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John Crowe
is somebody you see on television about everyday. Probably
around 11 p.m.
just before you turn of the television. John works as the
on-camera guy who gives you the
Georgia
Lottery numbers. On the first of June he was
announcing the jackpot for Powerball was for $200 million
dollars to a single winner. A group of folks that worked at
a Costco
in New York split the prize getting about $6 million for
each person. Have you ever pondered what you would do if
you won that much money? I'd promised to fix the timer on
the washing machine and perhaps buy some mud-flaps for the
Jeep if I came into that kind of dough. Seriously I'd try to
do some creative things with the prize like for $10
million dollars I can name the building that I teach
in at Kennesaw
State. The College of Arts and Humanities would be taught in
the Junior
Samples Building. I see first hand what the proceeds
of those numbers create. I have taught a number of students
who could not have gone to college without the
Hope
Scholarship. Governor Zell Miller should have a
building named for him somewhere in the
University
System of Georgia because of his creation of the Hope
that has helped thousands of students from our beloved
state. People tell me that Tallapoosa is one of the top
cities in the state to sell lottery tickets. Now don't get
me wrong, this week is not to promote you spending the house
payment on scratch off tickets. Not at all. It is just the
concept how somebody can become wildly wealthy because of
some silly numbers. If you won the jackpot, would you quit
work? Without winning the jackpot, I could probably quit
work and live comfortably the rest of my life. Of course I'd
have to die by Flag Day on the 14th. I have heard of people
winning millions and within a few short years being
bankrupt. I know of a guy in Cobb County who won and he
frequented adult dance clubs and insisted that his millions
be paid in one dollar bills. I remember playing a song 37
years ago on the radio by the
O'Jays
called "For The Love of Money." There is a line that says
"don't let money change you." Would the almighty dollar
change you if you became a millionaire? Just something to
ponder. The calendar that I have in my office says that
summer officially isn't going to get here until Tuesday the
21st. The 90 plus degree heat we've had since late May has
told many of us that summer got here early. When I'm out in
the yard sweating like Rader Almon's mule, I think of last
January's snow storm that blanketed the yards and streets of
our town. I have found out where to go to find out what is
happening in Tallapoosa. Go into Jack's about any morning
and Hershell Kirkland, Jerry Cumby, and Betty Jo Newman can
give you the scoop between sips of coffee. Tallapoosa for
the past 10 years has been blessed with a voice that I first
heard about 50 years ago. Red Jones moved to
Atlanta
to go to work for WQXI "Quixie in Dixie" was the signature
of one of the South's greatest radio stations. Red did the
wakeup show and would talk from time to time about
Tallapoosa in his patter between records by
Connie
Francis,
Sam Cooke,
and Bobby Vee.
His warmth came across to my little 9 year old ears. When I
was a student at West Georgia College and courting a girl
who lived behind the Roswell Street Baptist Church in
Marietta, I heard the incomporable Red Jones on WFOM. I
hadn't been on the air quite a year when I heard by early
radio hero broadcasting from Pugmire Lincoln Mercury one
Friday
afternoon. I went to the showroom and stood back
fearful of approaching the man who had an early influence on
a career that spanned 37 years. Red Jones has dedicated more
than 60 years to radio broadcasting. He came to WKNG 10
years ago for wakeup duties for Gradick Communications'
50,000 watt blowtorch that plays the great legends of
Country music. Red's service to our community can't be
measured. His support of the project I had for many years
for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society helped us raise tens
of thousands of dollars in our hometown. My radio heros can
be counted on one hand. Joe Rumore of WVOK in Birmingham,
John R on WLAC in
Nashville,
Charlie Douglas of WWL in New Orleans,
Ralph Emery
of WSM in Nashville, and Red Jones of WQXI in Atlanta, WFOM
in Marietta, and WKNG in Tallapoosa ranks up there with the
greatest
radio personalities of all time. I know Red had a
profound influence on me. In a few days he will not have to
set his alarm clock for
4 a.m. This
Wednesday morning.,
June 15th Red
Jones is doing his final morning show on WKNG. He is
retiring from the morning show at King Country to travel and
to enjoy things he has had to put on the back-burner over
the years because of his tireless dedication to radio. I am
in hopes that whoever replaces Red Jones in the air chair at
our hometown
radio station brings to our ears the same level of
class, dedication and integrity that he always did. I always
felt that Red Jones was the consumate radio professional
regardless of the size of his audience. Red worked hard at
show preparation everyday. He never mailed the show in. He
was a musical historian in American music and he could never
be stumped on music trivia. It was tried more than once and
I never stumped him. Red Jones became a friend to so many
listeners that were blessed enough to be within the sound of
his voice. I am proud that I had that opportunity to listen
and get to know the Georgia Radio Hall of Famer and can call
him friend. He will be missed. He can never be replaced. How
do you replace a true professional like Red Jones? It can't
be done. His free-wheeling style and warm delivery will
leave a void on our radio dails. God bless Red Jones for his
love for broadcasting and for his adoration of his countless
listeners. This Jones boy would never have been inducted
into the
Georgia Radio Hall of Fame or the Country Music Disc
Jockey Hall of Fame without the inspiration of Red Jones.
Rhubarb Jones is a Tallapoosa native and a member of the faculty at
Kennesaw State University.
Previous columns are available at
www.tallapoosa-journal.com. Commentaries can be heard on The
Legend, WKNG, 1060 at
11:05 a.m. weekdays. Comments and suggestions are welcome at P.O.
Box 1001, Tallapoosa, GA
30176 or via email at
rhubarbjones@aol.com
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