Sing-Out South Goes Bozo

In the fall of 1966, Sing-Out South taped a series of brief performances at the Murfreesboro Road studios of then WSIX-TV, Channel 8 (now WKRN-TV, Channel 2, but still broadcasting out of the same facility).

The taped songs (UP WITH PEOPLE, WHICH WAY, AMERICA?, FREEDOM ISN'T FREE, VOLUNTEERS OF TENNESSEE, WE VOLUNTEER were probably among the titles we performed) were broken up into short segements and included daily over the next several weeks on the station's BOZO morning children's program.

I don't think that was exactly our target audience, but maybe their big brothers and sisters or their parents were watching too.

The photo above (click to enlarge)shows Bozo on set with the SOS cast and then cast director Ted Overman. While I have grown very accustomed to it over the years, this was the first time I had ever performed in a TV studio. And while we had some of "cast moms and dads" acting as our studio audience to clap and applaud at the end of the songs, it felt a little strange basically performing in such an environment.

If you enlarge the photo you can recognize quite a few people from the cast including Jill Walters, Jerry Baker, Patsy Hankins (Kemper), Beverly Barry, Lee Lee Luken (Dorough) Mary Beth Hofstetter (Adgent), Jackie Dodson, Debbie Jones (Bauder), Dennis Cohen, Bob Sharp, Margaret Stokes, Mary Jane Varley and Gail Goodman along with the late Mike Padgett on the drums, Larry Reid on guitar (with Kenny Keaton also on guitar hidden next to him) and there's also myself and Dave Cannon.

I know there are others in the photo I don't recognize or remember, so please leave your thoughts and memories below, especially if you recognize someone (including yourself).

The reason we did the BOZO appearances on WSIX-TV (and several other TV specials on that station that we will talk about in some later posts) is because of the man at the far left of this photo, Bill Jones, who worked at Channel 8.

Mr. Jones and his family played a major supportive role in Sing-Out South and Up With People. All three of the daughters, Pam Jones (Hazelwood), Candy Jones (Wirt) and Debbie Jones (Bauder) were members of SOS, while Pam and Candy also traveled extensively with the UWP national casts. Jeff, the youngest, was too young to be in Sing-Out but he was frequently at rehersals as was Mrs. Jones.

On the left, Pam (in the yellow) and Candy (in the red) perform with the national cast of Up With People.