Interview with Mr. Jerry Clower : native Mississippian, humorist, and businessman

              Interview with Mr. Jerry Clower : native Mississippian, humorist, and businessman
This oral history is provided through a cooperative project of University of Southern Mississippi Libraries and USM's Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage.
Funding provided by a National Leadership Grant for Libraries from the Institute for Museum and Library Services
The transcript is presented here for reference purposes only. Interviews in this collection are protected by copyright. PERMISSION TO PUBLISH MUST BE REQUESTED from the Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage. Please call ( 601) 266- 4574 for more information.
Biography
Howard Gerald Clower was born at Route Four, Liberty, Mississippi, and grew up in the poor and humble setting of rural Amite County. It was from that background that he would draw the down- home simple life humor which made him a star in the entertainment field.
After graduating from East Fork Consolidated High School, Jerry Clower enlisted in the U. S. Navy. He served as radioman third class aboard the U. S. S. Hornet and carried home three battle stars and a Presidential Unit Citation. When he returned from the service he entered Southwest Mississippi Junior College at Summit, Mississippi and was awarded a football scholarship. It was football that enabled him to complete his education earning a degree in Agronomy from Mississippi State University.
The first year after graduation was spent working with 4- H students or assistant county agent for Lafayette County. In 1954 he became a salesman for Mississippi Chemical Corporation of Yazoo City, Mississippi and for the next seventeen years enlisted his warm personality and tale telling talent to sell Mississippi Chemical fertilizer throughout the south.
In 1971 someone suggested that Mr. Clower record some of his stories; he did and with quick success. Decca Recording Company soon heard the record and signed him to a recording contract. That first recording climbed to eleventh on Billboard's chart and remained there for 30 weeks, selling over one million dollars worth of records and launching Jerry Clower's entertaining career. Since then he has recorded several more albums, made countless personal appearances, including the Mike Douglas Show and David Frost shows, and became a regular on the Grand Ole Opry.
Jerry Clower is married to the former Homerline Wells and they have three daughters, Amy, Sue, and Katy and a son, Ray. The family lives in Yazoo City where Mr. Clower is a lay preacher of the Baptist church, a member of the Yazoo City Touchdown Club, and a member of the Yazoo County chapter of the Mississippi State University Alumni Association.
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