Walmart High School
This song was written by Reed and is considered his biggest hit. Written in 2002 in response to West Jones Middle and High School being destroyed by a tornado, and moving the school to an old Walmart Store, the song became a hit in the state of Mississippi and later in other parts of the country. Later the story behind the song went national as it was featured on Paul Harvey News and Comment and The Jay Leno Show. Reed says the song was inspired by watching the whole community come together to help the students of West Jones finish the year. "I wanted to contribute something. We were out of school and I didn't have much to do so this song came to me." Reed recorded the song at Cedarwood Studios in Myrick MS and later took it to the local radio station B-95. The song was played and became an instant hit. "The radio station called me and said the phone lines were lit up with request for the song. People were wanting to know where to buy a copy." It was at this time that Reed got his chance to help the school in his own way. He decided to sell the song and use the money to buy the science department new microscopes. "Lord knows we needed them and this was the chance to do it." The single "Walmart High School" quickly sold out on its first run and topped the local charts in 2002 outpacing such hits as "Drive" by Alan Jackson. After all was said and done "Walmart High School" ended up raising almost $3,000 that was used to help improve the science department at West Jones. Reed credits James Ducker for making the song the success it became. "James added the guitar lick that to me really made the song. It's what I look forward to hearing when the song is played." To hear Reed and James D's hit song "Walmart High School" click the play button below. I Used to Mow for ElvisThis song was his first to hit the radio airwaves, I Used to Mow for Elvis is Reed's attempt to combine the myth of an alive Elvis with his lawn care business. Reed says that while mowing his customers lawns he had a lot of time to think. "Songs would usually hit me while cutting grass. I'd stop the mower jump off and get the note pad from the truck and start writing." One day while cutting a yard in Ellisville, MS, Reed's mind drifted to thoughts about Elvis and then he had a question. "I wondered if Elvis every cut his yard at Graceland? Then the mental pictures starting firing in my brain. Can you see Elvis in his jumpsuit on a lawnmower." From that mental picture was born "I Used to Mow for Elvis" Reed's first single to be played on radio stations around 1997. James D. provides the backup vocals reminscent of the Jordanaires and the blaring trumpets heard in Elvis' C.C. Rider. It's still played today by some D.J.s around the King's birthday in Janurary. Click below to mow a little grass with the king.
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Walmart SpeedwayWalmart Speedway was actually written before Reed & James D's big hit "Walmart High School." Speedway got some airplay on local stations and was later brought back after the success of Walmart High School. Reed re-released the song in 2002 after the high school song fell in the local charts. The speedway song quickly rose to the top beating out many songs in the top 40. Suddenly the song was pulled and people begin to wonder what happened to the song and why their requests to play it were denied. It was later revealed that local merchants were upset over the "free" publicity Walmart was receiving from Reed's songs and management at the local stations pulled the song from the airwaves. When asked how he first responded to this move Reed replied, "I was a little upset over it at first but I realized that money talks and the stations didn't want to lose any business. I can understand that."
It was after the success of "Walmart Speedway" that Reed and James D. decided to put together their first C.D. which included many songs they had recorded years earlier. The speedway song was the title track of the album and sold over 1,000 copies. To hear "Walmart Speedway" click the play button below. Rummage Sale QueenReed wrote this song about his wife's love of going to rummage sales along with situations he experienced while having some of his own. The song was written and recorded in the spring of 2002 and is included on his album "Walmart Speedway." It recieved airplay on radio stations in the Laurel, Hattiesburg area all the way to Jackson. This upbeat comical song is reminist of Ray Stevens with a Johnny Cash sound. Listen below
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