BOOKER T. WAS WRITING SONGS IN HIGH SCHOOL

Booker T. Jones is pictured in February 1963. While spending time at the Satellite Record Shop, Jones met Steve Cropper, who became one of the MGS when the group was formed in 1962. Besides Jones on organ and Cropper on guitar, Booker T. and the MGS featured Lewie Steinberg on bass guitar and Al Jackson Jr. on drums. Donald “Duck” Dunn replaced Steinberg on bass. While in high school, Jones co-wrote the group’s

instrumental “Green Onions,” which became a hit in 1962.

25 years ago: 1987

Dr. J. William Payonk had a full heart yesterday — and an empty office. The Memphis dentist was one of more than 1,000 doctors in the United States and Canada participating in a program giving free medical care to the indigent on Valentine’s Day. Only no poor patients showed up at Dr. Payonk’s office at St. Francis Hospital. “I’ve got a beautiful office here and we do a lot of work here. I’ve really been blessed,” he said. “And I really wanted to pay back some of the fortunes that I’ve had.” Dr. Payonk sent dozens of letters to churches and physicians offering his services to indigent patients.

50 years ago: 1962

A petite brunet who says she “never even placed in any contest before” won the MidSouth Regional Metropolitan Opera auditions at The Auditorium yesterday. Miss Patricia Welting, a vivacious lyric soprano, was named winner by judge Rudolf Bing, general manager of the Met, thus becoming a national semi-finalist. The 23-year- old Memphian, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.E. Welting Jr. of 3651 Barron, teaches music in Oakville, Knight Road and Capleville elementary schools.

75 years ago: 1937

Miss Irwin Leatherman and her mother, Mrs. Leatherman Andrews have landed in New York after a South American cruise.

100 years ago: 1912

NASHVILLE — A vigorous protest from the state’s Confederate organizations is being prepared against the proposal of the Tennessee penitentiary authorities to clothe the convicts, except the incorrigibles, in gray, the uniform color of the Confederacy. The plan to abolish the traditional stripes resulted from Gov. B.W. Hooper’s recent visit to the prison.

125 years ago: 1887

A cowhiding occurred at the Friedman Store on Main yesterday in which a bill clerk for the store and a loose woman figured. It is reported that he gave her the black eye and that she retaliated yesterday by appearing at the store with a buggy whip with which she lashed him twice before being disarmed by the store’s porter.