Our Outdoor TV Special

During our time as a cast (1966-1971), Sing-Out South was quite prolific in the number of times we appeared on television. That includes the photo above, taken during our one...and only... outdoor TV show....a 30-minute special taped in April of 1968.

As you can see from the photo above, the TV special was shot, literally, just off the back parking lot of the studios of WSIX-TV, Channel 8 (now WKRN-TV, Channel 2) on Murfreesboro Road. The studios and the parking lot are still there today, by the way. Don't you just love those old, clunky-looking studio TV cameras? And how about some of those cars in parking lot?

All that remains from this TV show are these photos taken by SOS cast member Alan Mayor. This was before the days of VCRs and DVRs, so no video copy remains, and I haven't been able to find anyone with a audio recording of the performance or even a copy of the script for the show.

In the photo above, taken during a break in the outdoor TV taping, Musical Director David Haile (far left) goes over some instructions with the cast. As I mentioned, Sing-Out South got a lot of practice being on TV. By my records, SOS did at least at least 8 show tapings and appearances during its 6 years together as a cast. Those appearances include:

"Spy Line" youth program, LIVE, WLAC-TV, Channel 5, February 15, 1966

"The Noon Show", LIVE, WSM-TV, Channel 4, March 7, 1966

A 30-minute TV special at Channel 4, Taped: April 9, 1966, Aired: April 16, 1966

"A Living Declaration", WSM-TV, Channel 4, Taped: May, 1966; Aired: July 3, 1966, Repeated: July 9, 1966 (an audio tape & script survives)

"The Bozo Show", WSIX-TV, Channel 8, Taped: Spring,1967, Aired: several times in serial form (individual songs) airing several times throughout the spring of 1967. (photos survive)

"A Memorial For Tomorrow", WSIX-TV, Channel 8, Taped: May, 1967, Aired: May 28, 1967 (news clips and photos survive)

SOS 30-minute Outdoor Special, WSIX-TV, Channel 8, Taped: April, 1968, Aired: later in the spring (photos survive)

Public TV 30-minute special, WDCN-TV, Channel 2, Taped: late fall early winter of 1968-69, Aired: later in the same period. (photos survive)

Looking back over 40 years later, what makes the number of TV shows that SOS produced so impressive to me is the fact we were asked to perform on every TV station broadcasting in the Nashville market(4) in those days, and in many cases to do so more than once. And remember this is in the days when there was no cable TV, no internet, no video on demand movies or other competition for over-the-air television. Being on TV was a very big deal, and I think showed how popular the SOS cast was in the Nashville/Middle Tennessee area during that period.

Of course, it also helped to have someone like Mr. Bill Jones, the father of SOS members Candy, Pam and Debbie Jones, in our corner. He held a key position at WSIX-TV and he was clearly instrumental in our doing the shows there.