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25-607: In 1973, Jimmy Neil Smith , a high school journalism teacher, and a carload of students heard Grand Ole Opry regular Jerry Clower spin a tale over the radio about coon hunting in Mississippi . Smith was inspired by that event to create a story telling festival in Northeast Tennessee . In October 1973, the first National Storytelling Festival was held in Jonesborough, Tennessee. Hay bales and wagons were

50-621: A platinum record for sales in excess of $ 1 million at the retail level. At first, Clower took orders at his speaking engagements, selling 8000 copies on the Lemon record label. In time, Wilkes sent a copy to Grant Turner at WSM radio in Nashville , and when Turner played it on the air, Clower said "that thing busted loose." MCA was soon knocking on Clower's door, offering him a contract. Once MCA began distribution in 1971, Jerry Clower from Yazoo City, Mississippi Talkin' retailed more than

75-557: A book of stories, profiles of America’s leading storytellers, and how-to information. Following the release of Homespun, Smith compiled and edited Why the Possum’s Tail is Bare—a collection of Southern folktales, legends, and other stories. As president of the International Storyteller Center (ISC), he published a series of additional books and recordings featuring the world’s stories and storytellers. Smith

100-487: A county agent and later as a seed salesman. He became a fertilizer salesman for Mississippi Chemical in 1954. By 1954, Clower had developed a reputation for telling funny stories to boost his sales. Tapes of Clower's speaking engagements wound up in the hands of Edwin "Big Ed" Wilkes and Bud Andrews in Lubbock, Texas , who had him make a better-quality recording which they promoted. MCA Records later awarded The Coon Hunt

125-604: A facility in downtown Jonesborough that serves as a headquarters for the organization and a beacon for storytelling throughout the world. In 1978, Smith was elected mayor of Jonesborough and served three two-year terms. Because of its ever-expanding storytelling program, Jonesborough, the oldest town in Tennessee, is being called the Storytelling Capital of the World. In 1987, Smith compiled and edited Homespun,

150-650: A few hundred dollars to come open for an upcoming tour Rowland had booked with Charley Pride . Clower arrived back-stage for the Saturday night show at the Jacksonville Coliseum, but Pride's manager Jack Johnson refused to allow it because Clower was non-union. Rowland averted the situation by putting Clower on stage while the lights were up and people were still entering the Coliseum. Clower performed for about 30 minutes. Pride, who watched from backstage,

175-564: A local journalism teacher, hosted the first National Storytelling Festival as a way to build regional and national awareness of Jonesborough. Smith's efforts led to a revival of storytelling in the US. Jonesborough is today referred to as the Storytelling Capital of the World. Smith was born in a pre-Civil War house on his grandparents’ farm in rural Washington County, Tennessee — just eight miles from Jonesborough. Smith and his parents, Fred Neil and Dorothy Jackson Smith, moved to Jonesborough when he

200-539: A million dollars over 10 months and stayed in the top 20 on the country charts for 30 weeks. Clower's first on-stage engagement occurred in the early 1970s when country radio station owner and show promoter, Marshall Rowland (WQIK, Jacksonville; WDEN, Macon; WQYK, Tampa), received an early Clower recording ("The Coon Huntin' Story") which was met with rave reviews by his station's listeners in Jacksonville. Rowland contacted Clower and offered him an airplane ticket and

225-626: A radio show called Country Crossroads with Bill Mack and Leroy Van Dyke , which has aired in syndication for 40 years and a television version of the program was produced, as well, starting in 1993. Clower's involvement began in 1973 and lasted well over 20 years. This show was produced and distributed by the Southern Baptist Convention . Clower also taped segments of Nashville On the Road , which included comedic performances and interviews with other country artists featured on

250-506: A staunch Christian, an opportunity to present his personal testimony in a comfortable church setting. Clower was well known for his faith and often makes references to God in his stories. He spoke at many Southern Baptist Convention events. He said his faith kept him happy and able to make others laugh. In 1973, Clower became a member of the Grand Ole Opry , and continued to perform there regularly until his death. He also co-hosted

275-571: A storytelling festival. He wanted to save the old, traditional stories of the Southern Appalachians for future generations, and he wanted to join other residents of Jonesborough who wanted to save the dying town and rebuild its economy. Smith hoped a storytelling festival could help accomplish both. In 1973, Smith founded the National Storytelling Festival , the first public event dedicated exclusively to

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300-775: A two-year stint in the Navy after graduating from high school in 1944. Upon his discharge, in 1946, he was a Radioman Third Class (RMN3) and had earned the American Campaign Medal , the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal (with two bronze service stars), and the World War II Victory Medal . He studied agriculture at Mississippi State University , where he played college football and was a member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity. After finishing school in 1951, Clower worked as

325-570: A weekly column featuring the history of the region. The columns were published in two small books. Upon graduation in 1969, Smith began teaching English—and later, journalism—at Science Hill High School in Johnson City. Smith also developed and directed a public information program for the Johnson City Schools to disseminate information and news about the school system, its teachers and administrators, and its students. When Smith

350-570: Is a contributor to the Anthology Storytelling project as a regular reflection on storytelling. Jerry Clower Howard Gerald " Jerry " Clower (September 28, 1926 – August 24, 1998) was an American stand-up comedian. Born and raised in the state of Mississippi, Clower was best known for his stories of the rural South and was given the nickname "The Mouth of Mississippi". Clower was born in Liberty, Mississippi and began

375-561: Is said to have then taken Clower under his wing and introduced him at the next of Rowland's shows as his "new friend." Clower and Rowland remained very close friends for the years that followed, connecting for events, and working shows together. Clower was a frequent face at Rowland's radio stations over the remaining years of his life, and the music was known to be interrupted with Clower's comedy recordings from time to time, especially at WQIK in Jacksonville, where his career can be said to have been launched in earnest. His stories often featured

400-829: The Festival attracts nearly 11,000 audience members annually, including school groups whose students attend as an educational experience. The festival builds on the Appalachian cultural tradition of storytelling. Held under circus tents scattered throughout Jonesborough, storytellers sit on stages or at the head of the tent to perform. There are usually five or six tents in close proximity so that festival goers can easily walk from tent to tent and from performance to performance. Past storytellers include Pete Seeger , Carmen Agra Deedy , Jay O'Callahan , Donald Davis , Syd Lieberman , Andy Offutt Irwin , Sheila Kay Adams , and Kathryn Tucker Windham . The festival has expanded to include

425-612: The ISC promotes the power of storytelling and the creative applications of this ancient tradition to enrich the human experience in the home, at the workplace, and throughout the world. The National Storytelling Network is a membership organization, "connecting people to and through storytelling". Produced by the International Storytelling Center, the three-day outdoor festival features performances by internationally known artists. In existence for almost 50 years,

450-501: The Ledbetters, a quintessential Southern, country folk. Clower made 27 full-length recordings in his 27-year career as a professional entertainer (not counting "best of" compilations). With one exception, all the recordings were released by MCA. The exception was Ain't God Good , which Clower recorded with MCA's blessing at a worship service. Word Records promoted and distributed this title in 1977. This recording gave Clower, always

475-659: The basis for an inspirational documentary film of the same title that won an award from the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival. His other three books include 1978's Let the Hammer Down ; 1987's Life Everlaughter , and 1993's Stories From Home . Clower died in August 1998 following heart bypass surgery; he was 71 years old. He had been married to Homerline (née Wells) Clower (1926–2018) since August 1947. He had

500-771: The growing ranks of Youth Storytellers, including showcasing participants and winners of the National Youth Storytelling Showcase. The festival influenced the development of a storytelling graduate degree program at the nearby East Tennessee State University . Jimmy Neil Smith Jimmy Neil Smith (born 1947 in Tennessee ), is founder and president emeritus of the International Storytelling Center (ISC) in Jonesborough , Tennessee. In 1973, Smith, then

525-476: The show. Jim Ed Brown hosted the series with Clower during the program's first season, 1975–76, and they were joined by Helen Cornelius in 1976. Their involvement in the series lasted until 1981. The show continued to air with new host Jim Stafford through 1983. Clower's last album was Peaches and Possums , released posthumously in October 1998. He was the author of four books. The book Ain't God Good became

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550-775: The stages, and audience and tellers together didn't number more than 60. Two years after the first festival, Smith founded the National Association for the Preservation and Perpetuation of Storytelling (NAPPS), an organization that led America's storytelling renaissance. In 1994, the name of the organization was shortened to the National Storytelling Association (NSA). Another name change occurred in 1998, when NSA "divided into two separate organizations, National Storytelling Network (NSN) and International Storytelling Center (ISC)". Today,

575-408: The tradition and art of storytelling anywhere in the world. Staged in Jonesborough, the Festival ignited a revival, a new appreciation, of storytelling that has spread across America and the world. Two years after the first Festival, Smith founded the National Association for the Preservation and Perpetuation, the organization that would become the International Storytelling Center. In 2002, ISC opened

600-584: Was about two years old. A sister, Jill, was born into the family in 1951. Smith graduated from East Tennessee State University in nearby Johnson City, Tennessee, with a BS degree in English, history, and journalism. During high school and college, Smith was a reporter for the weekly Herald and Tribune in Jonesborough and the daily Johnson City Press. While a journalist at the Press, he wrote Heritage in Buckskin,

625-461: Was driving some of his journalism students to a nearby town to print the school newspaper, they were listening to comedian and storyteller Jerry Clower on the car radio tell a story about hunting in Mississippi. At that time, Smith turned to his students and suggested that Jonesborough should host a storytelling festival with storytellers, like Clower. Soon thereafter, Smith began contemplating

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