JACKSON PIANO MAN PRODUCES TV SHOW

The face behind the silver goatee should be familiar to longtime local residents. From 1958 to 1967, Jim Rhodes' piano stylings were a regular feature on KFVS-TV's "Breakfast Show."

After a career in record producing that has taken him to Springfield, Mo., Tulsa, Okla., and Nashville, Tenn., Rhodes now is co-producing a one-hour television show to air in syndication in February.

The Branson-based talk show is called "Prime Country." The first one was to be taped last week at the Jim Stafford Theater and was to feature Stafford, Moe Bandy, Jennifer Wilson and the Pump Boys & Dinettes.

Since 1986, Rhodes has been living in Jackson with his wife, Ruth, a teacher at the Franklin School. He is accustomed to the commute the new show will require.

"I've made a career of going a thousand miles to make a dime," he says.

After operating his own recording studio in Cape Girardeau for awhile, he left to work as a record producer in Springfield and then Tulsa. Ron Dunn of Brooks & Dunn was one of the first musicians he worked with in Tulsa.

While there, he was head of Tulsa Studios as an in-house producer. His studio recorded the scores for the movies "Tex," "The Outsiders" and "Rumblefish."

In 1981 he became president of Column One Music and spent most of his time in Nashville.

Boxcar Willie, Roy Clark and Pat Boone are others Rhodes has worked with along the way, along with the individual members of the Tractors, one of today's hottest country bands.

During one period, he was involved in producing and writing music shows in the Myrtle Beach, S.C., area.

He was a voting member of the Grammy Award Board for 15 years until retiring from the board in 1993.

The new show will be syndicated by Chicago-based Eastern Broadcast Corp. The host is Lee Gentry, a Branson-area entertainer.

"It's not going to be something you normally see on TNN," Rhodes said, referring to the cable country music channel.

"We'll use out-of-theater shots and every show will be at a different location."

Rhodes' co-producer is Paul Jackson, former manager of Petra and other major gospel groups.

The secret to producing is simple, Rhodes says. "Get the very best people and very best talent you know to do their job right so you look good."