Gary Reeder
Back many years ago I was going to Radio
Friday, April 12, 2024, 12:21

Announcing school in Nashville at night and working at Ernie's Record Mart in Nashville during the day. Ernie's was the main blues record sellers in the U.S. Wolfman Jack was the main announcer at night and Ernie's was the main advertiser. I worked at Ernie's selling blues records. I was the only honky in the place. I would eat, sleep,and breathe blues music. I knew every blues singer there was and the little old black ladies loved me. They would ask what song Wolfman Jack played the night before and in most cases I knew it. They would ask me questions about what songs certain blues singers sang and I knew it. The little old black ladies would hug me if they caught me out on the floor and not behind the counter. They would pay for the records then giggle and reach down in their bosum and pull out a rolled up, damp, wrinkled dollar bill and give me a tip. Sometimes they pulled a dollar bill out of their shoe and slipped it to me as a tip. I loved those little old black ladies and damn near cried when I got my first job in radio and had to leave Ernie's. Looking back I think I made more money with tips than I did as a salesman.
Those were great days and even today,60 years later, they bring back good memories. I was the lone honky at Ernie's Record Mart and loved every minute of it.