The Mouth of the South, Jerry Clower, 1926-1998

A fertilizer salesman from the South became a famous comic years ago. When he was young, he made no detailed plans to rise to wealth and fame. How could he know he’d someday make the nation laugh and clap? His love of others and desire to make them smile with homespun tales came naturally. His job would be the catalyst to take him from the stores where he had shared a wealth of stories to the stage and studio. Then all could hear of agile John, who climbed high in a tree to force a coon—or so he thought—to leave its branch, but soon he yelled, “Hey! Shoot this thang!” That angry “coon” turned out to be a lynx. One story of a meal tells how old Uncle Versey’s pain-mad shout ripped through the stormy night. When lights were off, he’d tried to grab some chicken--the last piece!— resulting in five forks in Versey’s hand. The struggle for the morsel then did cease. His scores of stories are still popular, but to his legacy, there’s so much more. This Christian entertainer’s Ain’t God Good describes Depression-era life before the world knew who he was. He also tells of his salvation, serving Christ, his years in college, and the military life. Each story—real or fictional--endears his memory to us. Some also will recall that, for a quarter-century, this robust comic powerhouse performed for scores of fans at the Grand Ole Opry. Lord, send more Jerry Clowers. Let them prove that laughs are like the rays from Your bright sun, that we should spread Your light to all around, that living for You daily can be FUN. August 28, 2020 entered in the Living It Up for Laughter Contest Placed 2nd Sponsor: Chantelle Anne Cooke