Jack Voorhies

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Jack V. Voorhies (born 1926 in Sheffield - died March 4, 2008 in Tuscumbia) was a radio announcer, ad producer and comedian best known for his stable of alter-ego characters developed as the morning announcer for WVNA-AM in Tuscumbia.

Voorhies grew up in Sheffield. He was a speech major at Northwestern University in Illinois, after which he served in the U. S. Navy during World War II, deployed to the Pacific theater. After the war he worked for radio and television stations in Texas, Iowa and Alabama before returning to the Shoals area.

He worked an evening shift at WLAY-AM in Muscle Shoals, and then a morning shift at WVNA in Tuscumbia, where his "Top of the Morning" show hit its stride. While there he developed numerous character voices including country codger "Luther Appleby", pulpwood truck-driver "Clyde Perote", "spurts-caster" "Irving Loblolly", home economist "Sylvia Sidesaddle" and country singer "Chick Churn" of the "Chillydippers". As Perote he provided morning traffic reports to the T. C. and John Ed show on Birmingham's WERC-AM. The character even made a bid for Governor with the support of the show.

Voorhies also announced for the University of North Alabama and Deshler High School athletic teams in the 1970s and was the first broadcaster inducted into the Colbert County Sports Hall of Fame.

As an ad producer Voorhies developed long-running relationships with numerous businesses in the Shoals and also made ads for political candidates such as Howell Heflin, John Sparkman, Albert Brewer and numerous state legislators. He did freelance work in Montgomery, Nashville, Atlanta, and Birmingham before opening his own Jack Voorhies Productions office in Tuscumbia.

Voorhies also acted in local community productions, recorded narration for training and promotional videos, and made special speaking engagements. He was a regular emcee for the Helen Keller Festival in Tuscumbia and an active member of First Methodist Church, where he directed the youth choir for a decade.

In the early 1980s, Voorhies was partnered with Steve Christie at WYDE-AM. He wrote and performed the popular novelty song "Moon Over Homewood" about Vulcan's bare buttocks in 1982.

In 2003 Voorhies was injured in an automobile accident. He died in 2008 after several long illnesses. He was survived by his wife, Sara, four children and five grandchildren. He is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Sheffield.

References

  • "Vulcan's bare derriere is subject of new song." (November 4, 1982) Associated Press
  • Allen, Sherhonda (March 5, 2008) "'Voice of the Shoals' Jack Voorhies dies." Florence Times Daily
  • "Jack V. Voorhies" obituary (March 6, 2008) Florence Times Daily
  • Myers, Fred (May 2007) "The Biggest Picture". ByLine. American Agricultural Editors' Association