Wendy Bagwell
Written by Jerry Kirksey for Singing News Jerry's Journal Monday, April 04, 2005 Photo Memories of Wendy Bagwell It has been a God sent blessing for a person like myself (not a singer, song writer or musician) to have had the privilege of a long career in Southern Gospel Music. And if it be God's will I plan on several more years in his service. One of the benefits of my career is having met and worked with so many outstanding people. As is with most folks, you meet a lot of people, you can love them all, but you really get close to only a few. Carolyn and I feel very fortunate that two of these very special people in our lives have been Wendy and Melba Bagwell. They have been true friends, real friends and we have learned much from both. This June 13th will be the 9th anniversary of Wendy's home going. And we all still miss him very much, but we take great comfort and thanksgiving in having known him and for having had him with us for 71 years. I wish everyone could have known Wendy "Mr. Generosity" Bagwell, What a giving man he was. He was just as generous to a total stranger as he was to his family. He loved God first, his family, his Church, his group (the girls Jerri & Jan), his Southern Gospel Music friends and fans, an then everyone else. Wendy lived every song he sang, and he also lived every funny story he told. He enjoyed the freedom and privilege of his salvation. He loved life and enjoyed every minute of it. It was always a joy to be in his presence. Now if you get the idea that I love Wendy Bagwell, well you're right, and I always will. However there is this one thing I can not forget and will not forget. Wendy left this old world on my birthday. I could be led to believe he might have done that on purpose. I can just hear him saying, " I made sure old Kirksey don't ever forget me," and he is right. Each year on June 13th, I celebrate my birthday and my buddy's heavenly anniversary. Wendy Bagwell is a Southern Gospel Music treasure. I've got a bunch of great photo I want to share. Wendy's first bus, affectionately known as the bread truck. "Now Folks, I want you to know that everything Jerry is going to tell you is the truth, and that's a fact with my Hand Up." Well he would have said it. And Wendy would have said, "This is me when I was young and beautiful, no wonder Melba chased me all over Georgia. And then Wendy would have said; " This is me and Melba after she caught me." In order to keep this story in chronological order we need to tell you that Wendy and Melba went into the furniture business in 1949. They opened Bagwell Sales in Smyrna Georgia. Bagwell Sales was a wholesale cash and carry type furniture store. The first time Carolyn and I went to Bagwell Sales, Wendy was at the store but Melba was at the house. Wendy had a pay phone mounted on the wall near what he called a desk. There was a dime laying on top of the pay phone. Wendy told me to put the dime in, call Melba let the phone ring four times then hang up. I then retrieved the dime and put it back on top of the phone. I did everything he said. And in just a moment Melba called. Wendy said he had been using that same dime for years.
 
 
When Carolyn and I got married and bought our first house we were low on cash. Wendy told us to rent a trailer and come to Bagwell Sales. We arrived and Wendy, Melba, Carolyn and I went through the store. Carolyn and I picked out a house full of furniture, which we could not afford. Long story short Wendy and Melba sold us the entire house full of furniture for a ridiculously low price. Boy, were we excited. Our first home, and full of beautiful new furniture. Now, about this burned out Bagwell Sales building. Wendy said as luck would have it the building burned down the day after his "Fire Sale" was over. He said he had to have the fire sale first because everything was lost in the fire and left him nothing to sell. You can work on that one for a while. Remember this in Wendy Bagwell we're talking about. Wendy started his first group in 1953. The group consist of L/R Georgia Jones, Wendy Bagwell and Jerri Morrison. This photo was taken at a Wendy Bagwell Day celebration in Atlanta Gerogia.   Wendy wasn't there, he was in the hospital recovering from a heart attack. Jerri, Jan, Marvin Norcorss, president of Cannan Records and I took care of the celebration for Wendy. Pictured L/R Then Georgia's Governor Lester Maddox, Jerri, Marvin and Jan. This was one of, if not the first group photo's with Jerry, Wendy and Little Jan. Little Jan was called little Jan because she was very young and little. Jan married Ron Buckner, Wendy and Melba's adopted son. Ron was general manager of Bagwell Sales. Ron and Jan have one daugher, Roneice. Ron passed away in 1997. Jerri's husband is James Morrison and they have one son Jimmy. Wendy had been telling his Rattlesnakes story for some time, but had not put any of his stories on an album. Wendy and Marvin Norcorss was not sure how the Southern Gospel fans would take to comedy mixed with the music. Wendy, Marvin and I talked about this a lot. I wanted Wendy to put the Rattlesnakes story on an album. After a couple of years of discussion, Wendy and Marvin agreed to give it a try. I promised to run a news story and record review on the front page of Singing News (a tabloid newspaper) at that time. This was something we had never done before nor have we ever done it again. Wendy and Marvin felt this would help in the promotion of the album and add support to the idea. The album was recorded and I ran the front page story in the August 1970 issue. The plan for this Wendy Bagwell Day (1974) was for Marvin to give Wendy, Southern Gospel Music's first Gold Album Award. With Wendy in the hospital Marvin presented the album to Jerri and Jan. Pictured L/R Jerri Morrison, Jerry Kirksey, Jan Buckner. About a year after Marvin Norcross's death I presented an idea to the Singing News publisher JG Whitfield to inaugurate a new award named after Marvin Norcross, with the qualifications being based on Marvin's life and contributions to this industry. Whit supported the idea and the Marvin Norcorss Award was born. In those days the Singing News Fan Awards were presented at the International Gospel Song Festival held each July. Wendy Bagwell was our MC for several years. photo L/R Chic Norcross, Marvin's widow, Jerry Kirksey and Wendy Bagwell presenting the first Marvin Norcross Award.
 
Wendy and Melba in the kitchen. Melba pouring Wendy a cup of coffee reminds me of the first time Carolyn and I spent the night in the Bagwell home. Wendy and Melba lived in Smyrna at the time. Caroyln and I were awaken by Wendy bringing us coffee in a silver pot, with silver cups on a silver platter. Wendy said "ya'll take your time and enjoy the coffee. When you get dressed come on down stairs and we'll all go to the Waffle House for breakfast. We don't cook in this house. The only reason we put in a kitchen, is because the fridge would look out of place in the living room." And folks that's a fact with my hand up.
 
I saved this photo for last because these four ladies were Wendy Bagwell's life. Of course we must also add the grandchildren to his list. L/R Daughters Rita and Wendy, wife, Melba and sister, Marcelle Summers. Wendy's mother died when he was young and his sister Marcelle raised him. I have told you some things about Wendy Bagwell, but I really have not scratched the surface of the life of this outstanding man. Wendy was a US Marine and a World War II hero, decorated for heroism. He was a church leader and gave the land their church sits on and the list goes on and on. Melba has not missed one day of Sunday School in over 30 years. This is but a few examples of the dedicated lives of our friends Wendy and Melba Bagwell. Neither of them would ever tell you any of this. So I did.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Laugh and a Half
Wendy Bagwell
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Spread the Word
Wendy Bagwell &
the Sunlighters
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tell it Again
Wendy Bagwell
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wendy Bagwell &
the Sunlighters
Bagwell Sales Furniture Store,
was located on S. Cobb Dr.
across from Riverview Cemetery.