Dr. Bobby Jones

Dr. Bobby Jones. . Singer, evangelist and educator Dr. Bobby Jones popularized African-American gospel music on cable television. He became known as the "Ed Sullivan of Gospel Music." His Black Entertainment Television (BET) show, "Bobby Jones Gospel," ran from 1980 until 2016, making it one of the longest-running shows on cable television. He introduced many singers and musicians who later became stars of both secular and sacred music., Jones was born on Sept. 18, 1938, in rural Henry County. He lived in a three-room house without electricity or running water, and his elementary school, Caton, only operated during winter months so that children were otherwise available for farm work. Jones attended Central High School in Paris and entered Nashville's Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial State University in 1955. In Nashville, he began playing piano at the First Street Baptist Church, and he graduated from A&I in 1959 with a degree in elementary education., Jones taught fifth grade in the St. Louis, Missouri, Public School system until 1965. Returning to Nashville when schools were in the midst of desegregation, he became the only African-American teacher at Lakeview Elementary. In 1967, he went back to St. Louis to work as a traveling educational consultant to McGraw-Hill publishers. After eight years, he again returned to Nashville to teach at Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial State University, by then renamed Tennessee State University., Back in Nashville, Jones organized the Love Train Choir, including as many as 350 members, and organized Project Help to assist the elderly with housing and medical costs. In 1976, he began hosting "The Nashville Gospel Show” on a local television station, WSMV. At Jones' insistence, the producers booked nationally known artists and, in November 1980, the show was picked up for cable by the newly launched BET. The first episode to air nationally was on Jan. 27, 1980 , two days after the network's launch. Founder Robert L. Johnson had seen a tape of Jones' WSMV show and had confidence in his ability to reach a broader audience. Jones viewed himself as the Sunday morning equivalent of Ed Sullivan or Johnny Carson. After severing ties with WSMV, he reconstituted the show as "Bobby Jones Gospel." It aired before church on Sunday morning, and was eventually syndicated worldwide., "Some people was late for church because they wanted to see the show," said gospel singer Regina McCrary of Nashville's McCrary Sisters. "It's hard to get dressed and watch TV at the same time … You can't do what you need to do 'cause you start watching Dr. Bobby Jones.", Beginning in 1977, Jones became a recording artist. and, in 1983, "I'm So Glad I'm Standing Here Today,” a song he performed with country star Barbara Mandrell, won a Dove Award and the Grammy Award for Best Soul Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group., Additionally, Jones hosted several other television and radio shows and has won many honors and citations. In 2006, he became Ambassador at Large for the Caribbean nation of Dominica. The final show of "Bobby Jones Gospel" on BET aired on July 31, 2016. Jones continues to preach, sing and teach., Caption: Dr. Bobby Jones' star on the Music City Walk of Fame.