MARTA and Atlanta music legend Big Boi launch the “Let MARTA Drive” campaign ahead of FIFA World Cup 2026 matches beginning June 15.
By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | June 11, 2026
As Atlanta prepares to welcome soccer fans from around the world for FIFA World Cup 2026™, MARTA has partnered with Atlanta music icon Big Boi to encourage residents and visitors to use public transit during the global event.
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority announced Wednesday the launch of its “Let MARTA Drive” campaign, featuring the Grammy Award-winning artist, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee.
MARTA officials say the campaign is designed to encourage riders to use the transit system to attend World Cup matches, fan festivals, concerts, and other events throughout downtown Atlanta while promoting the agency’s Ride with Respect initiative.
As one-half of the legendary hip-hop duo OutKast, Big Boi has helped shape Atlanta’s cultural identity and international reputation. MARTA leaders say his deep roots in the city make him a natural choice to help welcome visitors arriving from across the globe.
“Big Boi’s music is deeply embedded in the culture of Atlanta, making him the perfect person to help us welcome soccer fans from around the globe,” said MARTA Interim General Manager and CEO Jonathan Hunt. “We look forward to bringing his unmistakable voice directly to our riders through exclusive station announcements and digital content. This partnership is an exciting way to showcase our world-class transit network while reminding everyone to ride safely and with respect.”
Through the campaign, Big Boi will encourage riders to take MARTA to major events across downtown Atlanta, helping reduce traffic congestion and parking challenges while creating a more convenient travel experience.
“Atlanta has always been a city that moves people and sets trends,” Big Boi said. “When the world comes here, I want everyone to feel that energy without the stress. MARTA makes it easy to get downtown, to the events, and everywhere in between. I’m proud to be part of what keeps Atlanta moving and shows the world how we do it.”
Atlanta is scheduled to host multiple FIFA World Cup 2026 matches and related events beginning June 15. Officials anticipate increased demand on transportation systems as fans travel between matches, fan festivals, concerts, hotels, restaurants, and attractions throughout the city.
The campaign also highlights MARTA’s Ride with Respect initiative, which encourages passengers to treat fellow riders, MARTA employees, and public spaces with courtesy and consideration.
For longtime Atlantans, the partnership brings together two institutions closely associated with the city. MARTA has served as the region’s transit backbone for decades, while Big Boi and OutKast helped elevate Atlanta’s influence on music and popular culture around the world.
MARTA is also encouraging riders to take advantage of its Rider Tools platform, which provides trip planning assistance, real-time train and bus tracking, service alerts, route information, and accessibility resources.
With the world’s largest sporting event set to arrive in Atlanta next week, MARTA leaders hope visitors and residents alike will choose transit as they travel throughout the city.
For more information about MARTA services and rider resources, visit MARTA’s website.
Angel Reese and Rhyne Howard scored 17 points apiece as the Atlanta Dream defeated the Chicago Sky 82-75, improving to 3-1 in Commissioner’s Cup play.
By Milton Kirby | Chicago, IL | June 10, 2026
The Atlanta Dream leaned on their most reliable lineup and a dominant rebounding performance from Angel Reese to secure an 82–75 win over the Chicago Sky at Wintrust Arena on Monday night. The victory moves Atlanta to 8–2 when starting the combination of Jordin Canada, Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard, Naz Hillmon, and Angel Reese, a unit that continues to define the Dream’s identity on both ends of the floor.
The win also pushes Atlanta to 31–37 all‑time against Chicago and 15–18 on the road in the series. More importantly, it lifts the Dream to 3–1 in Commissioner’s Cup play, bringing their total to $10,000 raised for The King Center, the team’s designated charity.
Rhyne Howard brings the ball down court – Courtesy photo
Howard Makes History — Again
Rhyne Howard added another milestone to her rapidly growing résumé. With her 17‑point performance, she became the youngest player in WNBA history to reach 2,500 points, 500 rebounds, 500 assists, 200 steals, and 100 blocks. Only Diana Taurasi and Maya Moore sit anywhere near that company — and Howard reached it earlier than both.
Howard’s all‑around impact showed again Monday: 17 points, 5 assists, 3 steals, and steady leadership in the fourth quarter when Atlanta needed composure.
Reese Rewrites the Record Book
Angel Reese continues to make the extraordinary look routine. She tied her season high with 17 rebounds, becoming the first player in Dream history to record back‑to‑back 17‑rebound games.
Her stat line — 17 points, 17 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals — marked her eighth double‑double of the season and the 57th of her career, the most double‑doubles ever recorded through a player’s first 75 WNBA games.
Reese’s presence on the glass changed the game’s tempo, especially in the fourth quarter when Atlanta outscored Chicago 25–17 to close it out.
Hillmon’s Breakout and Balanced Scoring
Naz Hillmon delivered her best offensive outing of the season, scoring 16 points on 50% shooting, including three drilled shots from 3-point range, a wrinkle that stretched Chicago’s defense and opened driving lanes for Canada and Gray.
All five Atlanta starters finished in double figures:
Angel Reese: 17 pts, 17 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl
Rhyne Howard: 17 pts, 3 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl
Naz Hillmon: 16 pts, 6 reb
Allisha Gray: 14 pts, 4 reb, 3 stl
Jordin Canada: 14 pts, 6 ast
The Dream also shot a blistering 93.8% from the free‑throw line (15–16), a key separator in a game that stayed tight through three quarters.
How the Game Unfolded
Atlanta opened with an 18–17 edge after the first quarter, but Chicago responded with a strong second frame to take a 42–39 halftime lead. The Dream tightened their defense in the third, holding the Sky to just 16 points, and then closed the game with their most efficient offensive quarter of the night.
Chicago’s Kahleah Copper‑replacement, Natasha Cloud, led the Sky with 18 points, while Kamilla Cardoso added 5 assists and Azurá Stevens pulled down 7 rebounds.
But Chicago couldn’t match Atlanta’s balance, physicality, or late‑game execution.
Atlanta played without Brionna Jones (right knee) and Amy Okonkwo (coach’s decision). Chicago was without DiJonai Carrington, Rickea Jackson, and Courtney Vandersloot.
Final Score Atlanta 82, Chicago 75 (18–17 | 21–25 | 18–16 | 25–17)
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This column exists for only one purpose: that is to answer your questions on Negro League baseball history. To that end, we need your help … if you are reading this column, enjoy it, want it to continue, and do not already know everything about Negro League history … then please submit a question on any aspect of Negro League history. Your questions are the lifeblood of Shadow Ball—they shape where we go next … players, teams, events, and more – and, in so doing, you will direct where this column goes moving forward. Your participation is important and appreciated. The very existence of this column depends on you. Submit your questions to shadowball@truthseekersjournal.com.
Curious George Atkins, Aurora, IL, posed the following question to Shadow Ball: “Why is the Negro League Baseball Museum in Kansas City?”
It’s a deceptively simple question. Negro League history sprawls across dozens of cities, each with legitimate claims to significance. So why Kansas City? To answer that, we must first consider the alternatives — and then the extraordinary convergence of people, place, and timing that made Kansas City the only choice:
Chicago had the strongest historical case, as it was the home of Rube Foster, the chief organizer of the Negro National League, its first league President, and the face of Negro League baseball as a player, manager, administrator, and entrepreneur for the preceding two decades in Black baseball. Chicago also had two teams in that first season, and, with the 4th-largest urban Black population in the country in 1920, was a major destination in the early stages of the Great (African American) Migration, which brought millions of Black families from the South to eastern, Midwestern, and far-western urban centers. Lastly, the Chicago American Giants won the initial pennant in that first season.
Other cities with teams in that first season of Negro National League baseball included Saint Louis, Detroit, and Indianapolis,, all of whom, like Chicago, had strong Black baseball histories prior to the formation of the league. Indianapolis had another historical point – the first game in Negro National League history took place there on May 2nd, 1920.
Another possible site could have been Ashland, KY, where several Negro League reunions took place in the decade prior to the opening of the Negro League Baseball Museum. In addition to the reunions, a substantial number of artifacts were collected and ended up in Cooperstown. But Ashland was a sentimental center, not a historical or demographic one.
My preference for my birthplace, Pittsburgh, is shaped by the presence of two of the greatest franchises in Negro League history and by the fact that more Negro League baseball games were played in Pennsylvania than in any other state in the union. Two other eastern megalopolises – New York and Philadelphia (which, along with Chicago, represented the three largest Black populations in the country) – had solid pedigrees in the history of the Negro Leagues and can be seen to have defensible cases, but …
In the end, the correct decision was made to place the NLBM in Kansas City due to a confluence of inarguable facts, talent, and civic leadership:
• The Negro National League was founded on February 13, 1920, in the Paseo YMCA in Kansas City
• A fortuitous gathering of local leadership came together, including Buck O’Neil, Alfred Surratt, Larry Lester, Phil Dixon, and Horace Peterson, all of whom lived and worked in Kansas City
• The 18th & Vine redevelopment project, which included the Paseo YMCA, provided a ready civic partner, with several prominent KC mayors seeing value.
• Kansas City’s Black civic and business community backed the project early.
• There is no evidence that Chicago, Pittsburgh, or any other historically significant Negro League city ever submitted a proposal or was approached.
• Eventually, such serendipity in the Paseo neighborhood continued when, almost four years after the Negro Baseball League Museum had opened its doors in one room in the neighborhood, Ken Burns’ nine-part documentary – Baseball – debuted on PBS. It made Buck O’Neil a star and opened interest and access to capital. Burns’ documentary did for the Negro League Baseball Museum what Eyes on the Prize did for civil rights memory — it created a national audience hungry for the stories the museum was uniquely positioned to tell.
• The NLBM is currently poised for another expansion project. While still in fundraising for the $30 million project that includes tripling exhibition space in a newly rehabilitated Paseo YMCA Building; creating the Buck O’Neil Education and Research Center; building a new majority Black-owned hotel and new residential construction. According to the February 16, 2026, press release, the project could be completed by late 2028.
Last week’s Shadowball Significa Question of the Week: What Negro League pitcher, who participated in the Negro National League playoff in 1935, had a son who won two World Series games several decades later? Name this father/son pair. With no correct answer submitted, I am going to provide this answer and move on. Luis Tiant Sr, was a participant in the 1935 Negro League playoff, and his son starred in the 1967 World Series.
The Shadowball Significa Question of the Week: What Negro League pennant-winning team played their home games at Dick Kent’s Ballyard? Send your answer and any comments on the Negro Leagues to shadowball@truthseekersjournal.com or Shadow Ball, 3904 N Druid Hills Rd, Ste 179, Decatur, GA 30033
Ted Knorr
Ted Knorr
Ted Knorr is a respected Negro League baseball historian, a longtime member of the Society for American Baseball Research’s Negro League Committee, and the founder of the Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference as well as several Negro League Commemorative Nights in central Pennsylvania.
Beyond his research and organizing work, Ted is frequently invited to speak at sporting events, community programs, family gatherings, and educational forums, where he brings Negro League history to life. His deep knowledge of the players, teams, and the cultural impact of Black baseball has made him a trusted voice for audiences seeking to understand the legacy and significance of the Negro Leagues.
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Atlanta’s Global Grub Alley turns Walton Street into a vibrant food truck corridor for FIFA World Cup 2026™, spotlighting local flavors and small business culture.
By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | May 31, 2026
When the FIFA World Cup 2026™ arrives in Atlanta, the city’s streets will serve up more than soccer fever. They’ll serve food — and plenty of it.
Showcase Atlanta and the Food Truck Association of Georgia (FTAG) have announced Global Grub Alley, a pedestrian‑only food truck corridor that will transform Walton Street into a culinary destination for every match day and the day before each game. The activation will feature 20 to 30 Atlanta‑area food trucks operating daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., stretching a quarter‑mile between Centennial Olympic Park Drive and Broad Street.
The corridor, just steps from the official FIFA Fan Festival at Centennial Olympic Park, will be free and open to the public — no ticket required. Fans walking between the park and Mercedes‑Benz Stadium will pass directly through the food truck zone, creating a seamless connection between the city’s global celebration and its local flavor.
“Atlanta food trucks have been asking for this kind of moment for years,” said Kelsey Maynor, Director of Small Business Engagement for Showcase Atlanta. “Global Grub Alley puts our small business owners and our food culture on the street, next to the biggest stage in the world. You will not need a ticket to be a part of it. You will just need to be hungry.”
Atlanta will host eight World Cup matches, meaning sixteen days of Global Grub Alley activity spread across the tournament. The initiative is part of Showcase Atlanta’s broader strategy to ensure that major global events — including the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Super Bowl — leave lasting opportunities for local entrepreneurs.
FTAG will manage vendor selection and compliance through Street Food Finder, the industry‑standard scheduling platform.
“Our members are some of the most resilient small business owners in this state,” said Montrella Rhodes, FTAG Administrator. “A truck on Walton Street in front of a global audience is a truck whose phone keeps ringing in 2027 and 2028.”
Among the early participants is Wing Kingh Food Truck, whose owner Sherman Gartrell sees the event as more than a business opportunity.
“For us, this is about bringing people together through great flavors, culture, and hospitality,” Gartrell said. “Global Grub Alley helps food truck businesses gain valuable exposure and build lasting relationships.”
Vendor applications are now open, with priority given to FTAG members. Trucks must meet Georgia permitting and compliance requirements. A full lineup will be released closer to match dates at streetfoodfinder.com/global-grub-alley.
If You Go
Location: Walton Street between Centennial Olympic Park Drive and Broad Street
Hours: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m., all match days and the day before each match
Cost: Free entry; pay per item at each truck
Accessibility: Street‑level access, portable restrooms on site
Transit: MARTA’s GWCC/CNN Center and Five Points stations within walking distance
Global Grub Alley promises to be more than a food event — it’s a statement of Atlanta’s identity: a city where global celebration meets local flavor, and where small businesses stand shoulder‑to‑shoulder with the world’s biggest stage.
Truth Seekers Journal thrives because of readers like you. Join us in sustaining independent voices.
This column exists for only one purpose; that is to answer your questions on Negro League baseball history. To that end, I need your help … if you are reading this column and enjoy it and want it to continue and you do not already know everything about Negro League history … then please submit a question on any aspect of Negro League history. Your questions are the lifeblood of Shadow Ball—they shape where we go next … players, teams, events, and more – and, in so doing, you will direct where this column goes moving forward. Your participation is important and appreciated. The very existence of this column depends on you. Submit your questions to shadowball@truthseekersjournal.com.
Last week’s Shadow ball Significa Question of the Week: What Negro League pitcher, who participated in the Negro National League playoff in 1935, had a son who won two World Series games several decades later. Name this father/son pair. With no correct answer submitted; I am going to let this question ride for another week. Who is this father/son duo? Send your answer and any comments on the Negro Leagues to shadowball@truthseekersjournal.com or Shadow Ball, 3904 N Druid Hills Rd, Ste 179, Decatur, GA 30033
Ted Knorr
Ted Knorr is a respected Negro League baseball historian, a longtime member of the Society for American Baseball Research’s Negro League Committee, and the founder of the Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference as well as several Negro League Commemorative Nights in central Pennsylvania.
Beyond his research and organizing work, Ted is frequently invited to speak at sporting events, community programs, family gatherings, and educational forums, where he brings Negro League history to life. His deep knowledge of the players, teams, and cultural impact of Black baseball has made him a trusted voice for audiences who want to understand the legacy and significance of the Negro Leagues.
Support open, independent journalism. Your contribution helps us tell the stories that matter most.
Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo in Memphis showcases Black cowboy culture, Soul Country music, youth programs, and community legacy in a powerful, immersive weekend experience.
More Than a Rodeo: Inside the Enduring Legacy of the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo
By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | May 18, 2026
There are stories we tell, and then there are stories we inherit. The Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo (BPIR) is both. It is an enduring institution, a cultural archive, a family reunion, and a proving ground stitched together by memory, muscle, and music. Over the course of this series, I have walked the dirt, listened to the voices, watched the riders, and felt the pulse of a tradition that refuses to fade. What began as an attempt to document a rodeo became something far deeper, a journey into a tradition that continues to evolve.
The BPIR is not simply an event. It is a record of who we are, who we’ve been, and who we’re becoming. And as this chapter closes, another one opens, a road that leads from Memphis to Los Angeles, where the Soul Country Music Star National Champion will be crowned at the Soul Country Music Festival. But before we get there, we must return to the ground beneath our boots, because that is where it all begins.
I. The Rodeo That Became a Record of Us
Every rodeo has its own rhythm, but the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo has a heartbeat. It beats in the laughter of children seeing a horse for the first time. It beats in the confidence of champion riders who carry decades of history in their posture. It beats in the music, the dust, the hoofbeats, and the voices that echo across the arena.
When I arrived in Memphis, I expected a show. What I found was a community, a village built on heritage, discipline, and joy. As I wrote in my field notes, “A great rodeo doesn’t just happen. It’s built piece by piece, decision by decision, tradition by tradition.”
“It begins with the land beneath your boots and ends with the people who carry the tradition forward.”
Memphis, with its perfect dirt and perfect energy, became the lens through which the entire BPIR experience came into focus.
II. Bill Pickett’s Enduring Shadow
To understand the significance of the BPIR, you first have to understand the man whose name stands above the arena gates. Bill Pickett was more than a cowboy. He was an innovator, a showman, and a cultural force. His technique, bulldogging known now as Steer Wrestling, changed rodeo forever. His daring athleticism eventually earned him national recognition and a place among the legends of the Wild West.
His presence changed the way America saw Black cowboys, even when America tried not to see them at all.
But what struck me most over the course of this series is not how often Pickett’s name is spoken. It is how deeply his spirit is lived. The BPIR does not treat him as a relic. It treats him as a foundation.
His influence is not a statue or a plaque. It is the confidence of a Pee Wee rider gripping the reins. It is the precision of a champion entering the chute. It is the courage of a bullfighter stepping between danger and safety. It is the music of Soul Country Music Star artists reclaiming a sound that has always been theirs.
Bill Pickett is not remembered at the BPIR.
He is embodied.
III. The Stewardship of Valeria Howard Cunningham
Valeria Howard Cunningham – Photo by Milton Kirby
Founded in 1984 by the late Lu Vason, the rodeo was created not only to showcase Black rodeo talent, but to reclaim historical visibility for Black Western culture itself.
“At the time, Black cowboys remained largely invisible in mainstream rodeo, even though historians estimate they made up nearly one in four working cowboys in the late 19th century.”
Vason saw both the absence and the opportunity. What he built became far more than a single event.
Every enduring tradition needs a steward, someone who understands the weight of history and the necessity of evolution. For the BPIR, that steward is Valeria Howard Cunningham, Producer and CEO.
For more than four decades, the BPIR has grown into the nation’s longest running Black owned touring rodeo association, introducing generations of children to rodeo culture while creating a national gathering place rooted in heritage, competition, education, and celebration.
Valeria’s gift is balance. She protects the heritage while opening the door to the future.
Under her guidance, the BPIR has remained rooted in tradition while embracing new cultural expressions. She has preserved the Lu Vason vision without freezing it in time. She has expanded the rodeo’s reach, deepened its cultural footprint, and ensured that every stop, from Memphis to Los Angeles, carries the same intentionality, extending the BPIR’s presence into community spaces through education, outreach, and engagement.
Valeria understands something essential:
A tradition that refuses to evolve becomes a museum.
A tradition that evolves with integrity becomes a force.
The BPIR has become something larger than sport.
IV. More Than Competition
Spend enough time around the BPIR, whether in Memphis, Atlanta, or Upper Marlboro, and you begin to realize that the rodeo itself is only part of the experience. Yes, there are champions. There are bronc riders, steer wrestlers, barrel racers, bull riders, team ropers and Pee Wee competitors stepping nervously into the arena dirt for the first time.
But surrounding the competition is something larger: a traveling city of culture and community that recreates itself at every stop on the tour.
In Memphis, that ecosystem unfolded across the Agricenter grounds just as vividly as it had in Atlanta and Upper Marlboro. Food vendors sent familiar aromas drifting through the air. Families browsed apparel booths and handcrafted merchandise. Music floated between events. Children wove through crowds dressed in boots, fringe, denim, and cowboy hats, the same joyful choreography I’ve seen repeat itself city after city.
The atmosphere is always the same blend: part sporting event, part family reunion, part cultural festival. People do not come only to watch. They come to reconnect. Again and again, conversations return to memory.
Parents talk about attending the rodeo as children themselves. Grandparents introduce grandchildren to traditions they hope will outlive them. Old friends reunite beside arena rails. Riders greet former competitors like extended family.
What stands out most, no matter the city, is how deeply the rodeo lives inside people’s personal histories. For many families, the BPIR is not an occasional attraction. It is an annual tradition woven into the rhythm of life itself.
BPIR brings sparkles to the eyes of kids in Memphis, TN – photo by Milton Kirby
V. “For Kidz Sake” and the Power of Representation
Perhaps nowhere is the BPIR’s cultural mission more visible than during the “For Kidz Sake” rodeo program.
On Friday morning in Memphis, more than 4,000 children filled the arena. Some had never attended a rodeo before. Some had never touched a horse. Many were encountering the history of Black cowboys for the first time. But inside the arena, history stopped feeling distant. It became visible.
Children watched riders who looked like them compete with confidence and skill. They learned about horsemanship, agriculture, discipline, and Western heritage. They laughed, pointed, cheered, danced and asked questions.
Most importantly, they saw themselves reflected in the tradition. Representation is often discussed in abstract political language. At the BPIR, it felt tangible.
A child watching a Black cowboy ride into the arena is not simply watching entertainment. They are witnessing possibility.
That may be one of the rodeo’s greatest forms of cultural preservation: not simply remembering the past, but making sure the next generation can imagine themselves inside the future.
VI. The Dirt Matters
One of the most unexpected lessons of the series came from something most spectators never think about: the dirt itself.
Champion rider Tim Walker explained it beside the Memphis arena rail with the seriousness of a craftsman discussing tools. Proper rodeo dirt matters.
“Too dry, and it becomes dangerous. Too slick, and horses or riders can lose footing. Proper moisture and texture help animals turn, stop, and run safely while giving competitors confidence beneath their boots.”
Barrel racing – Photo by Milton Kirby
Until that moment, dirt had seemed incidental.
Instead, it revealed itself as foundational.
That realization became symbolic of the BPIR itself.
Much of what makes the rodeo work happens quietly beneath the surface.
The labor.
The planning.
The preparation.
The mentorship.
The institutional memory.
Like the arena dirt, those invisible layers support everything above them.
VII. The Guardians: Bullfighters and Barrelmen
That same principle applies to another group often overlooked by casual fans: the rodeo clowns, barrel men, and bullfighters.
Their role combines athleticism, timing, courage, and instinct.
Bullfighter’s protecting a dismounted rider – photo by Milton Kirby
“Their work is not just theatrical. It is tactical.”
Historically, rodeo clowns began primarily as entertainers. But as bull riding evolved into one of rodeo’s most dangerous events, their responsibilities transformed into something far more serious.
Today’s bullfighters routinely place themselves between riders and charging bulls, protecting competitors during the most dangerous seconds after a fall.
At the BPIR, their presence carries additional historical significance.
According to Valeria Howard Cunningham, BPIR became the first, and remains the only, traveling Black owned rodeo to feature professional arena entertainers.
Even within rodeo culture, representation matters.
The BPIR’s commitment to visibility extends beyond champions and headliners. It includes the workers, performers, and protectors whose contributions are often forgotten yet are essential to the show itself.
BPIR professional entertainer engages the audience – photo by Milton Kirby
Every role matters inside the arena. That truth mirrors the larger BPIR experience.
VIII. The Cultural Evolution: Soul Country Music Star
One of the most powerful evolutions under Valeria’s leadership is the integration of Soul Country Music Star, a showcase that blends Black country artistry with the rodeo’s vibrant atmosphere.
“It wasn’t an add on. It was a natural extension of the culture BPIR has always celebrated.”
Black country music is not new. It is foundational. It is lineage. It is the sound of migration, resilience, and rural memory. The Soul Country Music Star competition does not introduce something foreign to the rodeo; it reveals something that has always been there.
In Memphis, the artists brought grit, melody, and storytelling that echoed the same themes the rodeo embodies: resilience, heritage, and pride. Their performances were not intermissions. They were continuations, another expression of who we are.
The competition itself has also become a reflection of perseverance and artistic growth. Season One elevated Kirk Jay to the national spotlight, while Season Two crowned Nathaniel “Mr. Bow Leggs” Dansby, whose journey embodied the resilience celebrated throughout the BPIR itself.
Dansby did not win during the competition’s inaugural season. Instead, he returned. He refined his craft, sharpened his stage presence, and continued building his connection with audiences across the BPIR tour before emerging as the Season Two champion.
That reality speaks to the depth of talent within Soul Country Music Star. The difference between winning and not winning often has less to do with ability than timing, growth, and the simple fact that only one artist can ultimately claim the title each season.
Like the rodeo itself, the competition rewards endurance as much as talent.
IX. The Road to Los Angeles: Crowning the Soul Country Music Star National Champion
And now, the road leads west.
After traveling city to city alongside the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo, the Soul Country Music Star competition will arrive in Los Angeles in October, where one artist will be crowned the National Champion at the Soul Country Music Finals and Festival.
But the journey to Los Angeles has never been only about winning.
Over the course of the season, these artists have performed in rodeo arenas, clubs, theaters, and community spaces filled with audiences who understand the culture they carry. They have traveled long hours between cities, performed night after night, and learned how to connect not only through talent, but through storytelling, authenticity, and resilience.
Like the riders inside the arena, they have had to earn every moment.
Some arrived with polished voices. Others grew stronger with every performance. Some learned how to command a crowd for the first time. Others discovered that the competition was pushing them beyond music into something more personal: confidence, identity, and purpose.
That evolution may be the real story of Soul Country Music Star.
Nathaniel “Bow Leggs” Dansby & Kirk Jay – Photo by Milton Kirby
The competition has become more than a showcase for emerging Black country artists. It has become a space where artists reconnect with a musical tradition that has always belonged to them, even when history and the industry often failed to acknowledge it.
When that journey reaches its final stage in Los Angeles, the crowning of the National Champion will celebrate more than a single performance. It will honor the artists, histories, and cultural influences that helped shape country music long before many of those contributions were fully recognized.
And while one artist will leave Los Angeles with the title, the larger story will continue long after the competition ends.
Because what Soul Country Music Star is building, much like the BPIR itself, is not simply entertainment.
It is visibility. It is opportunity. It is cultural continuity carried forward by a new generation.
Los Angeles is not the end of the road.
It is the beginning of the next chapter.
X. Closing: What the Dirt Remembers
When the last rider leaves the arena and the dust settles, the dirt tells the story.
“It holds the hoofprints of bulls and horses.
It holds the footprints of Pee Wee riders and champions.”
It holds the echoes of children cheering, families laughing, and communities gathering.
It holds the legacy of Bill Pickett and the vision of those who carry his name forward.
The greatest show on dirt is not just a rodeo.
It is a cultural inheritance.
A record carried across generations.
A celebration of who we are and who we’re becoming.
The Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo is not preserving a dead past. It is shaping the future in real time.
The road ahead will carry that legacy even further as the BPIR and SCMS seasons continue toward two major championship moments celebrating the future of Black rodeo and Soul Country music culture.
In September, the BPIR National Finals will bring top competitors from across the tour to Upper Marlboro, Maryland, where riders will compete for championship titles, prize money, trophy saddles, and honors recognizing excellence throughout the season.
Then, in October, in Los Angeles, regional competition winners from across the country will gather for the Soul Country Music Star National Finals and Music Festival, competing for the national title, $10,000 in cash and prizes, and the opportunity to tour with the BPIR during the 2027 season.
Together, these events represent more than championship weekends. They reflect a growing movement rooted in heritage, resilience, fellowship, visibility, and the next generation carrying these traditions forward.
And as I close this series, what has stood out most throughout this reporting process is how deeply the rodeo remains embedded in people’s memories, the way families organize reunions around it, the way generations return year after year, and the way even a single image, jacket, or song can reopen memories decades later.
That kind of cultural continuity is rare.
And it deserves to be documented with care.
When I began this series, I believed I was covering a rodeo.
What I found instead was an enduring institution built on resilience, creativity, family, and cultural inheritance.
More than anything else, I found evidence that this tradition continues to grow, not as a memory, but as a living force being carried into the future.
This column exists for only one purpose; that is to answer your questions on Negro League baseball history. To that end, I need your help … if you are reading this column and enjoy it and want it to continue and you do not already know everything about Negro League history … then please submit a question on any aspect of Negro League history. Your questions are the lifeblood of Shadow Ball—they shape where we go next … players, teams, events, and more – and, in so doing, you will direct where this column goes moving forward. Your participation is important and appreciated. The very existence of this column depends on you. Submit your questions to shadowball@truthseekersjournal.com.
Maria Rayburn of Salisbury, NC, posed the following question for me this week: who were the best catchers of the Negro Leagues?
Well, Maria – three are in the Hall of Fame – Josh Gibson, inducted 1972; Biz Mackey, 2006 and Lou Santop, 2006. They are the three best in that order. Roy Campanella, himself with nine years in the Negro Leagues before beginning a Hall of Fame career in the National League also needs to be named as he is arguably the second-best Negro League catcher. The interesting aspect of this answer is the next group. For me (as found in the 42 for ’21 poll) I think Quincey Trouppe, Double Duty Radcliffe, Bruce Petway, Larry Brown and Frank Duncen, Jr., deserve further consideration from the National Baseball Hall of Fame. With Campanella already in for National League play I would like to see at least three of that quintet in and all five given strong consideration.
Last week’s Shadowball Significa Question of the Week: Seven players have appeared in both a Negro League East-West Classic and a National League/American League All Star game, six of them have been inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Name the 7th who is not inducted? … Kevin D. Johnson, of Broken Arrow, OK, was the first to correctly name Jim Gilliam, who appeared in the 1948 East-West Classic representing the Baltimore Elite Giants and the AL/NL All Star game in both 1956, as a Brooklyn Dodger, and 1959, as a Los Angeles Dodger. The other six appearing in both All-Star games include: Ernie Banks, Roy Campanella, Larry Doby, Minnie Minoso, Jackie Robinson, and Satchel Paige.
The Shadowball Significa Question of the Week: What Negro League pitcher, who participated in the Negro National League playoff in 1935, had a son who won two World Series games several decades later. Name this father/son pair. Send your answer and any comments on the Negro Leagues to shadowball@truthseekersjournal.com or Shadow Ball, 3904 N Druid Hills Rd, Ste 179, Decatur, GA 30033
Ted Knorr
Ted Knorr is a respected Negro League baseball historian, a longtime member of the Society for American Baseball Research’s Negro League Committee, and the founder of the Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference as well as several Negro League Commemorative Nights in central Pennsylvania.
Beyond his research and organizing work, Ted is frequently invited to speak at sporting events, community programs, family gatherings, and educational forums, where he brings Negro League history to life. His deep knowledge of the players, teams, and cultural impact of Black baseball has made him a trusted voice for audiences who want to understand the legacy and significance of the Negro Leagues.
Support open, independent journalism—your contribution helps us tell the stories that matter most.
The Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo expands its legacy of community care through a new partnership with Guardant Health, bringing life‑saving colorectal cancer screening and education directly to Black communities.
Riding for Our Lives: How the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo Is Expanding Its Legacy of Community Care Through a New Partnership With Guardant Health
By Milton Kirby | Memphis, TN | May 1, 2026
For forty‑two years, the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo (BPIR) has been more than a showcase of Black cowboy excellence. It has been a cultural institution, a traveling classroom, a family reunion, and a lifeline — a place where heritage is preserved, children are affirmed, and communities gather to celebrate themselves. Long before “community engagement” became a corporate buzzword, BPIR was already doing the work: educating youth, supporting families, creating safe spaces, and showing up in cities where resources were thin but hope was abundant.
That legacy continues today through the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo Foundation (BPIRF), whose mission is rooted in value‑driven philanthropy and whose vision is clear: preserving heritage, empowering communities, and inspiring generations. Since 1987, the Foundation has delivered health and wellness programs, STEM initiatives, scholarships, senior support, emotional‑intelligence workshops, and anti‑violence education across the country. Its values, generosity, compassion, empathy, equity, inclusion — are not slogans. They are the operating system.
So, when BPIR announced a new partnership with Guardant Health, a trusted leader in blood-based cancer tests for more than a decade, as part of its “Riding Across America for Community Health” initiative, it wasn’t a pivot. It was a continuation. It was BPIR doing what BPIR has always done: meeting the community where it is and bringing life‑saving information directly to the people who need it most.
The Heartbeat of the Mission: Rodeo for Kidz Sake
If you want to understand BPIR’s soul, you start with the children.
The Rodeo for Kidz Sake (RFKS) program is one of the most powerful expressions of BPIR’s values, an immersive, educational, joy‑filled introduction to Black cowboys and cowgirls, Western history, and the “cowboy mystique” that shapes childhood imagination. For many inner‑city students, RFKS is their first time seeing a horse up close, touching an animal, or witnessing Black excellence in a space they never knew belonged to them.
On Friday, April 10, nearly 4,000 students filled the AgriCenter Showplace Arena in Memphis. They laughed, learned, asked questions, and saw themselves reflected in a history that has too often been erased. RFKS events now take place in Denver, Memphis, and Washington, D.C./Maryland and for many children, the experience is life‑changing.
Photo by Milton Kirby – For Kidz Sake
Margo Wade‑LaDrew, National Development / Sponsorship Director told me this as cowboys and cowgirls streamed past us, moving through the lines to enter the arena for Saturday night’s show a reminder that BPIR’s commitment to community isn’t theoretical. It lives in the dust, the boots, the laughter, and the anticipation of families gathering for a night of culture and competition.
“The Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo is committed to empowering and uplifting communities across the country through dynamic outreach initiatives. We focus on promoting health, education, emotional intelligence, life skills, career development, anti‑bullying, and anti‑violence awareness,” she said. “This new partnership with Guardant Health is in total alignment with that legacy.”
RFKS is the heartbeat of that commitment — a reminder that BPIR’s work is not just about preserving the past, but preparing the next generation to thrive.
A Longstanding Commitment to Health and Healing
BPIRF’s health outreach didn’t begin with Guardant Health. For years, the Foundation has delivered timely education on:
COVID‑19 and flu vaccination
Domestic and community violence prevention
Anti‑bullying and emotional intelligence
Mental health and suicide prevention
Breast cancer, prostate health, diabetes, and high blood pressure
Through partnerships with Anti‑Violence Ventures and the Black Beauty & Wellness Foundation, BPIRF has created safe spaces for emotional expression, healing, and empowerment — reaching both men and women with culturally grounded resources.
This is the context that makes the Guardant partnership meaningful. BPIR wasn’t looking for a sponsor. It was looking for alignment. And it found it.
The Crisis: Colorectal Cancer in Black America
Colorectal cancer is the second‑leading cause of cancer death in the United States.
Photo by Milton Kirby – Guardant Shield
For Black Americans, the burden is even heavier:
20% higher incidence
40% higher mortality
More likely to be diagnosed at a younger age
More likely to be diagnosed at a later stage
The difference between early and late detection is staggering:
91% survival when caught early
13% survival when caught late
We don’t fully understand why colorectal cancer behaves more aggressively in Black patients. But we do know this: early detection saves lives.
And that is where Guardant Health enters the story.
Shield Across America: Innovation Meets the Arena
On April 11, 2026, the Guardant Health mobile colon cancer screening education tour bus rolled into Memphis to join BPIR’s tour stop, marking a milestone in the “Riding Across America for Community Health” initiative. The bus is part of Shield Across America, a nationwide effort to expand access to colorectal cancer screening and education about Shield, the first and only test FDA‑approved as a primary screening option for colorectal cancer for average‑risk adults 45 and older.
Shield is:
non‑invasive
accessible
covered by Medicare, and the VA Community Care Network
designed to meet people where they are
For communities facing systemic barriers to healthcare including Black Americans this partnership is more than symbolic. It is lifesaving.
Courtesy photo – Sam Asgarian, Guardant Health’s vice president of clinical development for screening
The Science Behind Shield: A Conversation With Dr. Sam Asgarian
To understand the test’s impact, I spoke with Dr. Sam Asgarian, Guardant Health’s vice president of clinical development for screening. He explained that Shield’s FDA approval was built on one of the largest colorectal cancer screening studies ever conducted.
In 2019, Guardant launched the ECLIPSE Study, enrolling more than 20,000 Americans across the country. The goal was not just size – it was representation.
“We made sure the study matched the demographics of the United States,” Asgarian said. “Not just white participants, not just white and Black participants — but a true reflection of the country.”
The results were strong:
83% detection ratefor colorectal cancers
10% false‑positive rate
Consistent performance across ethnicities
For Black families who have historically been excluded from clinical trials, this matters.
Cost, Coverage, and the Reality of Access
Eligible Medicare Part B or Fee for Service (FFS) patients will have $0 out-of-pocket cost for the Shield test. Medicare Advantage patients may be subject to co-pays, co-insurances and deductibles, depending on their specific plan. Veterans have zero copay through VA Community Care.
Coverage varies depending on private insurance.
But here’s where Guardant does something unusual: They don’t leave patients to navigate the insurance maze alone.
“Every time a test is ordered, we reach out to patients,” Asgarian said. “We tell them what we think their coverage will be. We work with insurance companies. We help with financial assistance. We don’t want people going through that alone.”
As someone who has had two colonoscopies myself, I asked whether people like me could switch to the blood test going forward.
“It’s entirely up to you and your physician,” he said. “You have options now.”
Optionality saves lives.
Memphis: What Happened on the Ground
The Shield Across America tour launched in Las Vegas in March, Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Since then, it has made several stops across the country navigating festivals, charity walks, and any event with enough space to park a 45‑foot mobile lab. The BPIR was a natural partnership for the tour.
Outside the arena, I saw a steady flow of people approaching the Shield Across America. Inside, Guardant had a table set up for conversations, questions, and education. I didn’t see the table myself — I was photographing from the opposite side of the arena — but the team reported strong engagement.
Even a few hundred screenings can shift outcomes in a community.
Looking Ahead: Atlanta and Beyond
When I asked about the next stop, Asgarian said the team was still finalizing the Atlanta layout, but that the latest information could be found at ShieldCancerScreen.com.
BPIR is uniquely positioned to make this work. The rodeo is already a family event. Adding health engagement to the pre‑show atmosphere is a natural fit.
This is not a one‑off partnership. It is the beginning of a sustained health equity effort.
The Human Barrier: Fear, Anxiety, and Avoidance
Asgarian said something that stayed with me:
“People aren’t avoiding screening because they don’t care. They’re afraid. They’ve had bad experiences. They don’t trust the system. They don’t know what’s available.”
This is why meeting people at the rodeo matters. When people are in a space they love — surrounded by culture, joy, and community — they are more open to engaging with healthcare.
BPIR becomes the bridge between fear and action.
The Role of Trusted Media
When I asked what Truth Seekers Journal could do to strengthen the partnership, Asgarian didn’t hesitate:
“There’s so much noise in the world. Breakthroughs get drowned out. When people hear about this from a trusted source — your publication — it means more. It pushes them to act.”
That is the responsibility of Black media: to amplify what saves us, not just what threatens us.
Colorectal cancer is the second‑leading cancer killer. But unlike many cancers, early detection changes everything.
This is breakthrough technology. This is life‑saving access. This is information our community deserves.
Closing: Riding for Our Lives
The Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo has always been about more than competition. It is about culture, community, and care. It is about honoring the past while protecting the future. It is about showing up; for children, for families, for elders, for each other.
Now, through its partnership with Guardant Health, BPIR is riding for something even deeper: our lives.
Preserving heritage. Empowering communities. Inspiring generations. Protecting futures. One family, one child, one screening, one city at a time.
This column exists for only one purpose; that is to answer your questions on Negro League baseball history. To that end, I need your help … if you are reading this column and enjoy it and want it to continue and you do not already know everything about Negro League history … then please submit a question on any aspect of Negro League history. Your questions are the lifeblood of Shadow Ball—they shape where we go next … players, teams, events, and more – and, in so doing, you will direct where this column goes moving forward. Your participation is important and appreciated. The very existence of this column depends on you. Submit your questions to shadowball@truthseekersjournal.com.
Freddie Oliver of McKeesport, PA, posed the following question for me this week: who were the best umpires in the Negro Leagues?
Not sure I am qualified to rank ‘em but after Rube Foster’s decision to hire Black umpires in 1923 they enjoyed just over three decades of excellent arbitrating with just as many complaints as umpires come to expect. I will briefly mention three of the Men in Blue that serve to bookend both the history of the Negro Leagues and the legacy of African American umpires in Black Baseball.
W.W. “Billy” Donaldson
Billy Donaldson was the quiet architect of Negro League umpiring professionalism. When Rube Foster decided in 1923 that Black umpires should call Black baseball, Donaldson was one of the first men he trusted. He worked with a calm, deliberate style — never rushed, never rattled — and players respected him because he respected the game. Donaldson helped establish the standards that would guide the leagues for decades: crisp signals, firm control, and a sense that the umpire was part of the game’s dignity. His name does not ring out like the stars he officiated, but the league’s stability in its early years owes much to him. Donaldson officiated in two East-West Classics in 1936 and 1937.
Bert Gholston
Bert Gholston was the steady hand beside Donaldson, a man whose reputation rested on consistency. He was not flashy, and he did not need to be. Gholston worked some of the most heated games of the 1920s and ’30s, and he did it with a temperament that players trusted. He was the umpire who kept arguments from becoming brawls, who could defuse a dugout with a look, who understood that the best umpires are remembered not for their calls but for their control. Gholston helped give the Negro National League its backbone during years when the league’s survival depended on professionalism. Gholston worked well into the 40s. In 1923 he debuted with Donaldson as part of the Negro National League’s first all‑Black umpiring crew.
Bob Motley
Bob Motley brought a sense of theater to the Negro Leagues, but it was never empty showmanship — it was authority earned the hard way. A Marine who survived the Battle of Okinawa returned home with a presence that players felt the moment he stepped on the field. Motley called games in the Negro American League’s final years, working All‑Star contests and barnstorming tours with the same crisp mechanics and booming voice. He understood that the umpire’s job was to keep the game honest, and he did it with flair, humor, and absolute command. When the leagues faded, he became their great storyteller, carrying the memory of Monarchs, Grays, and Crawfords into the 21st century. Motley worked at least three East-West Classics. Often called the “last surviving Negro League umpire.” Mr. Motley passed away in 2017.
All three of these umpires – the Alpha’s Donaldson & Gholston and the Omega Motley – do indeed bookend Negro League history. All three received votes in an ongoing poll – the 42 for ’21 poll – of Negro League fans, researchers, writers, artists, collectors, historians, and students. Donaldson and Gholston finished tied for 115th among 154 players and personages considered in the poll. Bob Motley, more current, finished tied for 42nd.
Other noteworthy umpires include former players such as Oscar Charleston, Bullet Rogan, Mule Stuttle, Phil Cockrell, and Hurley McNair. Veteran arbiters like Fred McGreary and Virgil Bluett, each of whom worked a dozen East-West Classics or fabled legends like Jacob Francis, who performed in the 1885 New York State League, and is considered the earliest Black umpire in an otherwise White professional league. The National Baseball Hall of Fame is very much behind in terms of inducting Negro League players and managers; I wonder if they could find room for one of these competent umpires?
Last week’s Shadowball Significa Question of the Week went unanswered: What feared slugger was the first to hit a home run in a Negro League East-West Classic? The Classic was the official name of the Negro League All Star game. None of my readers produced George “Mule” Suttles who took Sam Streeter to the upper deck in the 4th inning of the initial Negro League All Star game in 1934.
The Shadowball Significa Question of the Week: Seven players have appeared in both a Negro League East-West Classic and a National League/American League All Star game, six of them have been inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Name the 7th who is not inducted? Send your answer and any comments on the Negro Leagues to shadowball@truthseekersjournal.com or Shadow Ball, 3904 N Druid Hills Rd, Ste 179, Decatur, GA 30033
Ted Knorr
Ted Knorr is a respected Negro League baseball historian, a longtime member of the Society for American Baseball Research’s Negro League Committee, and the founder of the Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference as well as several Negro League Commemorative Nights in central Pennsylvania.
Beyond his research and organizing work, Ted is frequently invited to speak at sporting events, community programs, family gatherings, and educational forums, where he brings Negro League history to life. His deep knowledge of the players, teams, and cultural impact of Black baseball has made him a trusted voice for audiences who want to understand the legacy and significance of the Negro Leagues.
Support open, independent journalism—your contribution helps us tell the stories that matter most.
Atlanta unveils “Wild Seed, Wild Flower” mural in Mechanicsville, highlighting community, culture, and public art investment ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | April 21, 2026
The sun hadn’t quite decided what kind of day it wanted to be. On one side of the retaining wall, warmth. On the other, a stubborn chill that clung to jackets and fingertips. But even in that cold pocket of Windsor and Rawson, the mural behind us radiated its own heat, a 10,000‑square‑foot pulse of color, care, and community.
Mechanicsville has seen its share of seasons. Some harsh. Some hopeful. But on this morning, as neighbors, artists, city leaders, and children gathered at the foot of a seen and unseen wall, the neighborhood felt like it was stepping into a new chapter. It was painted in over 100 colors and more than 800 spray cans, but rooted in something older, deeper, and already alive.
“Murals aren’t just nice because they look nice,” said Adriane Jefferson, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “They’re absolutely necessary.” She wasn’t talking about beautification. She was talking about story, the kind that lives in a community long before a ribbon is cut.
And that’s the truth of Wild Seed, Wild Flower: it didn’t arrive to make Mechanicsville beautiful. It arrived to reflect the beauty that was already here.
A Wall That Needed a Story
Councilmember Jason Dozier spoke like a man standing in his own living room. “Welcome to my home community of Mechanicsville,” he said, and the crowd answered with warmth.
He told the story of the “big A wall,” a massive, weathered stretch of concrete that residents passed daily, often with frustration. A wall that collected graffiti, grime, and the weight of being overlooked. A wall that sat beneath new rapid housing units, beneath the Beacon at Melody, beneath the quiet resilience of people rebuilding their lives.
Mechanicsville Mural by artist Charity Hamidullah – Photo by Milton Kirby
Dozier remembered telling the administration early on: We’ve got to do something about this wall.
And in that moment, you could feel the neighborhood nodding with him. Because every community has a wall like that — a place that holds the memory of what hasn’t yet changed.
But now, that same wall holds a child tying someone else’s shoe while tying their own — a gesture Mayor Andre Dickens interpreted as a symbol of Atlanta itself: Helping others while helping ourselves. Growing together. A group project.
Art as Infrastructure, Art as Home
Mayor Dickens spoke about infrastructure, not the kind marked by orange cones and jackhammers, but the kind that shapes how a city feels.
“People are seeing these murals,” he said. “You’re seeing the social and artistic infrastructure that resonates with our emotions and our love of the city.”
It’s rare to hear a mayor talk about art with that kind of clarity. But in Atlanta, public art has long been a civic language. From Maynard Jackson to today, artists have been treated not as accessories to city life, but as partners in shaping it.
And this mural, the largest of the ten commissioned for the Bridges, Tunnels, and Walls program, stands as a testament to that partnership.
The Immigrant Who Helped Atlanta See Itself
When Monica Campana, co‑founder and executive director of Living Walls, stepped to the mic, she brought the story full circle.
She came to Atlanta in 2007 as an immigrant from Peru. She founded Living Walls in 2010. And she learned quickly that public art was the most democratic, accessible, and empowering way to claim space in a city.
“Public art made me feel like my voice mattered,” she said. It made her feel seen. It made Atlanta feel like home.
And then she said something that stayed with me long after the speeches ended:
“This mural is a love letter to Atlanta.”
A love letter written by artists from New Orleans, New York, Greece, Iran, Eritrea, Italy, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Peru, and Atlanta itself. A global chorus painting a local truth.
Charity Hamidullah – Photo by Milton Kirby
The Artist Who Saw God in Mechanicsville
When lead artist Charity Hamidullah spoke, the ceremony shifted. Her voice carried something tender, something spiritual.
She talked about seeing children at the Dunbar Center — chalk on their hands, creativity in their eyes. She talked about seeing God’s creativity in the neighborhood. She talked about communities tying each other’s shoes, lifting each other up, dancing in harmony.
“This wall is just a mirror,” she said. A mirror of Mechanicsville. A mirror of Pittsburgh. A mirror of South Downtown and Castleberry Hill. A mirror of every place where people have survived, created, and loved each other through change.
Soccer Ball – Mechanicsville – Photo by Milton Kirby
Yes, the mural was created ahead of the World Cup. Yes, the world will see it. But Charity reminded us of the deeper truth:
“This community has been beautiful for a very long time.”
The mural didn’t create that beauty. It simply made it impossible to ignore.
Mechanicsville Mural – Photo by Milton Kirby
A Wildflower That Will Keep Spreading
When the ribbon was finally cut, the crowd pressed forward — neighbors, artists, city staff, children, elders. People touched the wall. People took photos. People lingered.
And in that lingering, you could feel something growing.
Wildflowers don’t bloom because someone is watching. They bloom because the soil is ready.
Mechanicsville was ready.
This mural — this wild seed — will keep spreading. Not because of the World Cup. Not because of the cameras. But because the community it reflects has been blooming all along.
And now, the city has a wall that tells the truth.
… this column exists for only one purpose and that is to answer your questions on Negro League baseball history. To that end, I need your help … if you are reading this column and enjoy it and want it to continue and you don’t already know everything about Negro League history … then please submit a question on any aspect of Negro League history. Your questions are the lifeblood of Shadow Ball—they shape where we go next.
– players, teams, events, and more – and, in so doing, you will direct where this column goes moving forward. Your participation is important and appreciated. The very existence of this column depends on you. Submit your questions to shadowball@truthseekersjournal.com.
Last week’s The Shadowball Significa Question of the Week: Who was the first African American pitcher to toss a no-hitter in Major League baseball? Sounds like a straightforward question but due to the peculiar history of Negro League baseball it is not so straight. Turns out there are three answers that I find acceptable: very acceptable. Let’s take a look at them in order.
On May 12, 1955, New York Giant right hander Sam Jones became the first African American to toss a Major League no hitter when he held the Pittsburgh Pirates hitless in a 4-0 victory. Shadowball favorite Will Clark nailed this one just half a day after it was posted.
Sam Jones had a solid big-league career. In addition to the no hitter, Jones had several other distinctions. Him & Quincey Trouppe formed the first African American battery in the American League. Jones was the runner-up to Early Wynn for the 1959 Cy Young award and tops in the NL. Sam Jones career strikeouts per 9 innings (7.5) was higher than all Major League pitchers with as many or more innings pitched than he had when he pitched his last game on October 3, 1964 (i.e. more than the Big Train, Rapid Robert Feller, Rube Waddell, Dazzy Vance and everyone else in MLB history).
Shadowball reader Matt Garvey offered some info that led me to an answer I had not considered but should have. He mentioned that Bill Gatewood had several no hitters. That got me to take a look at Gatewood. Negro League historian Phil S. Dixon offers that Gatewood may have authored as many as twenty no hitters at various levels of competition throughout his career. Phil has found documentation on six of them. One of them occurred on June 6, 1921, and, since December 16, 2020,when MLB designated 7 specific Negro Leagues (including the Negro National League in 1921) as Major. So, the first Major League no hitter by an African American was thrown by big Bill Gatewood in 1921, the second season of “Major” Negro League baseball.
I have one more possibly correct answer in mind – Charles Leander “Bumpus” Jones who, in his major league debut, took the ball for the Cincinnati Reds against the Pittsburgh Pirates 0n October 15, 1892. Ol’ Bumpus went on to be the only pitcher to toss a big league no hitter in first game in the majors. It also was the last game pitched from a pitcher’s box, instead of a mound, 50 feet way from home. It also, if local newspaper sources (as well as early family census records) are accurate he was the first Major League pitcher of African descent. He was referred to as mulatto in the census and colored in local newspaper articles.
If you are keeping score here is a list of select Major League baseball no hitters pitched by African Americans:
#1 10/15/1892 Bumpus Jones National League
#2 O6/06/1921 Bill Gatewood Negro National League
#3-21 numerous pitchers, including Satchel Paige, Hilton Smith, Leon Day, and a combined no no by Jose Mendez and Bullet Joe Rogan.
#22 05/12/1955 Sam Jones National League
Ol’ Sam Jones went to his grave thinking he was the first.
The Shadowball Significa Question of the Week: What feared slugger was the first to hit a home run in a Negro League East-West Classic? The Classic was the official name of the Negro League All Star game. Send your answer and any comments on the Negro Leagues to shadowball@truthseekersjournal.com or Shadow Ball, 3904 N Druid Hills Rd, Ste 179, Decatur, GA 30033
Ted Knorr
Ted Knorr is a Negro League baseball historian, longtime member of the Society for American Baseball Research’s Negro League Committee, and founder of the Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference and several local Negro League Commemorative Nights in central Pennsylvania.
Support open, independent journalism—your contribution helps us tell the stories that matter most.
Atlanta Dream acquire All-Star Angel Reese from Chicago Sky, adding elite rebounding and championship pedigree after historic 2025 season, signaling serious title ambitions in 2026.
By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | April 6, 2026
The Atlanta Dream made one of the biggest moves of the WNBA offseason on Monday, acquiring two‑time All‑Star Angel Reese from the Chicago Sky in exchange for the Dream’s 2027 and 2028 first‑round draft picks. Atlanta also receives the right to swap second‑round picks with Chicago in 2028.
Reese, already one of the league’s most productive young players, joins a franchise coming off a historic 2025 season under first‑year head coach Karl Smesko. The 22‑year‑old forward has quickly become one of the WNBA’s premier frontcourt forces, averaging 14.0 points and 12.8 rebounds over her first two seasons while recording 49 career double‑doubles.
“Angel is a dynamic talent and a perfect fit for what we are building in Atlanta,” Dream General Manager Dan Padover said. “Her competitiveness, production and drive to win align seamlessly with our vision.”
Reese’s arrival also brings a significant boost to the Dream’s visibility.
Beyond her on‑court production, she enters Atlanta as one of the WNBA’s most influential social media figures, with a following that extends far beyond traditional basketball audiences. Her presence is expected to elevate the Dream’s national profile and draw new fans to a franchise already on the rise.
Reese first captured national attention by leading LSU to the 2023 NCAA championship, earning Most Outstanding Player honors. Her transition to the professional game has been equally impactful. She set WNBA rookie records for rebounds per game (13.1) and consecutive double‑doubles (15) in 2024, and remains the only player in league history to average at least 12 rebounds per game in each of her first two seasons.
“I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity to join the Atlanta Dream organization,” Reese said. “I’m focused on continuing to grow my game, competing at the highest level, connecting with the fans, and giving everything I’ve got to the Dream.”
Smesko, who transformed Atlanta from last in offensive rating in 2024 to second in 2025, said Reese’s style fits the system he is building.
“Angel’s ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor is elite,” Smesko said. “Her energy, toughness and instincts will thrive in our system.”
The Dream enter the 2026 season with momentum after multiple players delivered career‑best performances last year. Allisha Gray finished fourth in MVP voting, Rhyne Howard became the fastest player in league history to reach 300 three‑pointers, Naz Hillmon earned Sixth Player of the Year honors, and Brionna Jones doubled her career total of double‑doubles in her first season with Atlanta.
Atlanta opens the 2026 season at home on May 17 against the defending champion Las Vegas Aces at State Farm Arena, one of five games the Dream will play there this year as part of the organization’s push to elevate women’s basketball on larger stages.
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Nathaniel “Mr. Bowleggs” Dansby’s Soul Country journey reclaims Black roots in country music, blending faith, legacy, and storytelling into a timeless cultural revival.
Nathaniel “Mr. Bowleggs” Dansby Reclaims the Roots of Country Music
By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | April 6, 2026
Nathaniel Dansby’s journey into Soul Country began long before he stepped onto a stage. Long before he became “Mr. Bowleggs,” the rising force who fought his way from third place to champion of the Soul Country Music Star (SCMS) competition, he was simply a boy in a crowded Alabama home—one of six children raised in a family where music wasn’t a hobby. It was a mandate.
“We were kind of like the Jackson 5,” he said with a grin. “We got our tail whooped if we didn’t stay in the room and practice until we perfected it.”
Under the strict but loving guidance of his mother, Dansby began singing at age three. By five, he was performing publicly with his siblings as The Little Gospel Wonders, carrying harmonies from church revivals to community gatherings across Alexander City. His mother saw something in him early, something she named out loud.
Nathaniel Dansby – Courtesy Photo
“My mom told me, ‘Nate, you’re my special child,’” he said. “I lost her in 1998, but I still hear her voice. Before I entered this competition, she came to me and said, ‘Hey, you got it. You’re a winner.’ I had to give it my all because I had that confirmation.”
Her belief became the quiet engine behind his reinvention, heartbreak, and eventual triumph.
A Calling, Not a Career
Dansby doesn’t describe music as a profession. He calls it a calling—one shaped by faith, family, and a desire to give people something real.
“I don’t want to create music just for now,” he said. “I want it to last forever.”
That spiritual grounding shapes not only how he sings, but why he sings. His mission is simple: to give people hope, to make them feel something, and to create music that outlives him.
Finding Country and Finding Himself
Country music was not always part of Dansby’s plan. After years rooted in gospel and R&B, he began singing country music about seven years ago. What started as a new direction quickly became something deeper, something that felt like home.
“I never thought in a million years I’d be singing country,” he said. “But it fits my heart.”
Country music offered him something the other genres didn’t: a place where storytelling, vulnerability, and emotional clarity mattered more than vocal gymnastics.
“Country music is a story. It’s life. I want people to see what I’m singing about.”
Rickey Davis Scott the musician and cultural historian and Soul Country Music Star judge —puts it plainly:
“The history of country music… it’s all from us. From the banjo in South Africa to the rhythms that shaped Hank Williams. Black artists aren’t new to country—we’re the architects.”
Season One: The Third Place Finisher Who Refused to Quit
Dansby’s first appearance on the SCMS stage didn’t end in victory — in fact, he didn’t even make it to the top two. He finished third at the Atlanta regional competition in Season One. The placement stung, not because he expected an easy win, but because he knew he hadn’t yet shown the fullness of who he could be. “I thought, ‘I’m good, I got this,’” he admitted. “But I didn’t. I wasn’t prepared.”
Scott remembers it clearly.
“He went up there and sang R&B,” Scott said. “He didn’t know the country lyrics, the catalog, the tradition. The voice was there, but the identity wasn’t activated yet.”
The crowd loved him. The judges didn’t. And he felt the sting.
But he didn’t quit.
“It taught me to give everything—my pain, my soul—because if people can’t feel it, there’s no point.”
The Transformation
After Season One, Dansby went to work.
He studied country music intentionally, the artists, the phrasing, the emotional truth‑telling that defines the genre. He learned to sing country, not imitate it.
“He’d come to me talking about songs he heard on the radio,” Scott said. “That’s when I knew he was embracing the culture, not just the sound.”
Dansby became, in his own words, a musical chameleon, able to shift between genres without losing himself.
“I realized the only thing stopping me was me.”
Season Two: The Redemption and the Crown
When Dansby returned for Season Two, he wasn’t the same artist who had finished third the year before. He came back humble, focused, and prepared—determined not to repeat the mistakes of his first run.
He was grounded. Focused. Present.
“I wanted to give everything in my soul so people could feel it,” he said.
And they did.
This time, he didn’t just advance, he dominated. Dansby won the Atlanta regional competition, earning his place on the national stage in Hollywood. And when he stepped into that spotlight, he delivered the performance of his life.
He killed it. The festival crowd loved him. And the judges felt what they hadn’t felt before: a fully realized Soul Country artist.
When his name was called as the Season Two national winner, the room erupted. The man who once doubted whether he belonged in country music had now proven himself at the highest level.
“Going to LA showed me I belonged,” he said. “It showed me I could stand with anybody.”
Now, with a potential 2026 tour with the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo (BPIR) on the horizon, Dansby returns to the national spotlight not as a newcomer, but as a contender—sharpened, seasoned, and ready for whatever comes next.
“It was the greatest feeling of my life,” he said. “I’ve never felt anything like it.”
“I want to leave my footprint in the sand. I want people to say, ‘He was here, and he’s here to stay.’”
A Performer Driven by Connection
On stage, Dansby doesn’t perform to the audience, he performs with them.
He describes entering a “zone,” where the goal is not perfection but impact. Whether through clapping, movement, or quiet attention, he looks for signs that the audience feels the music.
“That connection fuels me,” he said. “It turns each song into a shared experience.”
The Cultural Weight of Soul Country
To understand Dansby’s rise, you have to understand the movement behind him.
Soul Country Music Star is not just a talent competition—it is a cultural restoration. A reclamation of a musical tradition whose roots are Black, Southern, rural, and deeply African.
“We’re creative people,” Scott said. “Everything the world loves—we created. Country music is no different.”
Dansby is part of that reclamation—a living reminder of what was lost, and what is returning.
BPIR: The Cultural Homecoming
The Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo—the nation’s oldest Black rodeo—has become a proving ground for Soul Country artists. It is where Black audiences show up early, buy tickets, buy merch, and support their own.
“It’s a blessing to the people,” Dansby said. “That’s what excites me most—connecting with them.”
Scott sees BPIR as a cultural anchor.
“It’s a community” he said. It’s a place where our artists can be embraced without running away from their own people.”
The Duet the World Is Waiting For
Dansby and fellow Soul Country artist Kirk Jay have been discussing a duet—a collaboration both artists believe could be a defining moment for the genre.
Dansby says the contrast in their vocal styles is what makes the idea so powerful.
“When we finally record it, it’s going to be something special,” he said.
Scott agrees.
“Two Black men in country, both with powerhouse voices—that’s rare. That’s history.”
A Legacy in the Sand
At 43, Dansby sees his career not as a late start, but as a divine timeline.
He wants his music to be evergreen. He wants his story to inspire. He wants his children—and the world—to know that anything is possible.
“I want to leave my footprint in the sand,” he said. “I want people to say, ‘He was here, and he’s here to stay.’”
As “Mr. Bowleggs” continues his ascent, he carries Alexander City, The Little Gospel Wonders, and the full weight of Soul Country’s rebirth with him—proving that the soul of country music has always been right where it started: in the heart.
Country Roots, Diverse Beats: Celebrating the Rich Tapestry of Soul in Country Music.
Agricenter International Showplace Theater – 7777 Walnut Grove Rd, Memphis, TN 38120
Kirk Jay rises from The Voice to Soul Country leader, using BPIR platform to elevate Black country artists and reclaim a powerful musical legacy.
Kirk Jay and the Rise of Soul Country: How a Small‑Town Singer Became the Voice of a Cultural Return
By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | March 28, 2026
When Kirk Jay steps onto the dirt floor of a Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo arena, the crowd doesn’t just hear a singer – they witness a movement taking shape. The Alabama‑born artist, who first captured national attention with a third‑place finish on Season 15 of NBC’s The Voice, has become the face of a growing shift: Black artists returning to a genre they helped shape.
In 2025, Jay toured with the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo (BPIR) and served as a judge for the Soul Country Music Star competition. This year, he returns as the Show Host for Season 3 — a full‑circle moment for the platform’s first champion and winner of its $10,000 grand prize.
“I think Soul Country Music Star gave me a name,” he said. “It’s paving the way for Black country artists like me to get out there and showcase our talent. And I’m having fun. I’m building relationships, gaining fans, and growing as an artist.”
Now a central figure in both Soul Country Music Star and BPIR, Jay has become more than a performer. He is, in many ways, proof of concept.
“It helped elevate what I do and put it in front of people who needed to hear it,” Jay said.
A Country Childhood in Bay Minette
Jay is quick to correct anyone who tries to claim him as a Mobile native. “I’m from Bay Minette,” he said with pride. “A lot of people say Mobile, but I spent most of my time in this little town called Bay Minette.”
His roots run deep in the red clay of South Alabama. His parents were devoted fans of old‑school country Ronnie Milsap, Mariah, Night Train and the soundtrack of his childhood blended gospel harmonies with country storytelling.
“We’re no gimmick,” he said. “My family is country. We fish, we ride, we do all the country stuff. This is our lifestyle.”
Jay’s musical journey began in church, where he taught himself piano by ear. After services, he would slip back into the sanctuary, turn to the piano, and mimic what he heard the musicians play. He never learned to read music. Even today, every song begins with a melody — a hum, a chord progression, a feeling — long before any lyrics appear.
“Producers get mad at me,” he laughed. “They say, ‘Why you always start with melody?’ But that’s just how God gave it to me.”
Finding His Voice and His Calling
Jay discovered his vocal gift in the ninth grade after winning a school talent show. That moment sparked a journey that took him across Alabama, Georgia, and Texas, performing at open mics and learning how audiences responded to his sound.
Photo courtesy BPIR – Kirk Jay
His breakout moment on The Voice came with his rendition of “In Case You Didn’t Know,” a cover delivered with such sincerity that many fans assumed it was his original. “That’s marketing,” he said with a grin. “You sing it like it was meant for you.”
For Jay, country music is not an act, it’s inheritance.
“Country music belongs to us, and nobody does it like us,” he said. “Nobody brings that feeling, that soul… like we do. We are the roots. We are the fire. We are the history.”
The Soul Country Connection
Jay’s introduction to Soul Country Music Star came through his first manager, who urged him to audition. After researching the platform, he realized he had found something rare: a space intentionally built for Black country artists.
“I said, ‘Man, this could take me to another level,’” he recalled. “And it did.”
Winning the competition opened doors not just for him, but for the movement itself. His success demonstrated that Soul Country Music Star could identify, elevate, and launch Black country talent on a national scale.
His authenticity resonates deeply with fans, especially young listeners who see themselves reflected in his journey. Many reach out with collaboration requests, concert inquiries, and messages of inspiration.
Growing Through the Rodeo
Performing at BPIR events has sharpened Jay’s artistry. Rodeo arenas are loud, cavernous, and unpredictable. Thousands of fans fill the stands, and the acoustics shift with every stomp of a boot.
“You really got to know yourself as an artist,” he said. “It’s a big platform. You have to study your craft and stay consistent.”
The rodeo crowds have embraced him, and he credits BPIR with expanding his audience, boosting his music sales, and deepening his connection to the culture that raised him.
Jay now has more than 87,000 Instagram followers – many of them young Black fans who see in him a version of themselves they’ve never seen on a country stage.
Reclaiming a Sound That Started With Us
Jay speaks openly about the erasure of Black contributions to country music and the urgency of reclaiming that history.
“Country music belongs to us,” he said. “Nobody brings the soul, the feeling, the heart like we do. We’ve been pushed out, but it’s slowly evolving. We’re coming back.”
He sees Soul Country Music Star and BPIR as essential to that restoration.
“I don’t want Black country artists to feel dismissed. We matter. Our sound matters. What we bring is special. We can’t stop doing it. We have to make our mark.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
When asked about youth events like the upcoming “For Kids Sake Rodeo” in Memphis, Jay lit up at the idea of children seeing a Black country artist up close.
“It’s a chance for kids to see our culture,” he said. “Nobody getting hurt, nobody getting shot just doing what we love. Country stuff.”
Even though he isn’t scheduled to perform at that event, the concept resonated deeply. “That’s another step for our youth,” he said. “We’re training up the next generation.”
A Partnership With History
Jay’s partnership with BPIR marked a turning point in his career. Performing for thousands in packed arenas pushed him to grow as a professional and as a cultural ambassador.
“Those stages are big platforms,” he said. “Inside those rodeos, it’s sometimes hard to hear… but the fans reach out being inspired by the approach and delivery.”
His role has since expanded from performer to judge and host, helping Soul Country Music Star scout the next generation of talent. His mission is clear: ensuring that Black culture is no longer erased or sidelined from the genre it helped create.
The Soul Country Music Star Anthem
Jay is currently working on the Soul Country Music Star Anthem, written by Michelle R. Johnson. When he first read the lyrics — “We are the roots, we are the sound, we are the history…” — he felt tears forming before he reached the ten‑second mark.
“I know when a song is a hit,” he said. “This anthem is going to be powerful.”
He hopes to finish it before the first rodeo date of the season.
A Vision Bigger Than Music
As the interview wound down, Jay shared a vision that extends far beyond stages and spotlights.
“I love Bill Pickett Rodeo. I love Soul Country Music Star,” he said. “I want to keep traveling and building relationships until we are heard, respected, and seen. Until we come together as one big family.”
His dream is a world where artists respect each other’s gifts, where racism loses its grip, and where traditions Black cowboys, Black country artists, Soul Country, BPIR — are passed down to future generations.
“Life is so short,” he said “Let’s fly. Let’s love one another. Let’s take care of our families.”
A Movement, Not a Moment
As Soul Country Music Star enters its next season and BPIR continues its national tour, Jay remains focused on growth, connection, and purpose. “I just want to keep building, keep traveling, keep being heard,” he said. His vision extends beyond music toward unity, recognition, and cultural preservation.
“We’ve got to come together,” he said. “Respect each other’s gift and let the tradition live on.”
Because Kirk Jay isn’t just a singer. He’s a bridge between past and future—between what country music became and what it was always meant to be. And as Soul Country Music Star rises, he stands at the center of a cultural return that’s only just beginning.
Country Roots, Diverse Beats: Celebrating the Rich Tapestry of Soul in Country Music.
Agricenter International Showplace Theater – 7777 Walnut Grove Rd, Memphis, TN
Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo
Music Competition – Friday, April 10, 2026 | 7:00 pm 8:00 pm Competition
BPIR Rodeo – Saturday, April 11, 2026 | 1:30 pm or 7:30 pm
Upcoming in the TSJ series – Inside the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo
— Nathaniel Dansby (Mr. Bowleggs) : The Sound of Country Soul at the Rodeo — Expanding Its Legacy of Community Care Through a New Partnership with Guardant Health
A few weeks ago, I asked readers: What manager has been named to the Baseball Hall of Fame for Negro League performance? Nobody offered a guess, so I gave everybody credit because just like umpires, second baseman, right fielders, and true left fielders — there are no managers in the Hall for Negro League play. To be clear, 24 of the 37 Negro League Hall of Famers did manage but none of them are in for that role.
This begs the question – which Negro League managers do deserve – like John McGraw, Connie Mack, or Ned Hanlon – induction in Cooperstown.
My favorite Negro League Hall of Fame Managerial Candidates:
#5 Frank Duncan, jr – true baseball lifer … guided the Kansas City Monarchs to a World Series win as a rookie manager in 1942 … 86 games over .500 … captured another pennant after the war in ’46. Managed five Hall of Famers. Ranked 59th most eligible candidate in the 42 for ’21 poll.
#4 Frank Warfield – a favorite of mine but not a first ballot candidate … among his strengths: his career record is 84 games over .500, with three pennants (with two different franchises) and a 1925 World Series title with the Hilldale Club. Manage 8 Hall of Famers. Ranked 56th in the 42 for ’21.
SLAM DUNKS:
#3 Dave Malarcher – perhaps a stronger candidate as a third baseman … succeeded Rube Foster as American Giant manager during the ’26 season; stabilized the team capturing 2nd half flag, defeating the Monarchs in the playoff before winning the World Series over Atlantic City. Repeated in ’27 over those same Atlantic City Bacharach Giants. Won a 3rd pennant in ’32. Managed 4 Hall of Famers. 22nd in the 42 for ’21 poll.
#2 Candy Jim Taylor – 13th in the 42 for ’21 poll (although 3rd in his family behind Hall of Famer Ben Taylor and 11th place C.I. Taylor) … managed more games in Negro League play than all other managers … like Connie Mack, Candy Jim had a losing record but did capture two World Series and three pennants … managed 14 Hall of Famers
#1 Vic Harris has the best winning percentage of any Major League manager with more than 370 games in the dugout … Only three managers (McGraw, Mack, McCarthy) during the Segregated Era have won more than his seven pennants. He is ranked 6th in the 42 for ’21 poll and has managed 15 Hall of Fame players.
All three of those Harris, Taylor and Malarcher should have been in the National Baseball Hall of Fame years ago.
Others deserving consideration: Quincey Trouppe, Felton Snow, Grant Johnson, C.I. Taylor, John Reese, Jose Maria Fernandez, Dizzy Dimukes, Piper Davis, and Winfield Welch. Many of these also should be considered as executives (Taylor) and/or players (Johnson, Trouppe, Davis). I guess my main point would be the Hall of Fame has some work to do in honoring Negro League players in general and Managers specifically.
The Shadowball Significa Question of the Week: Who was the first African American pitcher to toss a no hitter in Major League baseball? I will accept two answers for this question for reasons that will be obvious next column – dateline April 14th, 2nd Tuesday of the month. Send your answer and any comments on the Negro Leagues to shadowball@truthseekersjournal.com or Shadow Ball, 3904 N Druid Hills Rd, Ste 179, Decatur, GA 30033
Ted Knorr
Last week’s The Shadowball Significa Question of the Week: Who was Major League slugger Barry Bonds Godfather? No one offered a guess, but it was another five tool outfielder Willie Mays. I hope some more folks offer a guess to this week’s Significa question above.
Ted Knorr is a Negro League baseball historian, longtime member of the Society for American Baseball Research’s Negro League Committee, and founder of the Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference and several local Negro League Commemorative Nights in central Pennsylvania.
Howard Johnson, BPIR head judge, shapes Soul Country by listening for authenticity, guiding emerging artists, and preserving Black musical and Western cultural traditions.
The Judge Who Hears What Others Miss: Howard Johnson and the Soul of Soul Country Music Star
By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | March 24, 2026
At the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo, where heritage and innovation ride side by side, Howard Johnson is more than a judge – he is a careful listener, weighing not just sound, but story, spirit, and the deeper truth behind each performance.
Photo courtesy of BPIR
To most rodeo fans, he is the steady presence behind the judges’ table. But Johnson’s story stretches far beyond the arena dirt.
Long before he was evaluating rising artists, Johnson was lending his voice to the soundtrack of Black cinema, performing three of the male singing voices in the iconic The Five Heartbeats.
“Three quarters of the building don’t know my other life besides being a cowboy,” he said with a laugh. “I’ve been blessed, truly.” Blessed and shaped by a lifetime of music, history, and a deep sense of responsibility to the next generation.
What Soul Country Really Means
When asked what he looks for in a Soul Country Music Star, Johnson’s answer is immediate.
“It’s right in the title – the soul and the country,” he said. “I don’t want anybody who sounds like Charley Pride or Vince Gill or Garth Brooks. I want someone who sounds like us.”
For Johnson, “us” is not a genre. It is a cultural fingerprint, an instinctive blend of gospel, blues, R&B, and lived Black experience.
He points to Ray Charles, Al Green, and the gospel quartets of his youth as examples of how closely soul and country have always lived alongside each other.
“Take an early Al Green song, remove the B3 organ, add a steel pedal, you’ve basically got country,” he said.
Hearing What Others Miss
Johnson doesn’t just judge talent; he listens for what others overlook.
Two artists, now winners of consecutive seasons, stand as proof of that instinct: Kirk Jay and Nathaniel Dansby.
Kirk Jay, the Season One (2024) winner, impressed Johnson with his writing and presence. “He’s an incredible writer,” Johnson said. “He had the playing, the soul, and that youthful enthusiasm.”
Nathaniel Dansby, who would go on to win Season Two (2025), took a very different path.
In his first audition, other judges scored him low. Johnson was stunned.
“I asked them, ‘What are you listening for?’ Because I heard something special,” he said. “I had him in the 90s. Others had him under 50.”
Dansby nearly walked away from music after that moment.
When he returned the following year — frustrated but determined — Johnson pulled him aside.
“Don’t quit,” he told him. “Come back.”
He did — and delivered a performance that ultimately led to his Season Two victory.
“Your encouragement is what brought me back,” Dansby later told him.
Moments like that define Johnson’s approach.
“You’re dealing with people in the early stages of their talent,” he said. “Who am I to tear that down?”
He is not just judging talent; he is helping it find its footing.
A Childhood That Shaped a Judge
Johnson’s reluctance to crush a dream comes from a painful memory.
At nine years old, singing in a Miami church, he was told he was “too Black.”
He cried the entire ride home. His father, enraged, attempted to turn the car around with a gun in hand. His mother stopped him.
“That moment never left me,” Johnson said. “It shaped how I treat people who are just starting.”
It is why he refuses to judge with cruelty. It is why he listens for possibility, not perfection.
Photo courtesy of BPIR – Howard Johnson
From Mailman Dreams to a No. 1 Hit
Johnson’s own career began by accident.
At 19, he had taken the civil service exam and planned to become a mailman. Singing was something he expected to do only in church.
But a dare from a friend changed everything.
In a Miami park, he hit a high note from Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Mighty Mighty” that he didn’t know he had.
Two weeks later, he was discovered. Six months later, he had a No. 1 pop hit – So Fine.
“I wasn’t supposed to be singing secular music,” he said. “But that moment changed my life.”
The Blueprint and the Power of the Audience
Johnson believes the music industry’s secrets are not secrets at all.
“The easiest thing to write is a hit song,” he said. “There are thousands of hit records before you. Look at the blueprint.”
Marketing, distribution, radio, and visibility the formulas already exist. But in Johnson’s view, the real power has always rested with the audience. “The people pick the hits,” he said.
For artists coming through Soul Country Music Star, that truth matters. It means success is not reserved for those with industry access alone, but for those who can connect.
The BPIR as Cultural Restoration
Johnson sees the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo as a place where Black Western history is actively carried forward.
He speaks of the origins of the word “cowboy,” born from white ranchers refusing to call Black cattle hands “men.” He speaks of language, history, and identity and how those stories shape the present.
“There are a lot of knowledgeable people around this rodeo,” he said. “It’s a family” he said.
Through the BPIR, Johnson found not just a platform, but a deeper connection to a history that continues to unfold.
AI, Creativity, and What Machines Can’t Touch
Johnson is clear-eyed about artificial intelligence. He uses it for business planning, but not for music.
“There’s an emotional element AI will always miss,” he said. “Some of the AI music is incredible, but the human part is missing.” He believes that for artists grounded in truth, songwriting will endure.
A Call for Investment in Black Institutions
Johnson’s critique of corporate America is direct.
Black consumers are among the top spenders in major industries, yet those same companies rarely invest in Black communities or institutions.
“Have you ever seen a Nike center in a Black community?” he asked. “Why hasn’t someone said, ‘Let’s invest in something like the Bill Pickett Foundation?’”
He points to the rodeo’s community work; hospital visits, youth programs, and cultural education as deserving of broader support.
No More Single Leaders, Only Collective Power
When asked whether Black America needs another singular leader, Johnson shook his head. “No, we don’t,” he said. “We need us.” He warns against movements built around one figure, pointing to history as a reminder of how fragile that model can be. But collective movement, he believes, is different. When people move together, the impact is lasting.
A Legacy That Cannot Be Contained
Johnson’s pride in Black innovation is boundless.
He speaks of breakthroughs in sports, science, and culture contributions often overlooked, yet foundational.
“They have a reason to be afraid,” he said. “Anything we touch sports, science, whatever, they have to change the rules.”
From Tiger Woods to Stephen Curry, he sees a pattern: excellence that reshapes the landscape.
The Conversation Ends, but the Work Continues
As the interview concluded, Johnson apologized for talking so much.
But his words were not digressions, they were direction.
“It shows what the umbrella could be,” he said. “What I bring to it. How I make the selections I make.”
In his voice, his history, and his convictions lies the heartbeat of Soul Country Music Star itself.
Country Roots, Diverse Beats: Celebrating the Rich Tapestry of Soul in Country Music.
Agricenter International Showplace Theater – 7777 Walnut Grove Rd, Memphis, TN
Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo
Music Competition – Friday, April 10, 2026 | 7:00 pm 8:00 pm Competition
BPIR Rodeo – Saturday, April 11, 2026 | 1:30 pm or 7:30 pm
Upcoming in the TSJ series – Inside the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo
— Kirk Jay: The Sound of Country Soul at the Rodeo — Nathaniel Dansby (Mr. Bowleggs) : The Sound of Country Soul at the Rodeo — Expanding Its Legacy of Community Care Through a New Partnership with Guardant Health
