06/06/2026
One of the Lions Club’s favorite guest speakers returned this week to share his knowledge and passion for a musical genre most of us know little about: the Blues. Sure, some of us might be able to name one or two Blues artists, but most of us are fairly ignorant when it comes to the subject of the Blues. Not Gil Anthony. Not only can Gil name a long list of Blues artists, but he also knows most of them personally.
Gil began his career in the music industry as a DJ in North Dakota, his home state. He has always loved music and by the age of 13 had amassed a sizable record collection. After a stint in the Air Force, Gil landed his first job as a DJ at KDAK in North Dakota. In 1969, he returned to California, where he had been stationed in the Air Force, and landed jobs as a DJ. He began collecting albums by Blues artists, a collection which now numbers in the thousands.
In 1978, Gil found himself in Dothan, AL, as a DJ at WAGF. In 1995 Gil founded the Blues Power radio program at WDMT in Eufaula. His show became so popular that it was soon syndicated across the country and is currently broadcast on WDIG on Sunday and Monday nights. His passion for, and knowledge of, Blues artists and their history made his program extremely successful, and Gil soon began to realize that the Wiregrass area had contributed a number of successful and talented artists to the Blues canon of music - and the world needed to know about it.
Gil began attending the Blues Music Awards and the International Blues Challenge in Memphis and continues to attend each year. In 2010, Gil and his friend Buddy Buie, a songwriter from Dothan, held a fundraiser to help raise money for ALS research, since another musician friend had been diagnosed with the condition. Gil noted that if he had been left in charge of the event, it probably would have featured lots of beer and a jar to leave donations in. However, saner heads prevailed, and he reported that an event featuring food and music netted $40,000 which was donated to the ALS research program.
In 2011, Gil co-founded the Wiregrass Blues Fest, which honors Blues artists from the southeast. The music murals in Dothan also pay tribute to many of the musicians and artists who called Alabama and its neighbors home. Gil tapped into his encyclopedia of music knowledge to name several of those honored on the mural: Martha Reeves (of Martha Reeves and the Vandellas), John Rainey Adkins, Big Mama Thornton, Ray Charles (from Albany, GA), Buddy Buie, and many more. And who knew that Marilyn McCoo Davis (of the 5th Dimension) was born in Columbus, GA? Gil paid tribute to Little Jimmy Reed of Enterprise who is widely known and sought after in Europe. Because of his dedication to the Blues genre and the associations that support it, Gil was awarded the Blues Foundation’s Keeping the Blues Alive Award for Radio in 2013.
For most of us who remember purchasing record albums to play on our record players and turntables, Gil reminded us that we probably were first attracted to an album by the design on its cover. He noted that Mike McCarty, from Dothan, designed album covers for many famous musicians such as Isaac Hayes. He brought a dozen or more albums to illustrate his point that record albums were not always just about the musicians, but also collectors’ items for the art on the album covers.
Gil is also an active member of the Wiregrass Blues Society and supporter of the Wiregrass Blues Festival, held annually in April. The Wiregrass Blues Society also participates in the Blues in Schools program, which combines Blues performances and the history and culture of the Blues to acquaint school children with a genre many have never heard of. In the last ten years, the program has reached 15,000 students in the local area; a recent program in Ozark had 850 students in attendance. Through his connections in music, Gil reported that the program was the beneficiary of two Fender guitars which were donated to students in a local high school band program. The Wiregrass Blues Society also donates other instruments to music programs throughout the Wiregrass area. The efforts of Gil Anthony and others have resulted in an entire new generation of young people developing an interest in the Blues.
Perhaps the most important figure in Blues music, and a native of Ariton, AL, is Big Mama Thornton. Gil reported that Big Mama recorded the song “Hound Dog” three years before Elvis had such a big hit with his recording. The song was actually written for her, and it sold over 500,000 copies, topping the Billboard Charts for R& B music at #1 for seven weeks in 1953. According to Gil, she was a trailblazer in music and for women. He noted that she carried two things in her handbag – a gun and a bottle. She had a long and distinguished career touring and bringing her music to audiences all over Europe and the U.S. In 2024, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum in Cleveland inducted her into the Hall of Fame for her influence on music. Gil was contacted about sharing his vast collection of Big Mama memorabilia for an exhibit at the Museum, and he agreed to drive the materials to Cleveland himself to see it safely delivered.
Gil concluded his remarkable presentation on the Blues with the mantra that the older artists like to be remembered. Their contributions to today’s music cannot be measured. Fortunately, their music can still be accessed through online music apps like Apple Music, Amazon Music, Pandora, and others. Radio stations and programs that focus only on certain eras and genres of music are extremely popular and allow listeners to personalize their listening preferences. Gil always brings a wealth of information to share and does so in an entertaining and engaging manner. We always enjoy having him visit.
Pictured is Gil Anthony; he is such a dynamic speaker that it is difficult to catch him standing quietly behind the podium. However, that dynamism is part of his charm. Pictures of some of the record albums he brought are included also.
The Enterprise Lions Club meets weekly on Wednesdays at the Enterprise Farmers’ Market. Lunch is served at 11:30, followed by a brief business meeting and a guest speaker. Visitors are welcome.
