John Briggs: Consummate Cretin or Just Lowdown Varmint?

John Briggs is Chairman of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame Board of Directors. While he states in his official profile that he was born in Killen, Alabama, unless born at home, we can chalk this statement up to another blot on Brigg's veracity.

Briggs currently lives in the state of Tennessee, begging the question: Even if he should be the reincarnation of Elvis Presley, Jimmie Rodgers, or Ludwig von Beethoven, what is he doing on the board of an entity controlled by the State of Alabama?

As far as we can tell, Briggs doesn't have even the throw-a-way lake cabin located in some backwater of the state. Just in case we're not making it perfectly clear, he doesn't pay any taxes to the state in which he seeks to control certain elements. No wonder Sen. Bobby Denton sought to overhaul this board while he still had the chance.

Two days ago, the majority of the current Alabama Music Hall of Fame Board paid a visit to Montgomery in order to lobby against Denton's bill. As soon as they were successful in defeating the bill in the House, Chairman John Briggs fired Hall of Fame Director David Johnson via an e-mail.

Briggs wears many hats and holds many titles in the music world, among them, Vice President of ASCAP. Obviously a man of his position has better business smarts than to terminate someone by means of an e-mail. Oh, wait, that's just in case the person being fired could conceivably again rise up the ladder of success and be a friend worth having. Briggs apparently doesn't see Johnson as anyone who can ever assist him in his quest for money, power, or whatever this jaded musician may wish for his louche lifestyle.

We would suggest John Briggs learn some manners. Even if his mama didn't teach him right from wrong, we have it on good authority that it's never too late to learn.

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In related news, Alabama Music Hall of Fame Board member Buel Springer wants an audit of the group Friends of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. Springer knows this is a private group over which he has no control. Springer also states the audit would cost 25K which the state does not have in its budget. So...why mention it in the first place? Sorry, Buel, that one didn't quite take any of the heat off the board for the manner in which it fired Executive Director David Johnson, but we'll give you a C minus for effort.

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C.A.S.A. Chili Cook-Off - Don't make any plans for lunch Saturday. CASA of Colbert County is having a fabulous chili cook-off in downtown Tuscumbia from 11:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Admission is only $5.00, and you can meet many of the candidates for Colbert County office, including CASA Director Tina Miller Parker, as well as local musicians Zac and Angela Hacker. We'll see you there.


Shoalanda