ep. 46: Jerry Clower – Southern identity, raccoon hunting and comedy

In this episode of the Bear Grease Podcast, we take a deep dive into the heart of Southern cultural identity and the mind of Jerry Clower. Does that name sound familiar to you? Jerry rose to national fame in the 1970s when a story he told about hunting raccoons topped the country charts. I’m interested in those rare places where rural culture, and specifically hunting, intersects with the mainstream. Wilson Rawls closed that gap with his book “Where the Red Fern Grows,” and Jerry did it with a vermin-hunting comedy. He’s long gone, but I was able to meet up with his old neighbor from Amite County in East Fork, Mississippi: a man named John Newman. It will give us a behind-the-scenes look at who Jerry was, and some of it may surprise you. And believe it or not, Brent Reaves met Jerry Clower and saw his famous Gold Cadilac. Brent swears it was as long as a battleship. Trust me guys and gals, you won’t want to miss this one!