Jackie Gleason had a variety show that aired from Miami in the 60's. While clubbing in the area one night, he discovered Wayne Cochran and The CC Riders and they soon became regulars on his program.

The Gleason Show exposure opened doors of opportunity for the band and while touring the country they would sometimes appear in clubs here in the Dayton area. They were one of my dad's favorites.

Wayne tells the story of finding a Bible on his tour bus and using it to lay out lines of cocaine. One day he decided to read it. After perusing it from cover to cover he declared, "I believe that!" and became a Christian.

Soon after he became a minister and pastored a church in Miami. I ran into him at a conference a few years ago in Charlotte and told him that I had seen him on TV when I was a kid and how much my dad enjoyed his nightclub act. He seemed to be an extremely nice guy and didn't have the wild DA hairdo you'll notice in the video.

Here he is making his television debut on the Jackie Gleason Show.