Full Name Fred Jones, Jr. | Alma mater University of Memphis | |
Born January 2, 1948 (age 69) ( 1948-01-02 ) Memphis, Tennessee, United States Title Founder, Southern Heritage Classic Children 6 -- Nathaniel Jamal Jones, Derek Andre Polk, Leslie Michele Jones, Natolyn Jhanel Jones Ferguson, Nedra Lucille Jones, Kari Andrea Jones Cook Parent(s) Lula Mae and Freddie Jones Residence Memphis, Tennessee, United States | ||
Fred Jones, Jr. (born January 2, 1948) is an American entrepreneur, entertainment producer and founder of the Southern Heritage Classic, which is an annual HBCU college football game in Memphis, Tennessee.
Early years
Jones was born in Memphis, Tennessee to Lula Mae, a homemaker, and Freddie Jones, a dockworker at the St. Louis terminal dock in Memphis. He was raised in the Cleaborne Homes housing community in south Memphis. He graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1966. He worked during the day as an auditor at Union Planters National Bank and went to college at night to earn his BBA degree in finance (minoring in accounting) from Memphis State University in 1971. While at Union Planters, he was transferred to another local branch where it just so happened that Stax Records did its banking. That is where he got his introduction into the music industry.
On the weekends, he would attend shows by The Soul Children and, backed by his banking background, led to becoming their defacto road manager. That eventually led to a similar job working with soul legend Isaac Hayes in 1971. Hayes was searching for someone to "count money."