I was able to spend some time this week with Truett Beasley Jr. better known as "Killer Beaz." He is such a funny, talented and genuine man. I learned about him and all that brought him to this moment in time.
Let's begin where it all began.
Truett was born in Alabama to his dad, a Korean War veteran, a police captain, who was also a funeral director and embalmer; his mom was a school teacher. When he was a toddler, he told me, "I didn't like to see all the people sad, so I would entertain however I could. And I found that they would quit crying and I could make them happy for just a short time, while at the funeral home. When I could make them smile even in that moment it made me feel good. One time when a lady came over to me, even though she was sad, I made her smile and I thought she looked 10 feet tall at that time. I believe that is what sealed the deal for my career at that moment! When I graduated high school in 1972, I was voted as the ‘Wittiest of the Class,’ ‘The Class Clown.’ I always wanted people to smile and not be sad, so I was looking for ways to make people smile."
So he began his career as a musician, playing guitar in a blues band in Jackson, MS. While he was in this band, he would perform different cool licks on his guitar and another bandmate said that was Killer, Beaz! Therefore, the name stuck. He performed for a bar owner that requested a comedian the last weekend of June 1982 when his band was the house band. That was the beginning of comedian stardom. He had no real outlets in his hometown area for comedian shows, so he started opening for musical groups at pool halls. After Killer saw Jay Leno perform in Chicago, he got an idea and relocated to Nashville. With his strong accent, he was quickly embraced. He appeared in the first ever 1989 Comedy Issue of Rolling Stones and he was the first comedian to do so. Comedy has been his "Life's Work!"
As time went on he started making other appearances on The Nashville Network and CMT. He appeared several times and became known for his catchphrase, "save up." He told me, when we were out on the road in 1981 or ‘82, we happened to be at the same place in Birmingham, AL, as Lynyrd Skynyrd. My wife, baby and bellman went in with the first load, Lynyrd pulled up in their van and all piled out of their van. They saw me and said, Aren't you that comedian on TNN?" So, I got all puffed up that they recognized me, and we visited until my wife walked back out with our son. The guys gathered around them, saying, "Look at the baby!" My wife was confused and I told her, “it's okay, it's Lynyrd Skynyrd!" And a bond was formed. While at the hotel, we all got off the elevators across from each other in our stage clothes and just laughed.
They recorded a song with Killer titled, "Save Up." He stopped performing for a brief time, then he had a brief appearance with WQYK Morning Show in Tampa, Florida. He received his first major-label comedy album from Warner Bros. Records on the Jack Records label, "Don't Ever Touch Anybody You Don't Know," that was released in 2013. Then he started appearing on episodes of the television series, "Moonshiners," with friends Mark and Digger.
Killer is now in his seventh season with "Moonshiners," which is a Discovery Channel's hit series. When he is not filming with them, he is out touring the nation. He has over three decades of experience as a comedian doing performances in comedy clubs, theatres, television and radio. He is legendary in the comedy industry. He has performed over 24 times at the Grand Ole Opry. Killer has an award winning talent that has also took him to signing with Sony and Warner Brothers Records and has received many fantastic reviews from Rolling Stones Magazine to Entertainment Today to Showtime.
He told me that he was the youngest person in Mississippi to run the Emergency Ambulance calls, but he said I was way too funny to do that line of work.
I asked him, "Have you toured outside the United States?" He responded, "I've been on 188 cruises that went to Bahamas, Belize, Honduras, Hawaii, and The Caribbeans and to Montreal Canada, but that as a comedian the language barrier is more difficult than if it was with my band playing music. Music usually doesn't have the same barrier. You have to be savvy of their culture, language and identify with that. You have to have the ability to paint a picture of what you are telling." I have never really thought about that, I said. He said, "My comedy is very clean and family friendly. Non-offensive can be funny. Comedians, musicians and dancers are all great communicators through the mediums we use."
He is known for it being Hard Hitting to High Energy to Every Person Style all wrapped up into one. He told me, "The Lord has blessed me with a very fun and great career! If I can give people an hour or so of relief from their worries, it's biblical, we paraphrase it by saying, Laughter is the best medicine, but in Proverbs, it's says, ‘A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.’ What an anointed, cool career to have! My wife and I are able to spend time with our church and the homeless outreach we serve, when we're home! I love spending time with my wife on the road as well, thanks to the Lord! I have worked with so many wonderful people."
He is looking forward to being in Branson!
I want to thank Killer Beaz for the awesome interview, and I feel that I connected with him. He is so genuine and I look forward to seeing him!
You can find Killer on several media outlets: FaceBook - Killer Beaz Comedy; Instagram - Killer Beaz,; X – KillerBeaz; YouTube - Killer Beaz Comedy; TikTok – killerbeazcomedy.
To find his schedule, tickets and lots of other fun stuff, "BEE" sure to visit his website: killerbeaz.com
You will be "Stung for Life" if you miss his show. You want to see what all the "Buzz" is about with him that has brought him down such a fabulous path. You need to get your tickets now.
His show will be September 28, 2024 at The Star Concert Hall, 3750 W. 76 Country Blvd., Branson. Phone: 918-863-7052; website: starconcerthall.com
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