The passing of an era

Dear SpartaLive,

“If you would not be forgotten, as soon as you are dead and rotten, either write things worth reading, or do things worth the writing.”  --Benjamin Franklin

In the depth of one’s “golden years,” many an afternoon is often spent reminiscing the past decades of one’s life. Countless hours I spend remembering the people I’ve known, and the times I’ve experienced from my early youth, until now. Of those memories, hardly any can compare to the good times I’ve had in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s. It was a time of influential people and ever-changing events, which still, even today, rolls like a river through my mind. It was an era of change and creativity that I dare say, will never be paralleled again. When I think back to those early days of my youth, one individual stands out to remind me of just how much I truly enjoyed that age.

I would wager there’s hardly a resident of White County over the age of 40, that didn’t know Big John Powell. For decades, Big John touched the lives of people in this county in one way or another. Hundreds, if not thousands eat at his restaurants, heard him play live music, or listened to him D. J. on the local radio station. Entrepreneur, businessman, radio celebrity, musician, - Big John embraced it all with an enthusiasm most would envy. For me, he was a constant staple through some of the best years of my life. For John, it came down to first and foremost, his love of music.

I was probably eight or nine years old when I first heard Big John play trombone. It was the mid sixties and the sound of the time was that of the group, Chicago. My brother’s band needed brass to broaden the spectrum of music that they could perform, so John accompanied Lynnwood England on trumpet to fully compliment the Jades sound. It was later on, when he transitioned to bass guitar, that John realized his full musical potential.

As well as playing live venues throughout the decades, John frequented the airwaves from the local radio station. Thousands listened to his broadcasts as he DJ’ed his way into the hearts of listeners. It was during this period of the late 70’s that John opened his first business, Super Subs, to a packed house of loyal listeners. A deli offering non-fried foods, he was the first in Sparta – to my knowledge - to offer a “salad bar” as well as unique menu items for the public to enjoy.

 The eighties brought even greater business opportunities managing the local Kentucky Fried Chicken establishment, where for the better part of a decade, Big John greeted customers on behalf of the Colonel. When the new KFC opened on Highway 111, John purchased the existing KFC building, transferring his newly established, 2nd Act Deli to a more favorable location.

Through it all, John never stopped performing live music. He loved it! Good food and live entertainment was what John Powell was all about. He embraced everything with a passion that could be felt by everyone. Even in his later years, when his health was declining, he continued to perform live, playing bass guitar. True to his first love, till the very end.

We are all transient beings. We pass through this world of space-time for a brief moment in history, and then we are mostly forgotten. In our allotted time here, we change other people’s lives, whether we realize it or not. Big John Powell touched a lot of people’s lives - in his given time - through his music, his food, and his enthusiasm. For those of us that knew him well, his spirit remains – an ever-shining beacon to shed light on wonderful memories of an easier time. For others, it is his contribution to humanity through his boisterous persona and his love of the musical art. Either way, he is a soul worth remembering.  May he not be forgotten so soon.

Lenton Miller