Cledus Maggard & the Citizen's Band
James Wesley "Jay" Huguely (September 21, 1940 – December 13, 2008)[1] was an American stage actor, singer, advertising executive, and television writer and executive. He enjoyed a brief run of popularity as a novelty recording artist in the 1970s,[2] billed as Cledus Maggard & the Citizen's Band. He worked for Leslie Advertising in Greenville, South Carolina[2] and enjoyed his only hit in 1976 with "The White Knight", released during the wave of popularity of the citizens' band radio. The song is about a truck driver victimized by a Georgia highway patrolman's speed trap. He chose the name "Cledus" after his mother's name Cleta.
Cledus Maggard & the Citizen's Band | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | James Wesley Huguely |
| Born | September 21, 1940 |
| Origin | Richmond, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Died | December 13, 2008 (aged 68) Valencia, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Country, novelty |
| Occupation(s) |
|
| Instrument(s) | Vocals |
| Years active | 1976 |
| Labels | Mercury Records |
"The White Knight" reached No. 1 on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart in February 1976, and was his only hit to reach that chart's Top 40.[3] Following the success of this record, Huguely was a producer on the 1980s television series Magnum, P.I.. In the 1990s, he was a writer and producer, known for Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993), Street Justice (1991), and Bandit: Bandit's Silver Angel (1994).
Huguely died in Valencia, California, on December 13, 2008, at the age of 68.[1]
Discography
Albums
| Year | Album | Chart Positions | Label | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US | |||
| 1976 | The White Knight | 4 | 135 | Mercury |
| Two More Sides | — | — | ||
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions[4] | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | US | CAN Country | CAN | |||
| 1975 | "The White Knight" | 1 | 19 | 8 | 50 | The White Knight |
| 1976 | "Kentucky Moonrunner" | 42 | 85 | — | — | |
| "Virgil and the $300 Vacation" (as Cledus Maggard) | 73 | — | — | — | Two More Sides | |
| 1977 | "Yovnoc" (as Cledus Maggard) | — | — | — | — | |
| 1978 | "The Farmer" (as Cledus Maggard) | 82 | — | — | — | |
References
- "James Wesley Huguely Obituary". Los Angeles Times. April 26, 2009. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
- Roland, Tom, "The Billboard Book of Number One Country Hits" (Billboard Books, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, 1991 (ISBN 0-82-307553-2)), p. 161
- Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs: 1944-2005," 2006
- Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 253. ISBN 978-0-89820-177-2.