John Y’s Musings from the Middle: John Jay Hooker

We do a good job of honoring the winners in life. A less good job of honoring those who “might have been” but who due to bad timing, poor circumstances or an odd twist of fate didn’t get to ascend as high as they could have. It’s often little more than a trivial and unexpected incident that enables some to “break through” and others to “stay back.”

John J. Hooker of Tennessee was one who had many things go right for him in life– except in political races. He is probably the Volunteer state’s most gifted politician never to have won a race. And maybe for a few surrounding states too.

Ironically, John J. and his then wife, Tish, served as the serendipitous force in another person’s life.

During John J’s campaign for governor the charismatic couple visited a Nashville church where Tish met a little girl and her family and took the time to talk to her and tell her she was “cute as a speckled pup.” Trivial words occurring in an unexpected incident that changed that little girl’s life. Years later Oprah Winfrey had Tish on her show to thank her and tell her how important that moment was.

I saw John J Hooker speak at an event in Louisville when I was a teenager. I left thinking that he was the most riveting and entertaining speaker I’d ever heard.

He is now in his early 80s and recently was honored by the Tennessee legislature for his life work in public service.