Neal "Tywhop" Jones

Neal “Tywop” Jones was born on March 22, 1922 near Scotts Hill, Tennessee. He learned guitar as a boy, and first worked at the radio station WTJS Jackson in 1940 with Eddy Arnold and the Johnson Brothers. He relocated to WREC Memphis and played lead guitar with Curly Fox and Texas Ruby, but later rejoined the Johnson Brothers at WKPT Kingsport. In May 1942, they moved to WDOD Chattanooga, where he also played fiddle. Tywop once said that he could only play three fiddle tunes, and was somewhat embarrassed at one show to find Curly Fox in the audience. He was drafted in October 1942 and served as a radar operator during World War II. During these years, he played guitar with a service band. In March 1946, he returned to work with Arnold at WTJS, where he also incorporated comedy into his act. During the late 40s, he also worked with Billy Walker. In the early 50s, he became a specialty act at WMPS Memphis and toured with several acts including the Louvin Brothers, the Blackwood Brothers and Sonny James. He also became a regular on the Daily Shindig Show on WFAA Dallas. In 1954, Tywop joined Columbia Records and recorded several sessions for the label. Between 1954 and 1958, he worked radio and television at WBAP Fort Worth, Texas, where at times he co-hosted Barn Dance with Pat Boone and his own daily show called The Jones Place, which at one time had Willie Nelson as a regular cast member. In the late 50s, he also hosted Jones Junction on KTLA Shreveport, Louisiana and worked with Jimmie Davis. In the early 60s, he began to combine his performing with work as a disc jockey and presented radio and television programs on several California and Texas stations. In 1971, he moved to Nashville, presenting syndicated shows including Inside Nashville.

People in Wayne County immediately came to know and love Jones when he “retired” to Wayne County in the 1970s and became the disc jockey at the radio station in Waynesboro. Many can still fondly remember Tywop sitting in front of the big window at the radio station on the square, calling out greetings to people across the airwaves that he saw driving or walking around the square. He continued to enjoy playing music and exchanging stories with his friends up until his death in 2005.