Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} The Mouth of the South The Story by Jimmy Hart The Mouth of the South: The Jimmy Hart Story by Jimmy Hart. Description : A friend actually sent me this book saying he figured it'd be something up my alley. I personally wasn't ever a huge fan of Jimmy Hart, but let me say his book is something else. The bulk of Hart's recollection of his wrestling career of course covers his well published and known career in Memphis. The names and the memories he shares with us are something that just makes you wish there were cameras there to catch every bit of it. Hart tells it all in a very humble way, which is surprising considering the character we've all came to know Hart to be. His hand in the infamous Kaufman and Lawler conflict is probably the highlight, but also quite a few interesting stories are told about what it was like to be an entertainer in the 'territory days' of professional wrestling. Then of course he covers the WWF portion of his career. A great backstage story about a conflict between The Dynamite Kid and Jacques Rougeau shed a lil' light into stuff that maybe quite a few of us never had a clue about. So the finish of the book notes how Jimmy became an important part of Hulk Hogan's career in and out of the ring while Jimmy of course says it right out of "The Mouth of the South". Why read it? Well not only does Hart share some wrestling history with us, he also shares it from a unique point of view that I've not read any where else. Hart stays tasteful and informative, and of course there's enough humor and nostalgia to keep it interesting. I read this book in one setting and that doesn't happen often with biographies. Being an old school wrestling fan it really just made me feel like I fell into an era that I wasn't even born to see. So I'm confident no matter what era of wrestling you're a fan of, there's something in this book for you. Rating : All in all and 8 out of 10 as far as biographys go. I'd like to have seen another chapter just on the wrestling stories personally and I think that would have made the appeal of the book to the general audience that much stronger. So checks it. The Mouth of the South: The Jimmy Hart Story by Jimmy Hart. Jimmy 'The Mouth of the South' Hart visited The Beatles Story this week, the WWE legend was in Liverpool to attend For The Love Of Wrestling taking place at the city’s Exhibition Centre. Hart is an American professional wrestling manager, executive, composer, and musician currently signed with WWE in a Legends deal. He has managed many professional wrestlers including Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart, Jerry "The King" Lawler, "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase and many others. Before becoming involved with professional wrestling, the Mississippi-born star was a vocalist with the 60s band The Gentrys, who had a million selling record with their 1965 single 'Keep on Dancing', the song was a top five hit on the US Billboard Hot 100. Jimmy’s background as a musician led him into composing many theme songs for wrestlers and wrestling events, including entrance music for the likes of Honky Tonk Man, Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake and Hulk Hogan. His most notable composition is perhaps Shawn Michaels’s entrance theme, "Sexy Boy". Jimmy, along with his 'Mouth of the South' megaphone and infamous piano glasses have travelled the world on various wresting associated tours. He has been to Liverpool several times before and after taking a short tour of The Beatles Story’s award-winning exhibition said: "I am so excited, so thrilled, what a tour! If you’re coming to Liverpool you’ve got to come to see The Beatles Story, it’s unbelievable, we got to see so many great things." "I was in a band back in 1964, The Gentrys was the name of the group and we had a hit song called ‘Keep on Dancing’. The Beatles were number one on the Billboard charts back then and we held the number four spot with that song. Thirty years later a British group called The Bay City Rollers cut the same song and had a big record from it." The Mouth of the South: The Jimmy Hart Story by Jimmy Hart. We’re super excited to bring yet another wrestling icon to Retro Con for 2020- Please welcome to the show “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart! One of the greatest heel managers of all time, Jimmy has been a fixture of wrestling since the mid-80s when he joined the WWF. Over the years, he’s managed such legendary wrestlers as Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart, Ted DiBiase, Jerry Lawler, Greg Valentine, and many more! Sporting his signature ‘loud’ outfits and with trademark megaphone in hand, Jimmy made sure he was the center of attention during backstage promos and by ringside! Spending 8 years in the WWF, Jimmy moved on to the WCW and other wrestling circuits for many years, before returning to the WWE in 2011 under a Legends contract. Jimmy proudly embraces his wrestling persona and will be bringing it to Retro Con in September! A Change of Hart: ‘The Mouth of the South’ Jimmy Hart’s Babyface Turn in 1993. Jimmy Hart was one of the top heel managers in all of professional wrestling since he debuted in the late 1970s. Hart was the ultimate heel in the Memphis territory in his battles with Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler. More often than not, if you were a top heel in Memphis, you had Jimmy Hart in your corner. By the mid-1980s, Hart joined Vince McMahon’s World Wrestling Federation and became a nationally recognized heel manager. Hart managed the likes of the Hart Foundation, The Rougeau Brothers, Earthquake, The Honkytonk Man and The Nasty Boys just to name a few. He was known for his flashy jackets, piano key tie and, most notably, his megaphone. An object he wasn’t hesitant to use. Hart managed tag team champions and Intercontinental champions. By 1993, the pro wrestling landscape was changing. Business wasn’t as profitable as it once was. Babyfaces were starting to be booed and heels were starting to be cheered. Managers were slowly becoming passe and not as regularly used in prior times. Jimmy Hart was himself, becoming a stale character. During this time period, the WWF’s top star, Hulk Hogan, was taking a “sabbatical” from the company. With business slowly fading, Hulk Hogan decided to return and along with it an idea to reintroduce himself to fans. Hogan gave a call to Jimmy Hart who was more of an acquaintance than a friend to the Hulkster. Hogan asked Hart if he wanted to become his manager. At first, Jimmy was confused because managers were usually used for heel wrestlers. Hogan assured Jimmy he wasn’t turning heel. Hulk was always a fan of Jimmy’s work and wanted to return to the WWF with a big splash. Hart saw this as a golden opportunity to become the manager of the business’ biggest star. Hart and Hogan went to Vince McMahon and pitched Hogan’s idea. Vince wasn’t convinced that Jimmy Hart would be believable as a babyface manager. Vince asked Hart if he was sure he wanted to go through with the angle and Hart assured Vince it was what he wanted. In February 1993, Hulk Hogan’s real-life best friend Brutus Beefcake was returning himself to the ring after a three-year layoff after an unfortunate parasailing accident. Brutus was going to be the lightning rod to the angle that would turn Hart a babyface and usher the return of Hulk Hogan. At the time, Hart was the manager of the WWF tag team champions of Money Incorporated (Ted Dibiase and Irwin R. Shyster) Dibiase would challenge Beefcake in his first match back to a wrestling ring. The match took place on the WWF’s new hit show…Monday Night Raw. Beefcake had control of the match until Dibiase’s partner IRS interfered. IRS hit beefcake in the back with his steel briefcase. Afterwards, Money Inc continued to double team Beefcake with nobody coming to his rescue. It was then that IRS took his briefcase and was ready to hit Beefcake in his surgically repaired face, while Ted Dibiase held him. Jimmy Hart surprisingly showed concern and remorse for Beefcake and got in the way of IRS from hitting Beefcake with the case. IRS would grab his manager and throw him out of the ring. Shyster then hit Beefcake in the face with the briefcase. As Brutus was writhing in pain on the mat, Money Inc looked to do further damage, but Jimmy Hart ran back in the ring and used his own body as a shield for Beefcake. The next week, Hulk Hogan returned to the WWF and introduced Beefcake and their new manager, Jimmy Hart. For the very first time in his career, Hart was a babyface. That, of course, led to a very unmemorable run for Hulk Hogan that year. At the end of it all, Hogan left the WWF again and took Jimmy Hart with him as his now real-life manager as Hogan pursued a career in movies. While the babyface run of Jimmy Hart wasn’t all that good, the angle leading up to it was. It was one of the first times that the WWF broke away from the cartoonish antics they were accustomed to and brought real-life incidents to the table. The Mouth of the South: The Jimmy Hart Story by Jimmy Hart. Jimmy Hart will be part of Hulk Hogan's Hulkamania wrestling tour to Australia in November 2009. Jimmy Hart is one of the greatest minds in the music and professional wrestling business of all time. "The Mouth of the South" Jimmy Hart (also known as "The Colonel") (born January 1, 1943 in Memphis, Tennessee) is a professional wrestling manager, executive, composer and musician. He has worked in Memphis Wrestling, the WWF, WCW, XWF, WrestleXpress and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling. He has managed many notable professional wrestlers, including Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart, Ric Flair and The Honky Tonk Man. Before wrestling, Jimmy was part of a band in the 1960s called The Gentrys who had a million selling record “Keep on Dancin”. Before becoming The Gentrys, there were known as just "The Gents". Their production manager told them that if they did not change their name, then they wouldn't succeed in the music industry. Later, after the leader of the group Larry Raspberry left Jimmy took over and they had a few minor hits. After being asked to sing back-up with Jerry "The King" Lawler, Jimmy was asked to be an announcer and then to manage Jerry. He also managed King Kong Bundy, "Ravishing" Rick Rude, Lanny Poffo, Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, Ox Baker, Kamala, Randy Savage, and Eddie Gilbert; this stable was known as "Hart's First Family of Wrestling", or simply "The First Family". After Lawler broke his leg, Jimmy brought in talent to take the title from Jerry. In 1982, Hart earned national headlines doing a program with comedian and television star Andy Kaufman. Hart, "The King," and Kaufman would continue this feud for over a year. Around this time, Hart became known as "The Wimp", a nickname given to him by Lawler and chanted by fans, and was the subject of the song "Wimpbusters", which was sung by Lawler to the tune of the popular hit "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker, Jr.; a music video was also made featuring Lawler, legendary announcer Lance Russell, and wrestlers such as Savage, Jimmy Valiant, Dutch Mantel, Tommy Rich, and Rufus R. Jones, along with footage of "The King" beating Hart and his "First Family" (a young Brian Christopher also made an appearance as a young child and another youth is seen wearing a replica of Tully Blanchard's West Texas State football jersey).[1] Then in 1983 and 1984, Hart led Austin Idol, Masao Ito, and Gilbert to CWA (Championship Wrestling Association) International titles. After this success, Hart was hired by the World Wrestling Federation. While in the WWF, Jimmy managed many wrestlers. His first acquisition was Greg “The Hammer” Valentine in 1985, then the Intercontinental Champion. At Wrestlemania I, Hart managed King Kong Bundy as he defeated S.D. ("Special Delivery") Jones, allegedly in 9 seconds. Jimmy Hart would later trade King Kong Bundy's contract to Bobby “The Brain” Heenan for the Missing Link and Adrian Adonis. Also in 1985, Jimmy managed Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart. After Valentine lost the Intercontinental Title to Tito Santana Hart briefly co-managed the Dream Team (Valentine & Beefcake), until he phased out and gave full control to “Luscious” Johnny Valiant. In 1986, Hart took the Funk Family under his wing. The Funks included Terry, Hoss, and Jimmy Jack. Then Jimmy managed Adrian Adonis and helped him use the gimmick of “Adorable” Adrian Adonis. Also in 1986, with the appearance of Bret “The Hitman” Hart, Jimmy teamed him up with Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart to form The Hart Foundation. On January 26, 1987, Hart guided his new tag team past the British Bulldogs for the WWF World Tag Team titles. Hart led the Hart Foundation and former referee Dangerous Danny Davis over the British Bulldogs and Tito Santana at Wrestlemania III in the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. When the Honky Tonk Man turned heel, Hart became his manager. The Honky Tonk Man called Hart “The Colonel” in a reference to Tom Parker, the manager of Elvis Presley. With Hart in his corner, on June 2, 1987 the Honky Tonk Man captured the Intercontinental title from Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat. Later in 1987, Hart was named Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Manager of the Year. He won the award again in 1994. Also in 1987, Jimmy Hart managed the WWF Women’s Tag Team champions & , known as the Glamour Girls. At Wrestlemania IV: Jimmy Hart received a haircut by Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake. When Jimmy dropped the Hart Foundation in 1988, Hart managed the Fabulous Rougeaus to feud with his former team. At SummerSlam 1988: Jimmy Hart accompanied the Demolition & Mr. Fuji to help retain their WWF Tag titles against the Hart Foundation. Ax used Hart's megaphone as a foreign object to strike one of the Hart Foundation members to secure the victory. The Megaphone became a significant trademark of Hart's throughout the years and was extensively used as a foreign object by the wrestlers he managed and by himself. Behind the scenes Jimmy was also responsible for many of the wrestler’s theme tunes in WWF and WCW. He composed: “The Honk Tonk Man,” “Honky Love,” “Sexy Boy,” “Road to Destruction,” Randy and Liz’s Wedding song, “What a Rush,” “We’re All American Boys,” “I’m the Mountie,” “It’s All about the Money,” “Snuka,” “American Made,” the Wolfpac song and many more. Since the demise of WCW, he became a part owner and one of the founders of the X Wrestling Federation (XWF) along with Greg “The Hammer” Valentine & Brian Knobbs. He also played a key role behind the scenes in the British based WrestleXpress promotion. He had an administrative position in TNA, and was seen from time to time at Universal Studios promoting TNA Impact. On February 3, 2005, Jimmy Hart was announced as one of the Class of 2005 inductees into the WWE Hall of Fame, and was inducted on April 2, 2005 by Jerry Lawler. (Credit: Wikipedia)