A Bushel of Beans and a Peck of Tomatoes

The Life and Times of "The Funniest Man in America"

By: James Gregory, Michael E. Long, Dean Gaines - foreword

Narrated by: Peter Berkrot

One of the most successful nightclub and theater comedians in America started out a long way from the stage, in the tiny farming community of Lithonia, Georgia. James Gregory was born into a family with lots of love but little money. His parents paid the doctor for his delivery with "a bushel of beans and a peck of tomatoes."

Before he became "The Funniest Man in America," James was a successful salesman of everything from encyclopedias to log homes. His philosophy: take care of yourself so nobody has to take care of you. When he started over as a comedian, this commitment to hard work and honest dealing would be the key to his "business" of comedy. James loves working people—because that's what he is, too.

James was quickly discovered—not just in the South, but across America—by folks who love down-home, wholesome humor. He became the court jester of country music royalty, too, from Randy Travis to "Whispering" Bill Anderson to the Possum himself, George Jones. Whether it's entertaining our troops in the Persian Gulf after 9/11, working the road with greats like Steven Wright and Jay Leno, or facing a heart-stopping emergency that sent him into a coma, James has squeezed a dozen lifetimes into a half-century of comedy. This book is the best James Gregory story yet—as only he can tell it.

©2024 James Gregory with Michael E. Long (P)2025 Tantor Media

very enlightening

all of the stories seem so genuine just like james and he is so easy to listen to

His life story !

He is funny and tells it like it is.
His stories never get old. There is always something new to talk about.