BLUEFIELD – The “Prince of Parody” performed in front of one of his biggest crowds at Bluefield earlier in his career, and after a hiatus he returns to kick off his touring program this year.
Cledus T. Judd rose to fame in the 1990s not only for his parodies of country songs, but also for his Jerry Clower-style narrative humor.
Judd, along with the Glenn Baker Band, will perform “This Judd’s For You 2022” at the National Guard Armory in Brushfork on January 29.
“It’s so fitting that this is happening,” Judd said in an interview Thursday. “My career had just taken off and they had booked a show at Bluefield (in 1997). I had never heard of Bluefield.
But after this performance, he never forgot this area.
“They were lined up around the building,” he said of the crowd at the concert. “It was the biggest crowd I had ever played before in my career, right here at Bluefield. The time for me to do it again is really good.
Judd said he hopes to see a repeat of the support on January 29 as he kicks off his career after taking a break from touring to be with his children, as well as at the time, ending around 18 drug addiction.
“I had a great race for a long time and had a wonderful career, more than I ever thought I could do,” he said of his 18 years on the road.
But the birth of his daughter and a combination of drug addiction and seeing his career decline decided him to change his life.
“I wanted to be a full-time dad to my daughter,” he said, and he didn’t want his career to fade away. “If I can’t do it the way I want, I won’t do everything. “
Judd said he never lost the love of what he did and had “wet” in the business during this time, announcing his full retirement in 2015. However, that changed when his children and stepchildren were old enough “not to want to date parents,” and he began an entry into the music business in 2018.
“But my full-time stars on January 29,” he said. “It’s time to do it.
Judd, who described himself as a cross between Weird Al Yankovic and Jerry Clower, said the timing was right as he saw a resurgence in the popularity of 1990s music and entertainment.
He has parodied many songs and will perform them on January 29, including “How Do You Like Me Now?” by Toby Keith. with “How to milk a cow?” Another Keith parody was “I Love NASCAR,” based on Keith’s “I Love This Bar” and Keith was a guest singer for it.
Judd is the first to admit that he’s not a good singer, but with his music and style, audiences don’t care.
They also found his humor appealing.
“I am not a comedian,” he said. “I am a storyteller. “
His stories are aimed at families, he said, and do not contain offensive material.
Besides entertainment, Judd said it was also important for him to share his drug addiction story with the public.
“I want to entertain them and make them laugh, but I want them to feel something while they’re there,” he said, especially anyone with an addiction.
“I speak frequently in recovery groups and in churches,” he said, adding that he wants people to know that he is “one of them” and that all he is said comes from the heart.
Judd said people should also know that there is always hope, and for him, love for his daughter was stronger than his addiction to cocaine and methamphetamine, which at times has him. almost led to suicide.
But he has learned that he would rather be “broke and happy” than live with what can come from making a lot of money and “being successful.”
He said he was delighted to perform here, but has returned several times since that 1997 concert because he has friends here, including the former President of the State Senate and man of Bill Cole business.
“He’s one of my best friends,” Judd said. “I love the city. Nice people, nice and friendly people.
For Glenn Baker, the performance on January 29 will also be part of his return to music after a hiatus.
The Illinois native learned to sing in church and enjoyed singing in a gospel quartet, but when he graduated from high school he had to choose between a wrestling or music scholarship.
“I didn’t want to be a sissy singer,” he said in an interview on Wednesday, so he chose wrestling.
But after injuries and shoulder surgeries from the wrestling, it came to an end and he got married and joined the United States Army, serving in Desert Storm in Iraq.
After that he turned to music again and started touring with a band, before taking leave after a divorce.
But he eventually got back on a mic and in recent years he’s formed the Glenn Baker Band.
“My songs are more heartfelt,” he said, and a lot of them focus on God, country, family and “just good fun”.
His most popular video is “Freedom,” which covers an appreciation for freedom and also of the soldiers fighting to make it happen.
In fact, Baker works with the SoldierStrong organization to help improve the lives of veterans.
Baker, however, said his music had nothing to do with politics.
“I don’t care if he’s a Democrat or a Republican,” he said. “What matters to me is freedom, country, God and being pro-American.”
Baker said his six-member group will be filming a music video here as well.
“We’re going to be shooting a video in downtown Bluefield on January 26,” he said, and the location alignment process will be underway next week.
“We’re looking for people who want to dance,” he said, including in all styles from square dancing to hip-hop.
Details on how locals can become a part of it will be released soon.
The concert “This Judd’s For You 2022” will start at 8pm on January 29th with a doors opening at 6.30pm
Tickets are on sale now for $ 23 each and can be purchased online at outhousetickets.com.
– Contact Charles Boothe at [email protected]
