The life story of the “Funniest Man in America” as only he could tell it.

James Gregory is beloved by millions…but the story of his astonishing rise to success has never been told—until now.

One of the most successful nightclub and theater comedians in America started out a long way from the stage, in the tiny farming community of Lithonia, Georgia. James was born into a family with lots of love but little money. His parents paid the doctor for his delivery with “a bushel of beans and a peck of tomatoes.”

Before he became “The Funniest Man in America,” James was a successful salesman of everything from encyclopedias to log homes. His philosophy: take care of yourself so nobody has to take care of you. When he started over as a comedian, this commitment to hard work and honest dealing would be the key to his “business” of comedy. James loves working people—because that’s what he is, too.

James was quickly discovered—not just in the South, but across America—by folks who love down-home, wholesome humor. He became the court jester of country music royalty, too, from Randy Travis to “Whispering” Bill Anderson to the Possum himself, George Jones.

Whether it’s entertaining our troops in the Persian Gulf after 9/11, working the road with greats like Steven Wright and Jay Leno, or facing a heart-stopping emergency that sent him into a coma, James has squeezed a dozen lifetimes into a half-century of comedy. This book is the best James Gregory story yet—as only he can tell it.

James Gregory was born in rural Georgia and was the first member of his family to graduate high school. After a short stint in the military (and a terrifying moment on the way out), James spent a decade as a successful salesman before trying comedy. In a few short years he was a headliner coast-to-coast, the “court jester” of the country music scene, and the hilarious voice of hard-working Americans who finally had one of their own on the national stage. He is among the most successful nightclub comedians in history.

Michael Long is a former comedian, now author and university professor, who grew up in the rural South. The son of a preacher, Mike worked in physics and mathematics before a radical career change: becoming the speechwriter for Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson. Today, Mike teaches writing and writes for himself and others. He’s prepared remarks for the CEOs of McDonald’s, Sprint, Verizon, plus politicians and celebrities. He is also co-author of The Molecule of More (in twenty-four languages) and sole author of Taming the Molecule of More.