John D. Puckett

My next long term gig was with pianist, John Puckett and my old friend Dave Rogers on drums.
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John is another great pianist with his own unique style. He would rarely say anything. He wouldn't tell you the name of the next tune. He would just start playing.
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John decided to change up the personnel of the group and hired another bassist and drummer, so I was looking for another gig.

Pastor John D. Puckett

Bisbee - Bisbee Apostolic Lighthouse, 2 East Hwy 80, (85603), 520-432-1769 or 520-366-3047

John Puckett, jazz keyboard player from Hot Springs;AJHF: Artists: Hall of Fame: 2006: John Puckett
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John Puckett

John Puckett was born and raised in Hot Springs, Arkansas.He started piano lessons at the age of eight.When he was twelve he was playing in his church.When he was a sophomore in college, he went on tour with bandleader Willie Mitchell.

After college, Puckett recorded an LP album, Meet John Puckett and His Piano on the King Label.John later played at The Black Orchid Lounge, and backed up shows at The Vapors in Hot Springs, during its peak.

He was the elder of several fine players appearing at the Black Orchid Lounge, which also featured the late pianists Art Porter, Sr. and Charles Thomas.

His fine artistry and skills are well known in the Hot Springs area.In Little Rock he had long engagements appearing at the Peabody Hotel and Little Rock Country Club of Little Rock.In addition to his outstanding jazz talents, John is Minister of Music at the Visitors's Chapel AME Church.

War, W. V. - w/ pastor Jack PuckettSunday 11:00am & 6:00pmMon. - Wed. evening 7:00p.m.

blulin-ani.gif (11170 bytes)April 27th Victory Christian FellowshipClaypool Hill in Richlands Va. -

John Puckett, Pastor

LIVE MUSIC : Monday gets jazzed with John Puckett, Hot Springs pianist
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Puckett, a pianist, will be accompanied by bassist Joe Vick and drummer Dave Rogers.
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Born and reared in Hot Springs, Puckett, while still a college sophomore, toured with bandleader Willie Mitchell.
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After graduating, Puckett released an album, Meet John Puckett and His Piano.He played at the Black Orchid Lounge and the Vapors in the late 1960 s, when those Spa City clubs were the town hot spots.

In Little Rock, Puckett has performed at the Peabody hotel and the Country Club of Little Rock.He's also the minister of music at Visitor's Chapel AME Church in Hot Springs.

Puckett, 50, preached his first sermon at his new church June 9.

"I was born in Ohio, but the majority of my 50 years have been spent in Indiana," Puckett said."My dad (Walter) went into the ministry and he had churches in Indiana.When I was young, we lived north of Richmond.Dad was a farmer, then he went into the ministry."

Puckett also pastored churches in Indiana before taking a church in St. Louis 11 years ago.He has been a church pastor since 1973.

Despite being the son of a minister, Puckett said, his entry into the ministry was a gradual process.

"Some of that even started in high school," he said."Looking back I realized this was where God was calling.I thoroughly enjoyed, and was a straight A student, in sociology, which is the study of people."

As a part-time youth minister while in college, Puckett discovered he enjoyed the teaching aspects of being a minister.

"There was no drastic call," he said."It was just God opening doors, leading me to that point of this is where He wants me to be."

Puckett is married.He and his wife, Sally, have four daughters and a granddaughter.

"I have two sisters, too, so I'm used to being surrounded by women," Puckett joked.

His granddaughter was one of the reasons Puckett and his wife were thinking about returning to Indiana from Missouri.

"My granddaughter is down in Indianapolis," Puckett said."My mom is in Terre Haute. (At the church in Missouri), we had undergone a church merger and the other man and myself were sharing the preaching responsibilities, which was frustrating for both of us."

Puckett learned of the opening at Marion Church of Christ and began talking with the congregation here.

"What they wanted included some of my gifts," Puckett said."I have a real strong gift of preaching, administrative ability, pastoral ability.After talking and praying, I received a unanimous call as pastor.It was a good time of life change for me. I'm at the age where I want to get some place and in the next few year, maybe think about retiring."

For now, Puckett sees his primary gift as a minister as that of teacher/preacher.

"My goal is not laying out of information, but bringing about transformation," he said."I want to preach and teach His word, bring God's word to the people."

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