AJHF: Artists: Hall of Fame: 2006: Jim Porter

Artists

Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame - 2006 Inductees

[Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame: 2014 | 2012 | 2010 | 2008 | 2006 | 2004 | 2002 | 2000 | 1998 | 1996 | 1995 | 1994]

Jim S. Porter

Jim Porter, circa 1975

Jim Porter was born in Little Rock in 1932. He graduated from the University of Arkansas in 1954, and entered the family businesses of warehousing, moving and storage, food and appliance distribution. But it was the music business that called Porter, not as a performer, but as an agent and manager, and as a promoter of famous jazz artists.

In 1957 he was getting underway when the forced integration of Little Rock Central High began. Blacks refused to play in Little Rock due to concern for their safety, causing Porter to postpone promoting plans and concentrate on building Arkansas' largest entertainment agency.

By the 1960's Porter renewed his promoting efforts, and before he was done he had presented such artists as Ray Charles, Count Basie, Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, Erroll Garner, Louis Armstrong, Ramsey Lewis, Pete Fountain, Al Hirt, Stan Kenton, Harry James, Four Freshmen, George Shearing, Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Woody Herman, Dave Brubeck, Buddy Rich, and Maynard Ferguson.

Porter was threatened with arrest on several occasions while attempting to integrate Robinson Auditorium, and at the Ray Charles concert, he was actually arrested for entering the "Colored" section, and charged with "Attempting to incite a riot."

Another roadblock was Ellingtonｹs cancellation with only five days notice, due to pressure from the NAACP and the auditoriumｹs refusal to allow integrated seating. With the Armstrong concert the auditorium finally deleted the unwritten segregation policy, and Louis played before a sellout integrated crowd.

In the late 60's Porter opened the only integrated country club in the state, offering tennis, golf, swimming, dining and dancing - without a racial incident. In the early 90's Porter was appointed to the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame Board by Governor Clinton, and re-appointed by Governors Tucker and Huckabee. He resigned after ten years of service, and retired from the entertainment business due to a constant ringing in the ears and brain known as "Tinnitus," caused by long exposure to loud music without ear protection.

In 2005 Porter was inducted into the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame. He is serving his fourth term on the Quorum Court of Pulaski County, which terminates the end of 2006. His article, "The Musical Integration of Little Rock," was published in the Pulaski County Historical Review in the fall of 2005. In that same year, Governor Huckabee appointed Porter to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission in recognition of his efforts in integration, dating back to 1957.

Porter would like to particularly acknowledge booking agent Jim Scott and lawyer Beresford "Bere" Church. Church was Secretary-Treasurer of Modern Music of Little Rock, and was also active in the Arkansas Jazz Society. Without their kind support his accomplishments would have been much more difficult.

Without Jim Porter, the famous jazz players who performed in Arkansas over the years might never have done so. It is because of Porter's long and outstanding career with promoting jazz in Arkansas that it is an honor to have him in the Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame.

[Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame: 2014 | 2012 | 2010 | 2008 | 2006 | 2004 | 2002 | 2000 | 1998 | 1996 | 1995 | 1994]

Arkansas Jazz Heritage Foundation · PO Box 251187 · Little Rock, AR 72225-1187 US · info@arjazz.org

Copyright © Arkansas Jazz Heritage Foundation. All rights reserved.
Information on AJHF and Jazz:
Comments on web site:
About this site. We appreciate those who have helped create this site.

URL: https://www.arjazz.org