell,
but he was a prepare of the way. And in
our duties, we know, they're like three important things. Preparation,
occupational dude, operational duties, and performance duties exactly. That's it.
(08:36):
Performance duties, the preparation, you know, and and the operation
in other words, working the board and making sure it's tight,
no dead are and when you have guests to make sure.
Speaker 6 (08:46):
They all you know exactly.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Yeah, even kilter on the mic, et cetera, et cetera,
and play your daddy could do.
Speaker 6 (08:52):
It all exactly.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
I'm just you know, I'm happy to know him.
Speaker 6 (08:56):
Yeah, you know his his most exciting times for him
were always m seeing these shows, whether it was at
a church he would drive to Mississippi back then or
Arkansas when some of the Hummingbirds and you know, different
groups were performing and he would be there at MC
and they would they would have him come and be
(09:19):
with them on their shows. And he loved it.
Speaker 8 (09:21):
He really.
Speaker 6 (09:24):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
This right here, you stop right there. Oh, we got
a lot to impact. Wow. So Charles will bring you
in a little bit. I wanted to get that. I
just want to get that that opening statement statements from
the daughter of Missus Janet Nelson Singleton. And we've got
Charles Nelson Vassa in the studio. Stand special people, spotlight,
(09:47):
be right back. I bring back everybody, thanks so much
for being here. Hert and Soul of Memphis AM ten
seventy e w D. I what I want to do
is give the keyword again for a repeat green g
R E E N take it to my w D.
I a dot com for your chance to win one
thousand dollars. W di A just want to kind of
bless you a little bit, you know, help you pay
(10:09):
them bills with that money. Green g R E E
N in the studio this morning, the daughter and the
son of the Double d a's living legend, former radio
personality at this very radio station, Janets Janet Nelson Singleton
(10:29):
and mister Charles Nelson Fasca. Did I say that right? Yes,
I'm in there. We're so glad to have you. I'm
gonna say, like Rufus Thomas, you brought his name up,
miss Jannet little earlier. It's a plump, pleasing pleasure and
the privilege to have you here in the w di
I A studio and sup a lot of p's there.
You're more than welcome. Let's talk about black history. If
(10:51):
you would then go to the phones. If you don't mind,
Let's talk about your daddy, mister Ford Nelson one hundred years.
Speaker 6 (11:00):
Old, one hundred years old, yeah, yesterday, right, yes, right,
June twenty sixth, nineteen twenty five. If you ask him
when his birthday is right now, he just told us
last night. June twenty sixth nineteen twenty five.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
So he is in Memphis. Yes, he ad a rehabilitation center.
He's in Memphis and name the place, but just coming.
Speaker 6 (11:22):
Yeah, he had he had a slight fall some a
couple of years ago during COVID and due to the
slight fall, we thought it was best for him to
kind of have somebody with him twenty four hours, so
he ended up there in rehab. So now he's kind
of still over there. But in fact, when the fall happened,
my sister in law went by the house Janis, to
(11:43):
check on him for some other reasons, and he said,
he's already up now, sitting in the chair at the
front door and watching television, which is what he did daily.
And he said, oh, by the way, I failed today,
And she said you fail now. I'm on the phone
with Jan and I said, well, Jan accident, who helped
him get up? He said, I failed today. Let's just
leave it at that. But anyway, we convinced him to
(12:07):
get checked out. He was fine. My dad takes multi
vitamins every day, vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc every day.
He'd been doing that before he failed, so right now
he's not on any medication. The man is doing great.
He's weakening a little bit because he's getting older, but
(12:27):
we're just blessed. I mean, I'm sure his his exercising
and his eating right and just taking care of himself mentally,
emotionally is what he did. He didn't he didn't allow
negativity to stay in with him, you know. And I
guess we're seeing the fruit to that right now.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
The secret to longevity a little zinc here and you know,
fruit didn't hear and speaking positive things in your life,
and man, that's for Nelson.
Speaker 6 (13:00):
And my dad loved the Lord. I mean, you know,
if you talk to him today, he'll say that you
get my tides and send him over there to the
loveless Church, you know, because my dad loved the Lord.
And I grew up in a family where both of
my parents played piano and my mother played for Southside Church,
and you know, they it was a musical kind of
thing all the time, and gospel was at the helm
(13:21):
of it and everything. And I'm sure all of that
fed into my life, my brothers and sisters' lives, as
well as my father's.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
So it takes us that everybody's musically inclined appears in
that Nelson family man. That's nice. Now let's talk about
some history. How did brother Ford Nelson get to WDIA
of all places.
Speaker 6 (13:41):
Well, back in the fifties, my dad was the piano
player for BB King and as BB King's piano player,
BB was at the station and you know, radio was
live and my dad was playing the piano for BB.
So for years they were here at the station together.
BB began to be more of a you know, recording artist,
(14:02):
and Bert Ferguson at the time, who was the owner
of the w g I, a radio station, said to
my dad, mister Nelson, you just have a beautiful voice.
You belong on the air. And you know, my dad
was used to you know, playing piano and other instruments,
and that's when he got on the air back in
the fifties. Through Bert Ferguson. They gave him a show.
(14:23):
It was about fifteen minutes a day and it was
called Let's have some Fun. Let's have some fun, Let's
have some fun.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Yeah, what was brother Nelson was he on? Was that
in the morning, well, middaysh I think it was only
fifteen minutes. Back in the day, announcers had maybe fifteen
thirty minutes tops for a radio show.
Speaker 6 (14:40):
Yeah, he had a couple of different works on the
night he was in He was on in the morning
more time, uh huh. He was on in the morning time,
had like fifteen minute intervals, and he had the what
was the name of the other show.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Say again, Tantown ten right, yeah, review, yea, so that
was on the air as well. That's explain to me
what that was. Was that like the jamboree or was
that when you bring in folk in almost like what
it evolved into the Teen Town Singers. But he would
have that's correct, you can get all that in fifteen minutes.
Speaker 6 (15:14):
Yeah, and everybody in the community would look forward to it.
Speaker 5 (15:19):
You know.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Well, did he play any records?
Speaker 6 (15:21):
Oh yeah, yeah, he played records. They talked, yes, exactly. Yeah,
he did a little bit of both. Yeah, he did
a little bit of both. And he would always feature something.
Then he had another show called Highway to Heaven, and
that's when the station suggested he start started playing the
gospel music. So he named that show Highway to Heaven.
(15:41):
He had that show for quite some time. Then he
had another show called the Glory Train. Yeah. So over
the years, you know, he changed the name of his shows.
We had a lot of different says.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
So was mister Nelson's shift Was it on the weekends
pretty much? Or was it through the week because I
know he had to still giggle with BB king right, Well.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
What happened He started doing the radio more full time
after BB went off to travel and BB left the station,
and then my dad had segments during the week.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
Yeah, so WD I kept him on.
Speaker 6 (16:12):
Oh yeah, w D I kept him on and brought
him on.
Speaker 9 (16:15):
Yeah, he had a show every morning for eight o'clock.
And he used to come on and say, this is
Holst with the most for Nelson. Perhaps a thoughtful to
stay bringing you good Joe.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
Man, you got a little voice on YouTube. But y'all
what the app from the tree? You got the divorce?
Mister Ferkson were here today, he said, child the child, Yeah,
you need to come on this radio. Come on Legacy.
(16:51):
You know that's that's that's interesting. You know, back in
the day, announces had like fifteen minutes you know to
do a show that shift, you know, I guess thirty
at max. Here we are with four hour programs and
stuff to get a lot of stuff in. But your
dad encapsulated all of that in that fifteen minute.
Speaker 6 (17:05):
Program, right, and then over the years, you know, the
program grew and then at one time he was doing
news for the radio station. When the radio station stopped
playing the gospel during the week all the time, he
started doing news and so he was then known as
a newsman and he would go out and interview anything
(17:25):
that was going on in the city. Around the time
that Martin Luther King was assassinated, he was doing the
interviews then for the station. So he was a very
very big part of that. And we used that today
to talk to our grandkids about black history, which is
right here in our own family.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
So did you keep any of those articles, you know,
from when your dad covered different things or did he
write for other publication. Would he just kind of covered
and bring it back to the radio station report about
it live.
Speaker 6 (17:52):
Or yes, he would he bring it back to the
station report about it live. In fact, I met Mayor
Harrington recently and he talked about when my dad interviewed
him for the first time, I think he was your
first black mayor some years ago, and uh, about how
eloquent my dad would speak and how well versed he
was at at all fields, whether it was politics or
(18:14):
or any anything. Whether he was interviewing somebody about food,
he was well versed on it because he had done
his research.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
Yeah. I read something earlier this morning Alex Coleman, who's
a broadcast journalist Miss Janet, mentioned that mister Ford Nelson
was indeed the voice of Memphis at the mid South,
covering every story with conviction, dignity, absolutely, and unwavering integrity. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (18:33):
Absolutely. He wrote for the Tri State Defender for a
little while as well, and uh so over the years
he covered, he covered quite a bit of ground. Yeah, yeah,
he covered quite a bit of ground.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
So I know in the household he was not like
a celebrity to you guys. You know, he was just daddy,
right that is, did you when did you when did
you come to know that your your father famous?
Speaker 6 (18:58):
I think we're a star. Yeah, I think we're Somebody said,
you know your dad, I saw your dad with Rufus Thomas.
I guess that made my dad famous to that person.
So then it kind of okay, all right whatever. Yeah, so.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Literally we probably know, you know, rufle was probably pulling
on his coat tails. But you know, forward man to
play for b B A scene b B King.
Speaker 6 (19:22):
Yeah, piano.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
And you I heard you say that that's not his
only instrument. Your dad is well versed, he's musically inclined.
What else, what other instrument?
Speaker 7 (19:31):
You know?
Speaker 6 (19:31):
When my dad turned ninety, we had a party for
him over at the Holiday Inn over there, and he
and his brothers got on the keyboard and then lind
Bergh got on the guitar and my dad, Lindbergh was
one of my youngest brother youngest, yeah, my dad's youngest brother.
So yeah, so they got on there together. But he
could play, you know, piano, guitar. He was just very
well versed. And he came from a family of eight
(19:54):
and he was number seven of eight. And his sister
Josie taught him how to play the piano.
Speaker 7 (20:01):
Josie, Yeah, missus Cobb.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
Yeah yeah. She was an organist at my home church
at Saint John On Vans John bachcharch On fans remember.
Speaker 6 (20:11):
A little boy organ, Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
And that and she is she was for She's for
Nelson's sister.
Speaker 6 (20:19):
That's correct, Nelson cob that's correct. It cobs up, Yeah, yeah,
that's correct.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
Yea.
Speaker 6 (20:28):
And his sister Porsche. She also taught him a lot
about music. Yeah, that was his older sister as well.
He told me that back in the day, they had
their own music. You know, there was no TV, right,
he said, So they had music in their house and
they were their own group, and they played music with
each other at home, and especially on the weekends. That's
(20:49):
what they did on Sundays. And so that's that's how
he grew up. Yeah, that's how he grew up.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Very interesting. All right, I'm up against another break. We
are talking with the daughter and the son of WA's
legendary Ford Nelson. Still alive and well and speaking. I
heard you say he can still communicate, yes, and effectively.
Speaker 6 (21:16):
He gets Yeah, he gets a little bit confused here
and there every now and then. But he told us yesterday,
I really appreciate it. I really really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
You know.
Speaker 6 (21:27):
The decorations are just they're just really beautiful. Yeah, they're
just beautiful. We thought, Okay, yeah, I'll.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Tell you what. Let me take this break. We got
a lot to unpacked. I'm gonna go to the phone lines.
When I come back, we'll be right back. In case
you just tuned in, it's Janet Nelson Singleton, the daughter
Ford Nelson and the son Charles Nelson Vassa, don't move. Hey,
that's how we do it. We're back, everybody, thanks so
much for being here. We're talking to the daughter and
(21:54):
the son of our own legendary brother Ford Nelson, living legend,
i might say, and one hundred one hundred years of
the planet are still kicking. That's what's up. I'm going
to my start line. My star line is ringing. Letting
me go over here full of star line? Was water
you liv on the radio? Who goes there? Yeah?
Speaker 8 (22:15):
This is David Porter all up there.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Wait wait, wait, wait wait DP the color the great, Hello,
the great David Porter Man. You're on the air live.
You're on the star Line, mister Porter. Obviously you've been
listening to that.
Speaker 5 (22:29):
I should not resist the opportunity to make comments about
the amazing contribution of this gentleman that is being honored today.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
Mikey's yours.
Speaker 5 (22:44):
Yeah, yeah, he You know, when we were coming up
early years in Lemshis Tennessee, there had to be examples
of leadership, of dignity, of strength of conviction, because there
was so much of a campaign to make us steal
less then going on, not just in Memphis but throughout
this country, and so it was amazing that what you
(23:06):
had at wd I A was some of the most profound,
dignified convicts, convicted and and dedication to making something positive
happen in men such as Ford Nelson, and and the
fact that that he, along with Matt D. Williams and
Ac Williams, were the prime examples of what was necessary
(23:27):
to feel good about oneself but also to realize that
the potential that was in you by the examples that
they were setting for us and so uh, the the
the motivation to be about something and into something and
getting education and all those kinds of qualities.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
As far as as well.
Speaker 5 (23:44):
As exemplifying your talents were examples that these these great
individuals showed, and Ford Nelson was at the top of
that list.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Oh Man, absolutely, uh uh, miss miss Singleton. You have
words David Port on the.
Speaker 6 (23:57):
Line, Oh David, just hearing you speak those kind words
about my dad is just so appreciative. And he would say,
I really appreciate that well, so and I know you
know best.
Speaker 5 (24:13):
Yeah, I know that, but I would tell you that
you are a perfect example of what I'm saying about
the qualities that he instilled in others based on the
great success and the dignity and the great qualities that.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
You've exemplified all the years that I've known you.
Speaker 5 (24:29):
But your father was truly, truly an example of what
was necessary for a young man to be really stimulated
and motivated in a.
Speaker 8 (24:38):
Correct way to be.
Speaker 5 (24:40):
And I have such great respect for all of his contributions,
and certainly for having developed a friendship meaningful one with you.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
But he.
Speaker 5 (24:50):
In addition to being a great musician, a great org
he was all of the qualities that one could could
aspire for. And when you consider that you're talking one
hundred years old, when you consider where he came from
and how he had to develop those instincts to be.
Speaker 6 (25:07):
About those qualities exactly.
Speaker 5 (25:09):
Oh, it's just amazing to what he was and what
he exemplified, and just those that came after him. We had.
The kids nowadays have no idea what the forerunners had
to go through, and certainly I had no idea as
a young kid coming up what fort Nelson had to
go through. But I had all of the motivation that
(25:32):
I needed to wanted to feel positive self love and
be about something because I saw that coming from him.
Speaker 6 (25:40):
Thank you so much, David.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
David appreciate you. You know that those of you who don't
know who they reported, you've been out of someone in
the rock somewhere. They reported recon produce a singer, songwriter, entrepreneur,
philanthropist Stacks. You remember Stacks. Of course I like when
you do that commercial, mister Porter, Stacks remember, Yeah, Well
that was good man, you know, and of course I
got to throw this in an Avid w D listener
and you know the history man, David Porter, thank you
(26:03):
so much. Appreciate that little background in for yeah much love.
All right, all right, there you go. Let's go. Uh
that's David Porter. Let's go delicately to another line here. Uh,
let's go here, w DACA morning. Uh are you there?
Call him? Go right ahead.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
You're on the air, Yes, I am.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
You right here? Your thoughts this morning?
Speaker 7 (26:23):
You hear me?
Speaker 8 (26:23):
Okay, hang on, everybody in there. This chapman I didn't
messhis tennessee ye for me, the police all that. But listen,
let me call y'all real quick. I can get off here.
Uh your daddy or duston. I was a boy sitting
in the front seat of a United Cab Company car.
My daddy go a cab back in the pitt and
(26:44):
he picked up anybody, everybody that was in the foot
Home neighborhood over there, but wherever you were. You used
to call him the United Cab and he would come
and get you. But he's never been without me on
the front seat.
Speaker 4 (26:55):
So I'm just lash.
Speaker 8 (26:56):
I'm just glad you couldn't see win him what's going on.
But then my daddy taken me. He always take me
in and pick up people that w b I take
them off. We mean everybody got out of their cop.
Speaker 4 (27:07):
He had to pick up.
Speaker 8 (27:09):
Everybody take him somewhere. So all the time he would
pick up Ford Nelson. I closed my eyes and said, Dad,
that man got a pretty board. You at one man,
He said, oh, there ain't nobody before he would say
there ain't nobody before it. There ain't nobody, but BV
there ain't nobody but body. He was calling about it
first night. But everybody knew him and he knew him.
(27:29):
So I grew up saying, man, I want to sound
like him one day because that.
Speaker 4 (27:33):
Man sounds good anyway.
Speaker 8 (27:36):
But pushing on to the sixty, I followed for Nelson
around during the Martin mu King game. See'all was there
with Doc King and Clayton Tom. But but I saw
Ford Nelson. I would run up to him and stand
shouting the show. I'm a teenager. I stood there next
to him and he said, hey, so. But he would
take out a little take recorder or because chet.
Speaker 3 (27:54):
Thing, you know, a little toy toy.
Speaker 8 (27:57):
And Michael Popton and he was sticking in that team
Smith face. He was sticking in doctor King.
Speaker 5 (28:01):
Kay.
Speaker 8 (28:01):
I'm standing there there looking and I said, I was
like in one of them. I went to a part
Chap bought one and I said, this man sticking and
then I followed him to a taller phone and he said,
let me hun the paone. I thought he was gonna
talk on the phone. He was tied upon the part.
He taking the part. I was standing there looking, and
he taking sending the broadcast on the tape recorder straight
to the radio station or stations. Poor it new So
(28:22):
and I'm sitting there at the AMC here with the
Union strikers. And then he would tell what he's doing
and snapped the nothing it sin it at the radio
station and then getting like a live broadcast. I never
saw that, never seeing anybody do it. So I started
doing it too, or I wasn't a picture. I was
just doing it next day on the radio station. Then one
picked up doing it, and TV stations started doing spread
(28:43):
up was doing stuff back in the sixty early sixty
other people wasn't doing then. The last time I thought him,
we were at a churchy on Mill Branch. I go
in there and sitty that listening to different gospetall booth
and I'm saying, yeah, yeah, y' all sounded like they
sounded like girls up there singing. He sit next to me.
I didn't know what I looked. I said, I know him,
I ain't trying to. He turning around, hunting me in
(29:03):
his arm and said, you know what. He said, all
these groups sounded like I said, I was just thinking that,
and he said, we need some groups sound like the
uh old Time group up on stage.
Speaker 4 (29:14):
Guess what.
Speaker 8 (29:14):
The stir of the Memphis got out there and them
boys to stay stood up. He said, I That's what
I'm talking about. That's the last time I saw. But
I said, he understanding the old time gospel singing like
I did. I said, man, I love you and I
like you. Man, I don't know who you are. He
gave me a number of car. He's staying over there
on horn make somewhere, and he said, man, I want
(29:35):
to ask like you come man, you sound out right.
He had a boy staring and gave him my name
back in the seving and just called the street Gilver,
some guy.
Speaker 4 (29:44):
Boy.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
You got a lot of history for us this morning,
Thank you, captain. All right, man, A lot of fine memories,
A lot of fine memories. Right. Let me go to
another phone line if you don't mind, missus Singleton, let's
go delicately line, give me line sick on the radio. Yeah,
good morning, good morning.
Speaker 4 (30:08):
How you doing. I wouldn't dare let this day go back?
Good morning Janney, good morning child. Look brother Ford, he was,
I mean, that's for our standing. Gay. I remember the
(30:28):
day that somebody introduced me to brother Ford. But actually
I got a phone call without going into detail, one
of us to lay Calm and the other one was
Jeff Lee. And when they shared with me about brother Ford,
I said, all that ain't no problem. We'll take care
of this. I said, So what are you gonna say
(30:50):
when we show up down there? So man, j T
pull up? I told jay T go knock on the door,
I said, and see what he gonna say. J T
knocked on that door. Brother Foe, act like we were
stabling members. He kept saying. He said, I can't believe it.
(31:11):
You the JT. They called radio. He said, that's Lady D.
He said, y'all come on in, but I didn't go in.
Speaker 5 (31:21):
I told j T.
Speaker 4 (31:22):
I said, where you know, y'all men, you go on
in and talk to us. Brother boy came to that door.
He said, Lady D, it's okay for JT to come in,
but you the celebrity. I said, Brother bad, I'm just
somebody that called.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
The brady Yo, he said.
Speaker 4 (31:40):
He said, I got a celebrity at my house. He
was talking to I don't know who. He was talking
to her on the phone, but he told them, I'm
gonna have to call you back because this celebrity is
at my house. To make a long story short, from
that day to this one, this like it's like I'm
(32:01):
his daughter, j T his son, And he said, y'all
gonna do that for me. I say, yes, we're gonna
do this for you. He said, wait a minute. He said,
I don't believe it's here. But last thing I'm gonna say,
I said, what Brother Forward just call us anytime if
you need anything. So, brother Ford, I guess he cook
(32:27):
up for us up on there. So one morn to
stand the phone wrong. It was about two o'clock in
the morning. I said, oh my goodness, the board got
a serious situation going on. So I said the phone.
I said, good morning, brother Ford. How you doing he said,
old lady dd. He said, I'm doing fine. He said,
(32:49):
but uh, where's j T? I said, he right here?
He said, can I speak to him a minute? So
I gave j T the fall brother for so j T.
He said, you know, I don't like walking through my
house with that my flash right, you got this big
(33:09):
old flash right? He can't with batteries. He said, j T,
can you come down here in the morning because I
think these batteries dead? And this fall that last at
two o'clock in the morning he was calling.
Speaker 2 (33:26):
Yeah, I got run lay some good stories. Just can't
tell it, tell it all.
Speaker 1 (33:32):
You know what?
Speaker 2 (33:32):
That was a good I got a good chuckle out
of that. Did you let me take one boy on
the radio? Thanks of waiting you got through. Yeah, it's
the Janet Nelson Singleton Show feature.
Speaker 10 (33:47):
Saying Hey, good boy, I'm so glassy mating that safely.
Good morning to guess you know, brother Paul.
Speaker 8 (33:55):
This is Lady Tea.
Speaker 4 (33:57):
I heard you.
Speaker 8 (33:57):
I seen you all the news this morning.
Speaker 4 (33:59):
Your dad have.
Speaker 6 (34:00):
Birthday, the lady.
Speaker 10 (34:01):
It was yesterday, right, yes, yeah, one hundred years old.
Oh my god, look at God. And he was listening
up there, you know. And I heard you say, and
you look great too.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
I won't to tell you that I heard she say.
Speaker 10 (34:13):
Well, Dad, sometimes he see you know, tell his little
little little jokes or something.
Speaker 1 (34:18):
You will saying.
Speaker 10 (34:18):
He and I said, he got to be a great person,
you know, to be at that age and still you know,
every now and the because, like you say, his memory
colmes from.
Speaker 1 (34:26):
The gold away, you know.
Speaker 10 (34:27):
But it's just a it's just a blessing, you man,
and I and I was looking at him this morning
and you and you and I didn't see your brother.
Oh he wasn't there on the news this morning, was it?
Uh NOA so so so yeah. So I just want
to say, you know, uh, happy latey birthday. And I
heard so much and he this guy had a great voice.
Speaker 4 (34:49):
And I won't tell you.
Speaker 10 (34:49):
Two young lady, the daughter, what's your name, Jannet Channing?
You you need being raised because you have that boy,
you got ch you know, I said you aside from
your dad. You know, you get something. You know, it's
in your jeans, so you know, can't keep carrying at all,
you know, because I know he would have loved that.
(35:09):
You know, he would love that, you know, to know
that his children, you know, because I know there's a
lot of more things that I was gonna carry on
in his life, you know. But I just want to
tell you guys that it was just good to talk,
just to see you on the on the news this
morning and everything.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
And I hope your dad.
Speaker 10 (35:24):
Lived another hundred years and day. Let me say this
for my birthday, Happy birthday to my baby boy tomorrow
and saying name of Jean.
Speaker 8 (35:32):
I love him so much.
Speaker 10 (35:33):
I want you guys to have a great weekend.
Speaker 11 (35:35):
Thanks for taking my college, all.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
Right, thank you for making it, lady pe all right,
how about them.
Speaker 6 (35:40):
Miss Jenny, you know staying my my sons are masters
behind the microphone too. So yeah, my son Ario and Marlon,
both of them, they are masters behind the microphone.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
Y'all allget it?
Speaker 6 (35:52):
And then I married a DJ from back in the
day too, Yeah you bet to DJ well way many
years ago, years was on the ones and two turntapes
on a Yeah, it was purely coincidental, you know, sort
of like I don't need to come by no radio station.
I grew up in a radio station.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
Yeah, you can tell him a thing or two. So
this wd I listener rights in the subject space. Good
morning standing the Nelson clan. Hey that riots YEA happy
one hundred birthday to mister Ford Nelson. I will never
forget that smooth, unforgettable voice that graced our stand up
radio while listening to the only radio station of our
(36:33):
time in the fifties and sixties w d I. A.
That's some Dennis Jones. How about that?
Speaker 5 (36:39):
Man?
Speaker 2 (36:40):
You know what, there's another one. Uh yeah, a tribute
to just coming in miss miss Singleton. I appreciate the
tribute and uh especially while he's still alive and exactly. Yeah,
and you know what this is from Keith Payin, and
he's right, you know, give the flowers this morning, that's right,
(37:04):
the flowers.
Speaker 7 (37:04):
While he yet lives and can smell them exactly, and
he can hear good. Oh yeah, he can hear better
than me.
Speaker 5 (37:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:13):
So want everybody to know mister Nelson is alive and well,
if you're just tuning in, you know, it might sound
like we're just talking about, you know, the legacy, which
we are. But he is very much in this world.
Speaker 6 (37:26):
Yes he is.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
And your daddy is just just amazing. Yes, that's what
I want to say it. You know, he's amazing to me.
He come to a words, He's amazing to me, and
I admire him.
Speaker 6 (37:40):
Oh, thank you.
Speaker 2 (37:42):
I'm serious. I admire your dad, your father, I say,
I'm gonna say this. I'm going to break the father
is the family role model, whether he wants the job
or not.
Speaker 6 (37:53):
Oh, that's right. Yeah, you learn as you go, learn
as you go.
Speaker 2 (37:57):
Take a break, right, let me adjust my microphone here
a little bit, yes, a little bit here, and gotta
kiss mis Dawny. You need any any water or anything?
I meant to ask you during the break. You're okay,
you need any fine? Okay?
Speaker 6 (38:10):
Good?
Speaker 2 (38:10):
What about you, brother, Charles? I'm good. I want to
make sure hospitality is in full effect. Brown here, because
your daddy would have it no other way. Absolutely, we're
talking to the son and the daughter of one of
our stars. I'm gonna say it like that, one of
the stars of Radio Man your daddy, mister Ford Nelson,
(38:30):
al Fordson. Often do you hear that al Fordson brother Nelson,
he was in the mix with you talk about stars.
He I remember that picture they had on the wall
when I was a w DO a high school reporter,
teenage reporter back in seventy six, seventy seven. They keep artifacts. Now,
(38:54):
this was on Central remember the studio when they were
on Central and that and that. I guess you could,
I guess you say Cooper Young area, you know, midtown
Ish were down Central ac moohall, Williams, Rufus Thomas. I'm
talking about this big picture. Willem Monroe was up there,
(39:15):
Nat D. Williams and your daddy. Yes, all in the
one separate photograph, right, you know all it was collected,
they were all together, but it's one big frame. You
still got that picture. We do fantastic, Yeah, yes we do.
I'm just trying to figure out when was it taken?
Is it the late fifties, maybe the early sixties or
(39:39):
mid sixties, because I see willim Monrose picture and that
had to be what do you think, maybe Charles maybe
I would.
Speaker 7 (39:50):
Say maybe early sixties, yeah, early sixties, yeah, early sixties.
Speaker 2 (39:57):
Yeah, Yeah.
Speaker 6 (39:58):
I still have my dad's uh you know, promo picture
from when he was at w g I A and
he signed it blessings O brother Ford. Yeah, that's how
he would signed, sign his signature on his picture to
his fan base.
Speaker 2 (40:16):
So I guess with these five stars of radio your
dad included in this photo, that might be maybe that
was the day parts. Maybe you know someone that maybe
AC was in the morning I I'm just saying hypothetically,
or or you know, mister A. C. Muhaw Williams may
have the may have done the morning show and then
somewhere maybe after him. Let's just say, for instance, Wilhelm
(40:38):
unt Rolle may have followed him. I would have to
call doctor Melvin char Smith or it over at Mamarais
you know the past over there. He would know, so
I would I would think maybe A. C. Mouhaw Williams
came home maybe in the morning. You know, you're starting
five lineups right then. The great Wilhelm un Rolle maybe
did the mid day because then it was, like I said,
fifteen thirty minute shows whatever. But then you got roof
(40:59):
of Thomas Rufus Thomas maybe next because he had to
get off there and go to the gig, then maybe
Ford Nelson and then I'm Nat Williams. You know this
is a great photo. Yes, stars of radio in every
sense of the word. Can I go delicately back to
the phone line and take another caller? Okay, No, I
dis missed that one. Sorry, I think you can call
(41:21):
it right back. I think it was Nurse bever that.
I believe your daddy played piano. Yes he did for
BB King, Yes he did.
Speaker 4 (41:28):
How long?
Speaker 2 (41:28):
How long did you stay on.
Speaker 6 (41:29):
The road with You know, when BB went on the road,
that's when my dad became wd IA announcer. And he
didn't go on the road with BB other than local
events here in Memphis, And so when BB started traveling,
my dad was at the station. So they kind of remained,
you know, friends and colleagues, but my dad became the
(41:52):
full time announcer. Yeah, exactly. You know, back then in radio,
they didn't just play the music. They talked to their audience. Yeah,
and uh, that's what everybody loved about my dad. My
sister Pat wrote a poem some years ago about my dad,
and in one of the lines of the poem, she said,
your voice seems to warm and spread over the room.
(42:14):
Bringing in the sunshine, erasing the dismal gloom. And uh,
it was sort of like my dad just knew how
to speak to his audience. And that's what everybody loved
about him. Everybody was personal to him. His his audience
was very personal to him.
Speaker 2 (42:30):
All right, man, that's great, that's nice. Let's go to
the phone line. If you don't, oh it kicks out
like that. Uh but yeah, those are who will call
even call back. I'm trying to get maybe two more
callers on and that will be it. So and so
your father's doing well. Uh, you know you told us
to some degree, you know, some of the things he
some challenges he may have, but he he's with us.
(42:51):
He can smell, he's got the sense, he got five
senses kicking in.
Speaker 6 (42:55):
Oh, the sense of to kicking in, kicking in. I
called yeah last week, said, I told my girlfriend to
check to make sure he had the station on on
Sunday on turn to w G I A because you know,
Mark Stansbury always gives him a shout out, so I
want to make sure he hears him on Sunday. So
she went in there to turn on the radios for him,
(43:17):
and uh, she walked in the room and he said,
is it time to eat yet? So this is last
Sunday okay, wow, so I think he's doing okay.
Speaker 5 (43:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (43:27):
I brought him some picket dinies and he said, naw, that's.
Speaker 2 (43:29):
Good, give me that phone. Tell me you on the radio.
Thanks for calling you on the.
Speaker 11 (43:34):
Airy Good morning stand, good morning, good morning to missus
Janet and to mister was a Charles.
Speaker 3 (43:44):
Yeah, yes, yes, interesting conversation. Interesting conversation.
Speaker 11 (43:52):
And I hope your dad is listening because I'm sure
this will really make his day. Yes, you know, and
it's light given flowers while they're still here, so I'm
hoping he's listening to this conversation. But I want to
say when your dad is one of the giants of WDA,
(44:14):
and just to say his name, it just takes your
back to such beautiful times and such beautiful memories, you know.
And I want to ask you, did your dad ever
come on on Sunday Afternoon?
Speaker 8 (44:28):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (44:29):
Yeah, absolutely, that was his show. When my dad was
still in his eighties. He was driving to the station
at five o'clock in the morning, himself, driving himself to
the station at five o'clock in the morning, and he
was here doing radio from sixty two on Sundays. That
was his last shift until he retired in nineteen eighty nine.
Speaker 2 (44:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (44:47):
Well, the reason I asked that because he retired.
Speaker 6 (44:50):
He retired in twenty fourteen, but he was eighty nine
years old. He retired in twenty fourteen at eighty nine.
Speaker 11 (44:56):
Yeah, yeah, definitely ever read it, Bunny. I remember as
a little girl being out to my grandmother's on Sundays
and she would have the radio on w DA and
I think it was a brother Ford Nelson that she
would be listening to.
Speaker 6 (45:13):
I'm sure you know. So.
Speaker 11 (45:15):
Yeah, I tell you your dad is definitely a WDA
radio giant, and you know, he'll always, you know, be remembered.
Speaker 3 (45:24):
And I just want to say thank you for coming
in and telling us this.
Speaker 11 (45:29):
Wonderful story about your dad and the fact.
Speaker 3 (45:31):
He's one hundred years old and not on any.
Speaker 11 (45:35):
Medications, just taking those three supplements.
Speaker 6 (45:38):
That's amazing.
Speaker 11 (45:40):
That's amazing.
Speaker 5 (45:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 11 (45:42):
God is good all the time.
Speaker 6 (45:43):
Absolutely.
Speaker 8 (45:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (45:44):
He used to have a lemon every morning, and he'd
take him a swig of olive oil every morning, and
he had a regis, you know, he'd eat at a
certain time after he's had his lemon and olive oil,
little toxy thing and so yeah, I said, well, Daddy,
what you do with the lemon? He said, well, you
wash the lemon off and cut off the top and
then I'm gonna suck the juice out. So what can
(46:06):
I say?
Speaker 11 (46:06):
Wow, that's that's that, that's that terrible medicase.
Speaker 2 (46:10):
That's terrible.
Speaker 7 (46:11):
That that's the best for you.
Speaker 3 (46:13):
Phartaceutical stuff we take.
Speaker 6 (46:15):
Yeah, it's good for my prostate, Janet, but you don't
know anything about that.
Speaker 4 (46:21):
Okay.
Speaker 11 (46:22):
I hope these men listening.
Speaker 6 (46:25):
I'm taking.
Speaker 2 (46:27):
Yeah, yeah, I'm taking.
Speaker 6 (46:28):
Nobody give it a try.
Speaker 10 (46:29):
Yeah take no, man, get you some lemon and some olive.
Speaker 6 (46:32):
Balls every morning.
Speaker 4 (46:34):
Okay, thank you staying for taking my college.
Speaker 11 (46:38):
I have a good weekend.
Speaker 2 (46:39):
Okay you as well. Up against his last break and
uh w d I A many of you know, was
the first radio station in America that was programmed entirely
to Act two and four right African America, That is correct,
Ac Mouha, Williams, Rufus, Thomas Wilhelm, Monroe, brother Ford, Nelson,
(47:04):
Nat De Williams, Mark Stansberry. The list goes on on
THEO Bless my bones, Wade, you know you. The names
just go on and on and these are these are legends. Yeah,
all right, let me take this last break, be right back.
All right, a couple of things before we wrap this thing.
Wrap this interview up.
Speaker 3 (47:21):
Man.
Speaker 2 (47:21):
You know, it's just been great. I wanted to send
a shout out to Representative Johnny Turner. This lady right here,
you talk about living legends. She was honored during her
eighty five, eighty fifth birthday. I believe it was last Sunday,
well actual birthday, it was last Saturday, and poured out.
That was so much love, so out pouring for the
(47:45):
missus Johnny Turner. I just want to say congratulations. She
was recognized for her lifelong commitment to civil rights and
public service. Way to go, Missus Turner. Also a newly
named street also commemorates her legacy. What a celebration, What
(48:05):
a birthday party. Permanent marker of her legacy unveiled. I
think it was last Monday of this Monday, last Monday,
and they say the party of room was filled and
like brother Ford Nelson, a lot of admiration in the room,
a lot of admiration for Representative Johnny Turner, her Delta sisters.
(48:30):
If you will that love their d in front of
the S and the s in front of their tea
and you're not Greek at you Jay that chuckle, I said, okay,
just check it. Yeah, And there's a lot of tribute
So Johnny Turner, I'm telling you, we love you. You
(48:52):
deserve everything that comes your way. Positive. What an honor,
all right. Coupled the Eiger Will announcements, We'll be back
at the mobile food pantry at Saint Patrick Catholic Church
there MLK and id B Wells right there on the
corner right across the FedEx Form. Come on out early.
Gates will swing up at about eight fifteen. You might
(49:14):
want to get there a little bit earlier than maybe
I'm just saying maybe an hour earlier. Some folk out
there two or three hours earlier. But I'll be out
there to look for you. And then of course at
Elie Brown Park eleven to two, we're at for Score
having a big festival out there as well on Orlean Street.
You'll probably hear us before you see us, that's for sure,
(49:38):
all right. So Wainning moments of the show are coming
up musically, a tribute to the legacy of Walter Scott
of the Whispers. Many of you may have known and
I know you know it's music, Miss Singleton.
Speaker 6 (49:54):
Oh, absolutely Whispers know him personally?
Speaker 4 (49:58):
Do you really?
Speaker 6 (49:58):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (49:59):
I do? Oh you want to share anything? Uh, fond
members or anything before we go? Walter Scott passed away yesterday.
Speaker 6 (50:06):
I believe, just wonderful people. I know them from living
on the West Coast. And you know the record label
that they were on. My my ex husband was part
of that label. So yeah, just beautiful people. Always very personable,
very approachable. That's how they That's how they are, That's
how they were.
Speaker 2 (50:27):
Were they were they on solo? Was that Solar X one?
The Whispers.
Speaker 6 (50:33):
Probably lost.
Speaker 2 (50:35):
I think they may be on solo, but you know
what exactly. Yeah, we're saying to hear the passing of
Walter Scott, one of the co founders of the Whispers.
So we're going to do a musical tribute in his
memory as we remember Walter Scott, he was eighty one. Scotty,
he's got it. Yeah, so let me say thank you.
I want to end the way we began to most
important words that the language. Thank you. Janet is Janet Nelson.
(50:58):
Besides that Nelson, that's a keeper in it. That's right,
that's a keeper, jadded Nelson Singleton. And your brother right here,
mister Charles Nelson Vasa, yeah, Mike, back on, man, thank
you for the information as we were kind of going
through the show and the footage and the photos and
the stars.
Speaker 1 (51:17):
Man.
Speaker 8 (51:17):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (51:18):
Man. Yeah, welcome. You had to get that. I think
you are too well, you.
Speaker 5 (51:24):
Know I am.
Speaker 6 (51:25):
But my brother Tyrone, uh and his son Corey, they
the they're the real Saints and and Dallas cowboy bands.
Speaker 2 (51:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (51:32):
But my dad loved him some baseball and uh yeah,
so you know, he he left, he left a legacy
within this family.
Speaker 5 (51:39):
You know.
Speaker 6 (51:40):
Not only does his grandson Corey have his voice. Uh,
you know, my my boys love the mic, but my uh,
you know, it's just amazing when you look back on
I would hear my brother Tyrone singing, and my mom
singing and my dad, you know, singing and around the
house constantly. I mean, that's just what we did. And
(52:02):
when I used to hear the news come on Walter Concrete, Concrete,
I think it was the man's name back in the day,
I could think.
Speaker 2 (52:09):
Of my dad.
Speaker 6 (52:09):
When I hear baseball on the radio, I can think
of my dad because you know, he listened to the
baseball game live because it wasn't on the TV, it
was on the radio. So those type of things that
happened in my household, you know, I carried with me.
And I remember when telling my dad one day not
long ago that I went to Ford Road and I
(52:30):
thanked him for, you know, my upbringing at Ford Road
because at that school, every morning we sang Praise God
from whom all blessings flow every school morning. Every single morning,
we marched around the school and what marched around the hallway,
and we sang that song every single day, and it
is embedded in my soul.
Speaker 2 (52:51):
Did y'all say? At acapella?
Speaker 6 (52:54):
The students it was the morning devotional?
Speaker 2 (52:59):
Yes, wrote How ironic is that?
Speaker 6 (53:01):
Ford roll for right over there and to walking homes?
Speaker 2 (53:05):
Right?
Speaker 6 (53:06):
Yeah, we sang uh, you know, that was our doctology.
We sang it every day. It was part of the morning.
The flag and everything that was just part of that's
right exactly. So I thanked my dad for that because
you know, I feel like him and my mother, you know,
they sent me to the right school and and that
(53:27):
was just the beginning for me. And that is what's
so important and what's missing a lot today is these
kids are not getting a great foundation like that, you know.
So so when I get a little down and out,
you know, I go back to that song.
Speaker 2 (53:40):
Yeah, i get.
Speaker 6 (53:41):
A little down and out, and you know, I'm thinking
about my days in church with them, and you know
I could turn the page four hundred and uh, you
know I would trust in the Lord. I just that's
just how we were raised. And uh, those things will
will carry you through the tough times.
Speaker 1 (53:58):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (53:59):
Yeah, interesting historical. You just blessed tens of thousands of listeners.
Speaker 6 (54:05):
I hope so because my dad sure did it. Ye.
Speaker 2 (54:07):
Yeah, yeah, your dad is remarkable. We love you, mister
Ford Nelson. Keep on keeping on. Happy birthday to you
one hundred years man. Yeah, look, since you got scriptural
on us and the doxology talk, I'm gonna say it
for brother Nelson. You know, the scripture says, so teach
us to number our days so that we may apply
(54:30):
our hearts unto wisdom Layman's terms. Birthdays are good for you.
Speaker 6 (54:36):
Oh absolutely, research, Yes, wanted to keep on coming.
Speaker 2 (54:39):
You want to research your veils that the people who
have the most birthdays live the longest Yeah at birthday
for it. Thank you wd I listeners, thank you so much,
Thank you, Miss Janet, thank you, mister Charles, thank everybody,
all the callers and those of you who listen on
a day to day basis. Let's do it all over
again Monday morning at six another stand Bill More the show.
(55:00):
The rest of the hour, We're gonna drop some whispers
on you in memory of Walter Scott, co founder of
that amazing group.
Speaker 8 (55:07):
He's on and popping.
Speaker 1 (55:08):
It's The Stan Belle Morning Show week dates from six
to ten AM on the Heart and Soul of Memphis
ten to seventy wd IA
Memphis, boring and Brad walking the walk and talking and talk.
It's the stan Bell Morning Show weekday mornings from six
to ten am on the Heart and Soul of Memphis,
ten to seventy wd IA.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Okay, so three eight, one, two six listen up South
City Heritage Fest. It saying to me this Saturday. Yes, tomorrow,
eleven am to three A rock Ellie Brown Park. You
know there is miss Singer.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
You know what.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Ellie Brown Park that's on Orleans six one seven South
Orleans as tomorrow, live entertainment, music, knowledge quests, kids zone,
game truck, food truck vendors, service providers, outdoor museum, history
lives here. Yeah, that's gonna be all right there. That's tomorrow,
(00:50):
come on out. I plan to be there as well.
I think we got a doublehead of tomorrow. I'm working
like Brother Ford Nelson's working for being that community to
be working the wagon working, working, working, And I'm gonna
tell you something. W I listen, I got a lot
of this work ethic from Pioneer's a w D. I
A They work man. It is Nat D. Williams, you
(01:13):
know Mark Stansbury.
Speaker 4 (01:14):
They work man.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
I'm talking about you know back in the day. This
is just just so what was the ethic?
Speaker 5 (01:17):
Man?
Speaker 2 (01:18):
You know Bill Atkins and my good friend Max Fortune
and her and you know brother ford Man, they weren't.
Am I right about it? Miss Singleton? Absolutely, Ladies and
gentlemen in the w d I studios. The daughter, the
daughter of brother al Fordson can am I in the
house so far? Brother al Fordson? Just crease? I see
(01:42):
your reaction. Uh, Miss Janet Singleton, am I is that right?
Speaker 6 (01:48):
That's right? Janet Nelson Singleton.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Put that Nelson in. You gotta put that Nelson in.
That's right. Well, you know what, it's so good to
have you in the studio. I mean you're looking. I
see the glow over there. I'm just saying, you.
Speaker 6 (02:00):
Know, I got to catch up to his one hundred years,
so I better start glowing.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
You're going. I'm telling you, thank you so much. You're
more than welcome.
Speaker 7 (02:07):
Man.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
You know, always open the first the two most important
words in the language, thank you, Uh, the most important
word we least important. Now, so you know this is
your show, right, Okay, I'm a decrease so you can
increase and your brother too. Okay, over here to your
(02:32):
to your left, right, yes, Charles, how you doing, Charles?
Couple of mic on charges, Come on up there, Mike present.
You're not for me, You're not a stranger the microphone
you and Nelson or to some degree right, and he's
a Saints fan too. Okay, who did all the Saints
(02:53):
fans stand up?
Speaker 5 (02:55):
All right?
Speaker 2 (02:55):
You got you're in the house. So Charles, right, Yes,
you're last name Vassa. Yes, I get that right, the
s S E R R in your relationship, you're the you. Yeah,
I'm the son whose son you're for? Nelson?
Speaker 4 (03:15):
Good?
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Let me make you got them features? Hold on, let
me stand up. Yeah, I kind of see little resemblance there. Okay,
so we got the daughter and we have the son,
missus Janet Nelson Singleton and the son Charles. Mister Charles, Yes,
Sir Nelson Vassa, Am I somewhere to that work? That
(03:38):
works so WELLK to the show? So is y'all show
you're featuring me. I'm just you know, I'm gonna work
the board and I'm gonna keep the MIC's on and
let y'all kind of say some things. So thank you
for coming to w I those call letters, Missus Singleton,
those letters the callers of the radio station are embedded
in you somehow in your DNA, isn't it?
Speaker 6 (03:59):
Yes, they really are are I mean from my very
beginning of life, because my dad was here when I
was born in the fifties and you know, coming home
every day with whatever the commercial was for the week,
candy bars from you know, payday bars or something like that.
I think it's the result of why my teeth were bad.
(04:21):
But and he didn't eat any of them, by the way,
he just brought them for us. But but yeah, w
D i A has been a household name for me
and my family, my brothers and sisters for quite some time.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Wow, you recognize this gentleman over here on this this
picture here we have in the studio. You recognize that
person right there?
Speaker 6 (04:41):
You've heard oh yeah, Nat Williams. Absolutely did you.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Hear his name in the household or did he ever
come to visit? How did you did your daddy let
you talk to his coworkers?
Speaker 6 (04:52):
You know he did his coworkers. Blessed my bones. Wide
was his real close close buddy. And of course Rufus
Thomas and Nat de you know, they are all friends.
And a quick story about him and his friends my
dad say that they used to make fun of him
(05:12):
and what he would bring for lunch every day, and
if my mother didn't make him lunch, he would drive
across town get him a healthy turkey sandwich with some
alfalfa sprouts on it, or a zip locked thing of
nuts and walnuts. Now this is back in the sixties, okay,
And my dad would make an effort to eat healthy
(05:33):
right and to eat right, and his coworkers would come
on his desk and see what he had for lunch,
and they'd take his lunch bag and run around the
office and make fun of it and say, he got
some grass in there today, and he got all kind
of stuff in there today. I don't know what he's
eating today, you know, But my dad told me that
story a long time ago, how they used to tease
(05:54):
him about eating the right thing. And of course now
we know walnuts which is his favorite, and you know,
some healthy fruit is the way to go. And he
was already doing that back in the sixties. Living well, living.
Speaker 7 (06:05):
Well, being well man longevity exactly.
Speaker 6 (06:11):
Yeah. Yeah. And my brother Charles can attest to at home.
He would, you know, exercise was what he did. His
father made him a weight bench to do sit ups
and exercise on when his father was alive. So we
grew up as kids watching him exercise. This is back
in the sixties and seventies and early fifties. Actually I
(06:35):
was born in fifty four, so yeah, So it's been
a household thing for us.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Household thing. Wd I amy just a staple in the
Nelson family. WDI listeners, we're talking with the daughter of
brother al Ford's and Nelson effectually known as brother Ford
brother brother Ford Nelson on WDIA. How many years he worked?
Did you did you log this?
Speaker 6 (06:57):
Sixty four years he was at the radio station. Sixty
four Yeah, yeah, sixty four years he was at the station.
And as he got closer to in his eighties, of
course and his seventies, people would always come up to
him and say, mister Nelson, when are you going to retire?
And he said he used to tell him retire and
do what. You know, he loved what he was doing.
(07:20):
He feels like there's longevity in life if you continue
to work, and that was one of his mottoos. You know,
I'm happy I don't need to retire. And yes, he
say that there is some dignity I totally agree.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Yeah, and I'm telling you, I always say, man, I
believe in the dignity of work.
Speaker 6 (07:41):
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, my dad did too. He took work ethics,
you know, very very seriously. You know, he would prepare
for his shows and do his research, and even when
he was in his eighties, he'd say, I'm going to
the station on Wednesday, I got a little research I
want to do before my show on Sunday. I'm thinking,
what mean said, you got to do playing his gospel
(08:02):
music all your life?
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Yeah, I know. That's you know, we call it in
the business show prep, okay, show prep prep meaning preparation.
And your daddy was a prepare of the way.
Speaker 6 (08:14):
Yes he was.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
He was. He was a prepare of the way. I
know this sounds similar to somebody else we know, hell,
but he was a prepare of the way. And in
our duties, we know, they're like three important things. Preparation,
occupational dude, operational duties, and performance duties exactly. That's it.
(08:36):
Performance duties, the preparation, you know, and and the operation
in other words, working the board and making sure it's tight,
no dead are and when you have guests to make sure.
Speaker 6 (08:46):
They all you know exactly.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Yeah, even kilter on the mic, et cetera, et cetera,
and play your daddy could do.
Speaker 6 (08:52):
It all exactly.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
I'm just you know, I'm happy to know him.
Speaker 6 (08:56):
Yeah, you know his his most exciting times for him
were always m seeing these shows, whether it was at
a church he would drive to Mississippi back then or
Arkansas when some of the Hummingbirds and you know, different
groups were performing and he would be there at MC
and they would they would have him come and be
(09:19):
with them on their shows. And he loved it.
Speaker 8 (09:21):
He really.
Speaker 6 (09:24):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
This right here, you stop right there. Oh, we got
a lot to impact. Wow. So Charles will bring you
in a little bit. I wanted to get that. I
just want to get that that opening statement statements from
the daughter of Missus Janet Nelson Singleton. And we've got
Charles Nelson Vassa in the studio. Stand special people, spotlight,
(09:47):
be right back. I bring back everybody, thanks so much
for being here. Hert and Soul of Memphis AM ten
seventy e w D. I what I want to do
is give the keyword again for a repeat green g
R E E N take it to my w D.
I a dot com for your chance to win one
thousand dollars. W di A just want to kind of
bless you a little bit, you know, help you pay
(10:09):
them bills with that money. Green g R E E
N in the studio this morning, the daughter and the
son of the Double d a's living legend, former radio
personality at this very radio station, Janets Janet Nelson Singleton
(10:29):
and mister Charles Nelson Fasca. Did I say that right? Yes,
I'm in there. We're so glad to have you. I'm
gonna say, like Rufus Thomas, you brought his name up,
miss Jannet little earlier. It's a plump, pleasing pleasure and
the privilege to have you here in the w di
I A studio and sup a lot of p's there.
You're more than welcome. Let's talk about black history. If
(10:51):
you would then go to the phones. If you don't mind,
Let's talk about your daddy, mister Ford Nelson one hundred years.
Speaker 6 (11:00):
Old, one hundred years old, yeah, yesterday, right, yes, right,
June twenty sixth, nineteen twenty five. If you ask him
when his birthday is right now, he just told us
last night. June twenty sixth nineteen twenty five.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
So he is in Memphis. Yes, he ad a rehabilitation center.
He's in Memphis and name the place, but just coming.
Speaker 6 (11:22):
Yeah, he had he had a slight fall some a
couple of years ago during COVID and due to the
slight fall, we thought it was best for him to
kind of have somebody with him twenty four hours, so
he ended up there in rehab. So now he's kind
of still over there. But in fact, when the fall happened,
my sister in law went by the house Janis, to
(11:43):
check on him for some other reasons, and he said,
he's already up now, sitting in the chair at the
front door and watching television, which is what he did daily.
And he said, oh, by the way, I failed today,
And she said you fail now. I'm on the phone
with Jan and I said, well, Jan accident, who helped
him get up? He said, I failed today. Let's just
leave it at that. But anyway, we convinced him to
(12:07):
get checked out. He was fine. My dad takes multi
vitamins every day, vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc every day.
He'd been doing that before he failed, so right now
he's not on any medication. The man is doing great.
He's weakening a little bit because he's getting older, but
(12:27):
we're just blessed. I mean, I'm sure his his exercising
and his eating right and just taking care of himself mentally,
emotionally is what he did. He didn't he didn't allow
negativity to stay in with him, you know. And I
guess we're seeing the fruit to that right now.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
The secret to longevity a little zinc here and you know,
fruit didn't hear and speaking positive things in your life,
and man, that's for Nelson.
Speaker 6 (13:00):
And my dad loved the Lord. I mean, you know,
if you talk to him today, he'll say that you
get my tides and send him over there to the
loveless Church, you know, because my dad loved the Lord.
And I grew up in a family where both of
my parents played piano and my mother played for Southside Church,
and you know, they it was a musical kind of
thing all the time, and gospel was at the helm
(13:21):
of it and everything. And I'm sure all of that
fed into my life, my brothers and sisters' lives, as
well as my father's.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
So it takes us that everybody's musically inclined appears in
that Nelson family man. That's nice. Now let's talk about
some history. How did brother Ford Nelson get to WDIA
of all places.
Speaker 6 (13:41):
Well, back in the fifties, my dad was the piano
player for BB King and as BB King's piano player,
BB was at the station and you know, radio was
live and my dad was playing the piano for BB.
So for years they were here at the station together.
BB began to be more of a you know, recording artist,
(14:02):
and Bert Ferguson at the time, who was the owner
of the w g I, a radio station, said to
my dad, mister Nelson, you just have a beautiful voice.
You belong on the air. And you know, my dad
was used to you know, playing piano and other instruments,
and that's when he got on the air back in
the fifties. Through Bert Ferguson. They gave him a show.
(14:23):
It was about fifteen minutes a day and it was
called Let's have some Fun. Let's have some fun, Let's
have some fun.
Speaker 2 (14:29):
Yeah, what was brother Nelson was he on? Was that
in the morning, well, middaysh I think it was only
fifteen minutes. Back in the day, announcers had maybe fifteen
thirty minutes tops for a radio show.
Speaker 6 (14:40):
Yeah, he had a couple of different works on the
night he was in He was on in the morning
more time, uh huh. He was on in the morning time,
had like fifteen minute intervals, and he had the what
was the name of the other show.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Say again, Tantown ten right, yeah, review, yea, so that
was on the air as well. That's explain to me
what that was. Was that like the jamboree or was
that when you bring in folk in almost like what
it evolved into the Teen Town Singers. But he would
have that's correct, you can get all that in fifteen minutes.
Speaker 6 (15:14):
Yeah, and everybody in the community would look forward to it.
Speaker 5 (15:19):
You know.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
Well, did he play any records?
Speaker 6 (15:21):
Oh yeah, yeah, he played records. They talked, yes, exactly. Yeah,
he did a little bit of both. Yeah, he did
a little bit of both. And he would always feature something.
Then he had another show called Highway to Heaven, and
that's when the station suggested he start started playing the
gospel music. So he named that show Highway to Heaven.
(15:41):
He had that show for quite some time. Then he
had another show called the Glory Train. Yeah. So over
the years, you know, he changed the name of his shows.
We had a lot of different says.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
So was mister Nelson's shift Was it on the weekends
pretty much? Or was it through the week because I
know he had to still giggle with BB king right, Well.
Speaker 6 (16:00):
What happened He started doing the radio more full time
after BB went off to travel and BB left the station,
and then my dad had segments during the week.
Speaker 2 (16:10):
Yeah, so WD I kept him on.
Speaker 6 (16:12):
Oh yeah, w D I kept him on and brought
him on.
Speaker 9 (16:15):
Yeah, he had a show every morning for eight o'clock.
And he used to come on and say, this is
Holst with the most for Nelson. Perhaps a thoughtful to
stay bringing you good Joe.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
Man, you got a little voice on YouTube. But y'all
what the app from the tree? You got the divorce?
Mister Ferkson were here today, he said, child the child, Yeah,
you need to come on this radio. Come on Legacy.
(16:51):
You know that's that's that's interesting. You know, back in
the day, announces had like fifteen minutes you know to
do a show that shift, you know, I guess thirty
at max. Here we are with four hour programs and
stuff to get a lot of stuff in. But your
dad encapsulated all of that in that fifteen minute.
Speaker 6 (17:05):
Program, right, and then over the years, you know, the
program grew and then at one time he was doing
news for the radio station. When the radio station stopped
playing the gospel during the week all the time, he
started doing news and so he was then known as
a newsman and he would go out and interview anything
(17:25):
that was going on in the city. Around the time
that Martin Luther King was assassinated, he was doing the
interviews then for the station. So he was a very
very big part of that. And we used that today
to talk to our grandkids about black history, which is
right here in our own family.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
So did you keep any of those articles, you know,
from when your dad covered different things or did he
write for other publication. Would he just kind of covered
and bring it back to the radio station report about
it live.
Speaker 6 (17:52):
Or yes, he would he bring it back to the
station report about it live. In fact, I met Mayor
Harrington recently and he talked about when my dad interviewed
him for the first time, I think he was your
first black mayor some years ago, and uh, about how
eloquent my dad would speak and how well versed he
was at at all fields, whether it was politics or
(18:14):
or any anything. Whether he was interviewing somebody about food,
he was well versed on it because he had done
his research.
Speaker 2 (18:19):
Yeah. I read something earlier this morning Alex Coleman, who's
a broadcast journalist Miss Janet, mentioned that mister Ford Nelson
was indeed the voice of Memphis at the mid South,
covering every story with conviction, dignity, absolutely, and unwavering integrity. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (18:33):
Absolutely. He wrote for the Tri State Defender for a
little while as well, and uh so over the years
he covered, he covered quite a bit of ground. Yeah, yeah,
he covered quite a bit of ground.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
So I know in the household he was not like
a celebrity to you guys. You know, he was just daddy,
right that is, did you when did you when did
you come to know that your your father famous?
Speaker 6 (18:58):
I think we're a star. Yeah, I think we're Somebody said,
you know your dad, I saw your dad with Rufus Thomas.
I guess that made my dad famous to that person.
So then it kind of okay, all right whatever. Yeah, so.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
Literally we probably know, you know, rufle was probably pulling
on his coat tails. But you know, forward man to
play for b B A scene b B King.
Speaker 6 (19:22):
Yeah, piano.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
And you I heard you say that that's not his
only instrument. Your dad is well versed, he's musically inclined.
What else, what other instrument?
Speaker 7 (19:31):
You know?
Speaker 6 (19:31):
When my dad turned ninety, we had a party for
him over at the Holiday Inn over there, and he
and his brothers got on the keyboard and then lind
Bergh got on the guitar and my dad, Lindbergh was
one of my youngest brother youngest, yeah, my dad's youngest brother.
So yeah, so they got on there together. But he
could play, you know, piano, guitar. He was just very
well versed. And he came from a family of eight
(19:54):
and he was number seven of eight. And his sister
Josie taught him how to play the piano.
Speaker 7 (20:01):
Josie, Yeah, missus Cobb.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
Yeah yeah. She was an organist at my home church
at Saint John On Vans John bachcharch On fans remember.
Speaker 6 (20:11):
A little boy organ, Oh yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
And that and she is she was for She's for
Nelson's sister.
Speaker 6 (20:19):
That's correct, Nelson cob that's correct. It cobs up, Yeah, yeah,
that's correct.
Speaker 2 (20:26):
Yea.
Speaker 6 (20:28):
And his sister Porsche. She also taught him a lot
about music. Yeah, that was his older sister as well.
He told me that back in the day, they had
their own music. You know, there was no TV, right,
he said, So they had music in their house and
they were their own group, and they played music with
each other at home, and especially on the weekends. That's
(20:49):
what they did on Sundays. And so that's that's how
he grew up. Yeah, that's how he grew up.
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Very interesting. All right, I'm up against another break. We
are talking with the daughter and the son of WA's
legendary Ford Nelson. Still alive and well and speaking. I
heard you say he can still communicate, yes, and effectively.
Speaker 6 (21:16):
He gets Yeah, he gets a little bit confused here
and there every now and then. But he told us yesterday,
I really appreciate it. I really really appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (21:26):
You know.
Speaker 6 (21:27):
The decorations are just they're just really beautiful. Yeah, they're
just beautiful. We thought, Okay, yeah, I'll.
Speaker 2 (21:33):
Tell you what. Let me take this break. We got
a lot to unpacked. I'm gonna go to the phone lines.
When I come back, we'll be right back. In case
you just tuned in, it's Janet Nelson Singleton, the daughter
Ford Nelson and the son Charles Nelson Vassa, don't move. Hey,
that's how we do it. We're back, everybody, thanks so
much for being here. We're talking to the daughter and
(21:54):
the son of our own legendary brother Ford Nelson, living legend,
i might say, and one hundred one hundred years of
the planet are still kicking. That's what's up. I'm going
to my start line. My star line is ringing. Letting
me go over here full of star line? Was water
you liv on the radio? Who goes there? Yeah?
Speaker 8 (22:15):
This is David Porter all up there.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
Wait wait, wait, wait wait DP the color the great, Hello,
the great David Porter Man. You're on the air live.
You're on the star Line, mister Porter. Obviously you've been
listening to that.
Speaker 5 (22:29):
I should not resist the opportunity to make comments about
the amazing contribution of this gentleman that is being honored today.
Speaker 2 (22:42):
Mikey's yours.
Speaker 5 (22:44):
Yeah, yeah, he You know, when we were coming up
early years in Lemshis Tennessee, there had to be examples
of leadership, of dignity, of strength of conviction, because there
was so much of a campaign to make us steal
less then going on, not just in Memphis but throughout
this country, and so it was amazing that what you
(23:06):
had at wd I A was some of the most profound,
dignified convicts, convicted and and dedication to making something positive
happen in men such as Ford Nelson, and and the
fact that that he, along with Matt D. Williams and
Ac Williams, were the prime examples of what was necessary
(23:27):
to feel good about oneself but also to realize that
the potential that was in you by the examples that
they were setting for us and so uh, the the
the motivation to be about something and into something and
getting education and all those kinds of qualities.
Speaker 2 (23:42):
As far as as well.
Speaker 5 (23:44):
As exemplifying your talents were examples that these these great
individuals showed, and Ford Nelson was at the top of
that list.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Oh Man, absolutely, uh uh, miss miss Singleton. You have
words David Port on the.
Speaker 6 (23:57):
Line, Oh David, just hearing you speak those kind words
about my dad is just so appreciative. And he would say,
I really appreciate that well, so and I know you
know best.
Speaker 5 (24:13):
Yeah, I know that, but I would tell you that
you are a perfect example of what I'm saying about
the qualities that he instilled in others based on the
great success and the dignity and the great qualities that.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
You've exemplified all the years that I've known you.
Speaker 5 (24:29):
But your father was truly, truly an example of what
was necessary for a young man to be really stimulated
and motivated in a.
Speaker 8 (24:38):
Correct way to be.
Speaker 5 (24:40):
And I have such great respect for all of his contributions,
and certainly for having developed a friendship meaningful one with you.
Speaker 3 (24:48):
But he.
Speaker 5 (24:50):
In addition to being a great musician, a great org
he was all of the qualities that one could could
aspire for. And when you consider that you're talking one
hundred years old, when you consider where he came from
and how he had to develop those instincts to be.
Speaker 6 (25:07):
About those qualities exactly.
Speaker 5 (25:09):
Oh, it's just amazing to what he was and what
he exemplified, and just those that came after him. We had.
The kids nowadays have no idea what the forerunners had
to go through, and certainly I had no idea as
a young kid coming up what fort Nelson had to
go through. But I had all of the motivation that
(25:32):
I needed to wanted to feel positive self love and
be about something because I saw that coming from him.
Speaker 6 (25:40):
Thank you so much, David.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
David appreciate you. You know that those of you who don't
know who they reported, you've been out of someone in
the rock somewhere. They reported recon produce a singer, songwriter, entrepreneur,
philanthropist Stacks. You remember Stacks. Of course I like when
you do that commercial, mister Porter, Stacks remember, Yeah, Well
that was good man, you know, and of course I
got to throw this in an Avid w D listener
and you know the history man, David Porter, thank you
(26:03):
so much. Appreciate that little background in for yeah much love.
All right, all right, there you go. Let's go. Uh
that's David Porter. Let's go delicately to another line here. Uh,
let's go here, w DACA morning. Uh are you there?
Call him? Go right ahead.
Speaker 3 (26:17):
You're on the air, Yes, I am.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
You right here? Your thoughts this morning?
Speaker 7 (26:23):
You hear me?
Speaker 8 (26:23):
Okay, hang on, everybody in there. This chapman I didn't
messhis tennessee ye for me, the police all that. But listen,
let me call y'all real quick. I can get off here.
Uh your daddy or duston. I was a boy sitting
in the front seat of a United Cab Company car.
My daddy go a cab back in the pitt and
(26:44):
he picked up anybody, everybody that was in the foot
Home neighborhood over there, but wherever you were. You used
to call him the United Cab and he would come
and get you. But he's never been without me on
the front seat.
Speaker 4 (26:55):
So I'm just lash.
Speaker 8 (26:56):
I'm just glad you couldn't see win him what's going on.
But then my daddy taken me. He always take me
in and pick up people that w b I take
them off. We mean everybody got out of their cop.
Speaker 4 (27:07):
He had to pick up.
Speaker 8 (27:09):
Everybody take him somewhere. So all the time he would
pick up Ford Nelson. I closed my eyes and said, Dad,
that man got a pretty board. You at one man,
He said, oh, there ain't nobody before he would say
there ain't nobody before it. There ain't nobody, but BV
there ain't nobody but body. He was calling about it
first night. But everybody knew him and he knew him.
(27:29):
So I grew up saying, man, I want to sound
like him one day because that.
Speaker 4 (27:33):
Man sounds good anyway.
Speaker 8 (27:36):
But pushing on to the sixty, I followed for Nelson
around during the Martin mu King game. See'all was there
with Doc King and Clayton Tom. But but I saw
Ford Nelson. I would run up to him and stand
shouting the show. I'm a teenager. I stood there next
to him and he said, hey, so. But he would
take out a little take recorder or because chet.
Speaker 3 (27:54):
Thing, you know, a little toy toy.
Speaker 8 (27:57):
And Michael Popton and he was sticking in that team
Smith face. He was sticking in doctor King.
Speaker 5 (28:01):
Kay.
Speaker 8 (28:01):
I'm standing there there looking and I said, I was
like in one of them. I went to a part
Chap bought one and I said, this man sticking and
then I followed him to a taller phone and he said,
let me hun the paone. I thought he was gonna
talk on the phone. He was tied upon the part.
He taking the part. I was standing there looking, and
he taking sending the broadcast on the tape recorder straight
to the radio station or stations. Poor it new So
(28:22):
and I'm sitting there at the AMC here with the
Union strikers. And then he would tell what he's doing
and snapped the nothing it sin it at the radio
station and then getting like a live broadcast. I never
saw that, never seeing anybody do it. So I started
doing it too, or I wasn't a picture. I was
just doing it next day on the radio station. Then one
picked up doing it, and TV stations started doing spread
(28:43):
up was doing stuff back in the sixty early sixty
other people wasn't doing then. The last time I thought him,
we were at a churchy on Mill Branch. I go
in there and sitty that listening to different gospetall booth
and I'm saying, yeah, yeah, y' all sounded like they
sounded like girls up there singing. He sit next to me.
I didn't know what I looked. I said, I know him,
I ain't trying to. He turning around, hunting me in
(29:03):
his arm and said, you know what. He said, all
these groups sounded like I said, I was just thinking that,
and he said, we need some groups sound like the
uh old Time group up on stage.
Speaker 4 (29:14):
Guess what.
Speaker 8 (29:14):
The stir of the Memphis got out there and them
boys to stay stood up. He said, I That's what
I'm talking about. That's the last time I saw. But
I said, he understanding the old time gospel singing like
I did. I said, man, I love you and I
like you. Man, I don't know who you are. He
gave me a number of car. He's staying over there
on horn make somewhere, and he said, man, I want
(29:35):
to ask like you come man, you sound out right.
He had a boy staring and gave him my name
back in the seving and just called the street Gilver,
some guy.
Speaker 4 (29:44):
Boy.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
You got a lot of history for us this morning,
Thank you, captain. All right, man, A lot of fine memories,
A lot of fine memories. Right. Let me go to
another phone line if you don't mind, missus Singleton, let's
go delicately line, give me line sick on the radio. Yeah,
good morning, good morning.
Speaker 4 (30:08):
How you doing. I wouldn't dare let this day go back?
Good morning Janney, good morning child. Look brother Ford, he was,
I mean, that's for our standing. Gay. I remember the
(30:28):
day that somebody introduced me to brother Ford. But actually
I got a phone call without going into detail, one
of us to lay Calm and the other one was
Jeff Lee. And when they shared with me about brother Ford,
I said, all that ain't no problem. We'll take care
of this. I said, So what are you gonna say
(30:50):
when we show up down there? So man, j T
pull up? I told jay T go knock on the door,
I said, and see what he gonna say. J T
knocked on that door. Brother Foe, act like we were
stabling members. He kept saying. He said, I can't believe it.
(31:11):
You the JT. They called radio. He said, that's Lady D.
He said, y'all come on in, but I didn't go in.
Speaker 5 (31:21):
I told j T.
Speaker 4 (31:22):
I said, where you know, y'all men, you go on
in and talk to us. Brother boy came to that door.
He said, Lady D, it's okay for JT to come in,
but you the celebrity. I said, Brother bad, I'm just
somebody that called.
Speaker 2 (31:38):
The brady Yo, he said.
Speaker 4 (31:40):
He said, I got a celebrity at my house. He
was talking to I don't know who. He was talking
to her on the phone, but he told them, I'm
gonna have to call you back because this celebrity is
at my house. To make a long story short, from
that day to this one, this like it's like I'm
(32:01):
his daughter, j T his son, And he said, y'all
gonna do that for me. I say, yes, we're gonna
do this for you. He said, wait a minute. He said,
I don't believe it's here. But last thing I'm gonna say,
I said, what Brother Forward just call us anytime if
you need anything. So, brother Ford, I guess he cook
(32:27):
up for us up on there. So one morn to
stand the phone wrong. It was about two o'clock in
the morning. I said, oh my goodness, the board got
a serious situation going on. So I said the phone.
I said, good morning, brother Ford. How you doing he said,
old lady dd. He said, I'm doing fine. He said,
(32:49):
but uh, where's j T? I said, he right here?
He said, can I speak to him a minute? So
I gave j T the fall brother for so j T.
He said, you know, I don't like walking through my
house with that my flash right, you got this big
(33:09):
old flash right? He can't with batteries. He said, j T,
can you come down here in the morning because I
think these batteries dead? And this fall that last at
two o'clock in the morning he was calling.
Speaker 2 (33:26):
Yeah, I got run lay some good stories. Just can't
tell it, tell it all.
Speaker 1 (33:32):
You know what?
Speaker 2 (33:32):
That was a good I got a good chuckle out
of that. Did you let me take one boy on
the radio? Thanks of waiting you got through. Yeah, it's
the Janet Nelson Singleton Show feature.
Speaker 10 (33:47):
Saying Hey, good boy, I'm so glassy mating that safely.
Good morning to guess you know, brother Paul.
Speaker 8 (33:55):
This is Lady Tea.
Speaker 4 (33:57):
I heard you.
Speaker 8 (33:57):
I seen you all the news this morning.
Speaker 4 (33:59):
Your dad have.
Speaker 6 (34:00):
Birthday, the lady.
Speaker 10 (34:01):
It was yesterday, right, yes, yeah, one hundred years old.
Oh my god, look at God. And he was listening
up there, you know. And I heard you say, and
you look great too.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
I won't to tell you that I heard she say.
Speaker 10 (34:13):
Well, Dad, sometimes he see you know, tell his little
little little jokes or something.
Speaker 1 (34:18):
You will saying.
Speaker 10 (34:18):
He and I said, he got to be a great person,
you know, to be at that age and still you know,
every now and the because, like you say, his memory
colmes from.
Speaker 1 (34:26):
The gold away, you know.
Speaker 10 (34:27):
But it's just a it's just a blessing, you man,
and I and I was looking at him this morning
and you and you and I didn't see your brother.
Oh he wasn't there on the news this morning, was it?
Uh NOA so so so yeah. So I just want
to say, you know, uh, happy latey birthday. And I
heard so much and he this guy had a great voice.
Speaker 4 (34:49):
And I won't tell you.
Speaker 10 (34:49):
Two young lady, the daughter, what's your name, Jannet Channing?
You you need being raised because you have that boy,
you got ch you know, I said you aside from
your dad. You know, you get something. You know, it's
in your jeans, so you know, can't keep carrying at all,
you know, because I know he would have loved that.
(35:09):
You know, he would love that, you know, to know
that his children, you know, because I know there's a
lot of more things that I was gonna carry on
in his life, you know. But I just want to
tell you guys that it was just good to talk,
just to see you on the on the news this
morning and everything.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
And I hope your dad.
Speaker 10 (35:24):
Lived another hundred years and day. Let me say this
for my birthday, Happy birthday to my baby boy tomorrow
and saying name of Jean.
Speaker 8 (35:32):
I love him so much.
Speaker 10 (35:33):
I want you guys to have a great weekend.
Speaker 11 (35:35):
Thanks for taking my college, all.
Speaker 2 (35:36):
Right, thank you for making it, lady pe all right,
how about them.
Speaker 6 (35:40):
Miss Jenny, you know staying my my sons are masters
behind the microphone too. So yeah, my son Ario and Marlon,
both of them, they are masters behind the microphone.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
Y'all allget it?
Speaker 6 (35:52):
And then I married a DJ from back in the
day too, Yeah you bet to DJ well way many
years ago, years was on the ones and two turntapes
on a Yeah, it was purely coincidental, you know, sort
of like I don't need to come by no radio station.
I grew up in a radio station.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
Yeah, you can tell him a thing or two. So
this wd I listener rights in the subject space. Good
morning standing the Nelson clan. Hey that riots YEA happy
one hundred birthday to mister Ford Nelson. I will never
forget that smooth, unforgettable voice that graced our stand up
radio while listening to the only radio station of our
(36:33):
time in the fifties and sixties w d I. A.
That's some Dennis Jones. How about that?
Speaker 5 (36:39):
Man?
Speaker 2 (36:40):
You know what, there's another one. Uh yeah, a tribute
to just coming in miss miss Singleton. I appreciate the
tribute and uh especially while he's still alive and exactly. Yeah,
and you know what this is from Keith Payin, and
he's right, you know, give the flowers this morning, that's right,
(37:04):
the flowers.
Speaker 7 (37:04):
While he yet lives and can smell them exactly, and
he can hear good. Oh yeah, he can hear better
than me.
Speaker 5 (37:11):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:13):
So want everybody to know mister Nelson is alive and well,
if you're just tuning in, you know, it might sound
like we're just talking about, you know, the legacy, which
we are. But he is very much in this world.
Speaker 6 (37:26):
Yes he is.
Speaker 2 (37:27):
And your daddy is just just amazing. Yes, that's what
I want to say it. You know, he's amazing to me.
He come to a words, He's amazing to me, and
I admire him.
Speaker 6 (37:40):
Oh, thank you.
Speaker 2 (37:42):
I'm serious. I admire your dad, your father, I say,
I'm gonna say this. I'm going to break the father
is the family role model, whether he wants the job
or not.
Speaker 6 (37:53):
Oh, that's right. Yeah, you learn as you go, learn
as you go.
Speaker 2 (37:57):
Take a break, right, let me adjust my microphone here
a little bit, yes, a little bit here, and gotta
kiss mis Dawny. You need any any water or anything?
I meant to ask you during the break. You're okay,
you need any fine? Okay?
Speaker 6 (38:10):
Good?
Speaker 2 (38:10):
What about you, brother, Charles? I'm good. I want to
make sure hospitality is in full effect. Brown here, because
your daddy would have it no other way. Absolutely, we're
talking to the son and the daughter of one of
our stars. I'm gonna say it like that, one of
the stars of Radio Man your daddy, mister Ford Nelson,
(38:30):
al Fordson. Often do you hear that al Fordson brother Nelson,
he was in the mix with you talk about stars.
He I remember that picture they had on the wall
when I was a w DO a high school reporter,
teenage reporter back in seventy six, seventy seven. They keep artifacts. Now,
(38:54):
this was on Central remember the studio when they were
on Central and that and that. I guess you could,
I guess you say Cooper Young area, you know, midtown
Ish were down Central ac moohall, Williams, Rufus Thomas. I'm
talking about this big picture. Willem Monroe was up there,
(39:15):
Nat D. Williams and your daddy. Yes, all in the
one separate photograph, right, you know all it was collected,
they were all together, but it's one big frame. You
still got that picture. We do fantastic, Yeah, yes we do.
I'm just trying to figure out when was it taken?
Is it the late fifties, maybe the early sixties or
(39:39):
mid sixties, because I see willim Monrose picture and that
had to be what do you think, maybe Charles maybe
I would.
Speaker 7 (39:50):
Say maybe early sixties, yeah, early sixties, yeah, early sixties.
Speaker 2 (39:57):
Yeah, Yeah.
Speaker 6 (39:58):
I still have my dad's uh you know, promo picture
from when he was at w g I A and
he signed it blessings O brother Ford. Yeah, that's how
he would signed, sign his signature on his picture to
his fan base.
Speaker 2 (40:16):
So I guess with these five stars of radio your
dad included in this photo, that might be maybe that
was the day parts. Maybe you know someone that maybe
AC was in the morning I I'm just saying hypothetically,
or or you know, mister A. C. Muhaw Williams may
have the may have done the morning show and then
somewhere maybe after him. Let's just say, for instance, Wilhelm
(40:38):
unt Rolle may have followed him. I would have to
call doctor Melvin char Smith or it over at Mamarais
you know the past over there. He would know, so
I would I would think maybe A. C. Mouhaw Williams
came home maybe in the morning. You know, you're starting
five lineups right then. The great Wilhelm un Rolle maybe
did the mid day because then it was, like I said,
fifteen thirty minute shows whatever. But then you got roof
(40:59):
of Thomas Rufus Thomas maybe next because he had to
get off there and go to the gig, then maybe
Ford Nelson and then I'm Nat Williams. You know this
is a great photo. Yes, stars of radio in every
sense of the word. Can I go delicately back to
the phone line and take another caller? Okay, No, I
dis missed that one. Sorry, I think you can call
(41:21):
it right back. I think it was Nurse bever that.
I believe your daddy played piano. Yes he did for
BB King, Yes he did.
Speaker 4 (41:28):
How long?
Speaker 2 (41:28):
How long did you stay on.
Speaker 6 (41:29):
The road with You know, when BB went on the road,
that's when my dad became wd IA announcer. And he
didn't go on the road with BB other than local
events here in Memphis, And so when BB started traveling,
my dad was at the station. So they kind of remained,
you know, friends and colleagues, but my dad became the
(41:52):
full time announcer. Yeah, exactly. You know, back then in radio,
they didn't just play the music. They talked to their audience. Yeah,
and uh, that's what everybody loved about my dad. My
sister Pat wrote a poem some years ago about my dad,
and in one of the lines of the poem, she said,
your voice seems to warm and spread over the room.
(42:14):
Bringing in the sunshine, erasing the dismal gloom. And uh,
it was sort of like my dad just knew how
to speak to his audience. And that's what everybody loved
about him. Everybody was personal to him. His his audience
was very personal to him.
Speaker 2 (42:30):
All right, man, that's great, that's nice. Let's go to
the phone line. If you don't, oh it kicks out
like that. Uh but yeah, those are who will call
even call back. I'm trying to get maybe two more
callers on and that will be it. So and so
your father's doing well. Uh, you know you told us
to some degree, you know, some of the things he
some challenges he may have, but he he's with us.
(42:51):
He can smell, he's got the sense, he got five
senses kicking in.
Speaker 6 (42:55):
Oh, the sense of to kicking in, kicking in. I
called yeah last week, said, I told my girlfriend to
check to make sure he had the station on on
Sunday on turn to w G I A because you know,
Mark Stansbury always gives him a shout out, so I
want to make sure he hears him on Sunday. So
she went in there to turn on the radios for him,
(43:17):
and uh, she walked in the room and he said,
is it time to eat yet? So this is last
Sunday okay, wow, so I think he's doing okay.
Speaker 5 (43:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (43:27):
I brought him some picket dinies and he said, naw, that's.
Speaker 2 (43:29):
Good, give me that phone. Tell me you on the radio.
Thanks for calling you on the.
Speaker 11 (43:34):
Airy Good morning stand, good morning, good morning to missus
Janet and to mister was a Charles.
Speaker 3 (43:44):
Yeah, yes, yes, interesting conversation. Interesting conversation.
Speaker 11 (43:52):
And I hope your dad is listening because I'm sure
this will really make his day. Yes, you know, and
it's light given flowers while they're still here, so I'm
hoping he's listening to this conversation. But I want to
say when your dad is one of the giants of WDA,
(44:14):
and just to say his name, it just takes your
back to such beautiful times and such beautiful memories, you know.
And I want to ask you, did your dad ever
come on on Sunday Afternoon?
Speaker 8 (44:28):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (44:29):
Yeah, absolutely, that was his show. When my dad was
still in his eighties. He was driving to the station
at five o'clock in the morning, himself, driving himself to
the station at five o'clock in the morning, and he
was here doing radio from sixty two on Sundays. That
was his last shift until he retired in nineteen eighty nine.
Speaker 2 (44:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (44:47):
Well, the reason I asked that because he retired.
Speaker 6 (44:50):
He retired in twenty fourteen, but he was eighty nine
years old. He retired in twenty fourteen at eighty nine.
Speaker 11 (44:56):
Yeah, yeah, definitely ever read it, Bunny. I remember as
a little girl being out to my grandmother's on Sundays
and she would have the radio on w DA and
I think it was a brother Ford Nelson that she
would be listening to.
Speaker 6 (45:13):
I'm sure you know. So.
Speaker 11 (45:15):
Yeah, I tell you your dad is definitely a WDA
radio giant, and you know, he'll always, you know, be remembered.
Speaker 3 (45:24):
And I just want to say thank you for coming
in and telling us this.
Speaker 11 (45:29):
Wonderful story about your dad and the fact.
Speaker 3 (45:31):
He's one hundred years old and not on any.
Speaker 11 (45:35):
Medications, just taking those three supplements.
Speaker 6 (45:38):
That's amazing.
Speaker 11 (45:40):
That's amazing.
Speaker 5 (45:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 11 (45:42):
God is good all the time.
Speaker 6 (45:43):
Absolutely.
Speaker 8 (45:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (45:44):
He used to have a lemon every morning, and he'd
take him a swig of olive oil every morning, and
he had a regis, you know, he'd eat at a
certain time after he's had his lemon and olive oil,
little toxy thing and so yeah, I said, well, Daddy,
what you do with the lemon? He said, well, you
wash the lemon off and cut off the top and
then I'm gonna suck the juice out. So what can
(46:06):
I say?
Speaker 11 (46:06):
Wow, that's that's that, that's that terrible medicase.
Speaker 2 (46:10):
That's terrible.
Speaker 7 (46:11):
That that's the best for you.
Speaker 3 (46:13):
Phartaceutical stuff we take.
Speaker 6 (46:15):
Yeah, it's good for my prostate, Janet, but you don't
know anything about that.
Speaker 4 (46:21):
Okay.
Speaker 11 (46:22):
I hope these men listening.
Speaker 6 (46:25):
I'm taking.
Speaker 2 (46:27):
Yeah, yeah, I'm taking.
Speaker 6 (46:28):
Nobody give it a try.
Speaker 10 (46:29):
Yeah take no, man, get you some lemon and some olive.
Speaker 6 (46:32):
Balls every morning.
Speaker 4 (46:34):
Okay, thank you staying for taking my college.
Speaker 11 (46:38):
I have a good weekend.
Speaker 2 (46:39):
Okay you as well. Up against his last break and
uh w d I A many of you know, was
the first radio station in America that was programmed entirely
to Act two and four right African America, That is correct,
Ac Mouha, Williams, Rufus, Thomas Wilhelm, Monroe, brother Ford, Nelson,
(47:04):
Nat De Williams, Mark Stansberry. The list goes on on
THEO Bless my bones, Wade, you know you. The names
just go on and on and these are these are legends. Yeah,
all right, let me take this last break, be right back.
All right, a couple of things before we wrap this thing.
Wrap this interview up.
Speaker 3 (47:21):
Man.
Speaker 2 (47:21):
You know, it's just been great. I wanted to send
a shout out to Representative Johnny Turner. This lady right here,
you talk about living legends. She was honored during her
eighty five, eighty fifth birthday. I believe it was last Sunday,
well actual birthday, it was last Saturday, and poured out.
That was so much love, so out pouring for the
(47:45):
missus Johnny Turner. I just want to say congratulations. She
was recognized for her lifelong commitment to civil rights and
public service. Way to go, Missus Turner. Also a newly
named street also commemorates her legacy. What a celebration, What
(48:05):
a birthday party. Permanent marker of her legacy unveiled. I
think it was last Monday of this Monday, last Monday,
and they say the party of room was filled and
like brother Ford Nelson, a lot of admiration in the room,
a lot of admiration for Representative Johnny Turner, her Delta sisters.
(48:30):
If you will that love their d in front of
the S and the s in front of their tea
and you're not Greek at you Jay that chuckle, I said, okay,
just check it. Yeah, And there's a lot of tribute
So Johnny Turner, I'm telling you, we love you. You
(48:52):
deserve everything that comes your way. Positive. What an honor,
all right. Coupled the Eiger Will announcements, We'll be back
at the mobile food pantry at Saint Patrick Catholic Church
there MLK and id B Wells right there on the
corner right across the FedEx Form. Come on out early.
Gates will swing up at about eight fifteen. You might
(49:14):
want to get there a little bit earlier than maybe
I'm just saying maybe an hour earlier. Some folk out
there two or three hours earlier. But I'll be out
there to look for you. And then of course at
Elie Brown Park eleven to two, we're at for Score
having a big festival out there as well on Orlean Street.
You'll probably hear us before you see us, that's for sure,
(49:38):
all right. So Wainning moments of the show are coming
up musically, a tribute to the legacy of Walter Scott
of the Whispers. Many of you may have known and
I know you know it's music, Miss Singleton.
Speaker 6 (49:54):
Oh, absolutely Whispers know him personally?
Speaker 4 (49:58):
Do you really?
Speaker 6 (49:58):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (49:59):
I do? Oh you want to share anything? Uh, fond
members or anything before we go? Walter Scott passed away yesterday.
Speaker 6 (50:06):
I believe, just wonderful people. I know them from living
on the West Coast. And you know the record label
that they were on. My my ex husband was part
of that label. So yeah, just beautiful people. Always very personable,
very approachable. That's how they That's how they are, That's
how they were.
Speaker 2 (50:27):
Were they were they on solo? Was that Solar X one?
The Whispers.
Speaker 6 (50:33):
Probably lost.
Speaker 2 (50:35):
I think they may be on solo, but you know
what exactly. Yeah, we're saying to hear the passing of
Walter Scott, one of the co founders of the Whispers.
So we're going to do a musical tribute in his
memory as we remember Walter Scott, he was eighty one. Scotty,
he's got it. Yeah, so let me say thank you.
I want to end the way we began to most
important words that the language. Thank you. Janet is Janet Nelson.
(50:58):
Besides that Nelson, that's a keeper in it. That's right,
that's a keeper, jadded Nelson Singleton. And your brother right here,
mister Charles Nelson Vasa, yeah, Mike, back on, man, thank
you for the information as we were kind of going
through the show and the footage and the photos and
the stars.
Speaker 1 (51:17):
Man.
Speaker 8 (51:17):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (51:18):
Man. Yeah, welcome. You had to get that. I think
you are too well, you.
Speaker 5 (51:24):
Know I am.
Speaker 6 (51:25):
But my brother Tyrone, uh and his son Corey, they
the they're the real Saints and and Dallas cowboy bands.
Speaker 2 (51:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (51:32):
But my dad loved him some baseball and uh yeah,
so you know, he he left, he left a legacy
within this family.
Speaker 5 (51:39):
You know.
Speaker 6 (51:40):
Not only does his grandson Corey have his voice. Uh,
you know, my my boys love the mic, but my uh,
you know, it's just amazing when you look back on
I would hear my brother Tyrone singing, and my mom
singing and my dad, you know, singing and around the
house constantly. I mean, that's just what we did. And
(52:02):
when I used to hear the news come on Walter Concrete, Concrete,
I think it was the man's name back in the day,
I could think.
Speaker 2 (52:09):
Of my dad.
Speaker 6 (52:09):
When I hear baseball on the radio, I can think
of my dad because you know, he listened to the
baseball game live because it wasn't on the TV, it
was on the radio. So those type of things that
happened in my household, you know, I carried with me.
And I remember when telling my dad one day not
long ago that I went to Ford Road and I
(52:30):
thanked him for, you know, my upbringing at Ford Road
because at that school, every morning we sang Praise God
from whom all blessings flow every school morning. Every single morning,
we marched around the school and what marched around the hallway,
and we sang that song every single day, and it
is embedded in my soul.
Speaker 2 (52:51):
Did y'all say? At acapella?
Speaker 6 (52:54):
The students it was the morning devotional?
Speaker 2 (52:59):
Yes, wrote How ironic is that?
Speaker 6 (53:01):
Ford roll for right over there and to walking homes?
Speaker 2 (53:05):
Right?
Speaker 6 (53:06):
Yeah, we sang uh, you know, that was our doctology.
We sang it every day. It was part of the morning.
The flag and everything that was just part of that's
right exactly. So I thanked my dad for that because
you know, I feel like him and my mother, you know,
they sent me to the right school and and that
(53:27):
was just the beginning for me. And that is what's
so important and what's missing a lot today is these
kids are not getting a great foundation like that, you know.
So so when I get a little down and out,
you know, I go back to that song.
Speaker 2 (53:40):
Yeah, i get.
Speaker 6 (53:41):
A little down and out, and you know, I'm thinking
about my days in church with them, and you know
I could turn the page four hundred and uh, you
know I would trust in the Lord. I just that's
just how we were raised. And uh, those things will
will carry you through the tough times.
Speaker 1 (53:58):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (53:59):
Yeah, interesting historical. You just blessed tens of thousands of listeners.
Speaker 6 (54:05):
I hope so because my dad sure did it. Ye.
Speaker 2 (54:07):
Yeah, yeah, your dad is remarkable. We love you, mister
Ford Nelson. Keep on keeping on. Happy birthday to you
one hundred years man. Yeah, look, since you got scriptural
on us and the doxology talk, I'm gonna say it
for brother Nelson. You know, the scripture says, so teach
us to number our days so that we may apply
(54:30):
our hearts unto wisdom Layman's terms. Birthdays are good for you.
Speaker 6 (54:36):
Oh absolutely, research, Yes, wanted to keep on coming.
Speaker 2 (54:39):
You want to research your veils that the people who
have the most birthdays live the longest Yeah at birthday
for it. Thank you wd I listeners, thank you so much,
Thank you, Miss Janet, thank you, mister Charles, thank everybody,
all the callers and those of you who listen on
a day to day basis. Let's do it all over
again Monday morning at six another stand Bill More the show.
(55:00):
The rest of the hour, We're gonna drop some whispers
on you in memory of Walter Scott, co founder of
that amazing group.
Speaker 8 (55:07):
He's on and popping.
Speaker 1 (55:08):
It's The Stan Belle Morning Show week dates from six
to ten AM on the Heart and Soul of Memphis
ten to seventy wd IA
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