8/12/2009 6:00:00 PM Barrett recalls Fair days of youth,
recent making of Toyota TV ad
BY STANLEY DEARMAN Editor and Publisher Emeritus
Former Neshoba County resident Leigh Barrett was selected recently by the Sports South network to be in a Toyota commercial that's currently airing during Atlanta Braves games.
Barrett, who lives in the Atlanta area and works for Toyota, is a dedicated fan of Atlanta Braves baseball.
As a result of his involvement with the commercial, he received an invitation from Sports South to the ceremony inducting Braves pitching great Greg Maddux into the Braves Hall of Fame at the Omni Hotel at CNN Center. Maddux's jersey was retired during the ceremony.
Also attending the event were former Braves greats Dale Murphy, Phil Niekro, Dave Justice and others. It was an awesome event.
Barrett and his wife Debbie were here during the weekend of The Neshoba County Fair. Barrett is the son of Carolyn and Stanley Dearman and Bill Barrett of Ft.Walton Beach, Fla. He is the grandson of the late Herbert and Dollie Majure of Philadelphia and the late W. A. and Wilda Barrett of Dothan, Ala.
During his visit to the Fair, he was asked about the commercial and how he happened to have been selected for it. We also asked about his memories and impressions of the Fair.
Barrett: I always loved baseball starting when I was a kid. When we moved to Atlanta in the late 60's I became a dedicated Braves fan. We usually go to 5-10 games a year. We watch the others on television and really get into the game. I was fortunate enough to see Greg Maddux pitch and he was truly amazing. Not
that Tom Glavine and John Smoltz, along with some others, weren't very good pitchers, it just that Maddux was THE best I have ever seen.
The Democrat: You've been with Toyota, southeast region, for quite a few years. What is your specific title?
Barrett: Information Systems Area Manager (ISAM) - basically I assist Toyota dealers in two districts with their technology needs, contract negotiations, systems planning, website maintenance, etc. I will start my 25th year with Toyota in August.
Southeast Toyota Distributors, my employer, sponsors games on Sports South every year and this season they wanted someone from SET to be in a commercial. They initially approached the Sales DM who knows very little about baseball in general and even less about the Braves in particular so he referred them to me because he knows I am a big fan. I met the advertising agency folks and the film crew at one of our dealers where they asked me a lot of questions.
They took my answers and turned them into the commercial that is airing now. I tried to tell them I have a face for radio but they insisted on moving forward anyway. It was a real kick shooting the spot and I'd love to have some of the bloopers where one of us messed up as there were some funny moments. Of course now I am taking a good bit of ribbing from my friends who are asking for autographs and free tickets.
The Democrat: The first job you ever had was at the Neshoba County Fair at the front gate. What were your duties?
Barrett: Back then the job title was "runner." Nowadays I think "gopher" would be more appropriate. My job was to hang around the front gate and do whatever they told me to do. That could be anything from relieving the guy who was lowering the rope to let the vehicles in, to tracking down Morris Therrell, to picking up lunch for everybody. Most of the time we spent sitting around talking. Dwight Smith and I both played guitar so we would take them up to work with us and do a little pickin' and grinnin' during the slow times of the day.
The Democrat: How old were you? What year would this have been?
Barrett: I am thinking I was 14 so that would have been 1969. I worked there two years in a row but once I turned 16 I took on a regular summer job in Atlanta.
The Democrat: What did you do with your first earned money?
Barrett: I remember buying an acoustic guitar from Turner Hardware here and also a record player, and I'm pretty sure I used the Fair money to buy them. I don't know where I would have gotten the money otherwise.
The Democrat: Any particular memories of what you and your friends did, such as picking your guitar with Kevin Cole?
Barrett: Kevin Cole and I were trying to remember where and when we first started playing guitar together. We came to the conclusion it was on the back porch of the cabin where the Critz and Banks families stayed. That would be 40 years ago this Fair. Kevin's brother David played bass and told jokes over the microphone between songs. Haimes Critz always said David's jokes were better than his bass playing and there's probably some truth to that. Over the years we migrated over to Lallah Perry's cabin (with a few others in between) and that is where we still wind up. We were just there last night and Margaret was holding court. Like most people, I could go on for days about things that have happened over the years and the friends involved, there are just too many to mention.
The Democrat: What, for you, has always been the attraction of the Fair?
Barrett: I think as a youngster it was all the flashy stuff. You know, the rides, the racetrack, the smell of the sawdust, the sno-cones, "stick-dogs," all that. As a teenager it become more of a social event and getting to know people that I didn't know well. I actually was only in school in Philadelphia for short periods of time and all of those were prior to the 6th grade. Therefore, a lot of friends of mine now were people I didn't meet until we were teenagers. Now, of course, the attraction of the fair is getting together with as many of those people as possible and remembering all the shenanigans we pulled back in the day.
The Democrat: Looking back, who are the people that stand out for you?
Barrett: I used to really enjoy watching A.J. Yates at the All Night Singing when he was very gung ho at the beginning directing everyone and swinging those arms around. As the night would wear on the enthusiasm would quiet down to the point where all you could really see was his hat on top of the piano. I spent a lot of time at the Majure, Cole, Jackson, Critz, Perry and Kilgore cabins over the years.
The Democrat: Your mother says Gerry Cole, Kevin's mother, served you doughnuts every morning before you went to work.
Barrett: When I worked at the front gate I would get up and stop at the Cole cabin for doughnuts and coffee with Gerry. I think she and I were the only people at the fairgrounds awake at that time of day. She would always be interested in what we all did the night before and I would relay the parts I could tell without incriminating anyone.
The Democrat: There's an old picture of you and a group of friends kicking up your heels that we found and is reprinted here. Who was in the picture and what were you doing?
Barrett: The picture was taken in front of the Jackson/Jones cabin of us imitating what we used to do during the singing of "Sentimental Journey" at the All Night Singing. The crew is, from left to right, Debbie Fulton, Billy Williamson, Mary Jean Hudson, me, Robin Jackson, and Haimes Critz. By the way, this is the same Debbie who painted the cover for this year's Fair program book.
The Democrat: Are there any professional entertainers who appeared at the Fair that you remember especially?
Barrett: I met Loretta Lynn when I was working at the front gate. I had to deliver a message to her personally. I rode on the fender of many of the entertainers after they came through the gate to guide them to their destination.
