Sorrells Pickard(1939-2003)

Actor, singer and songwriter Sorrells Pickard was born James W. Bazzell, Jr. on September 20, 1939 in Jacksonville, Florida. He grew up on his family's peanut farm in Lovedale, Florida. Sorrells began his music career after graduating from high school; he fronted the rock'n'roll band Jimmy Bazzell and the Mardells in the late 1950's and early 1960's. Pickard eventually moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he appeared on the Grand Ole Opry, played bass for Tex Ritter and David Allan Coe, and wrote a large number of songs for such established country artists as Slim Whitman, Hank Thompson, David Rogers, Roy Clark, Kitty Wells, Del Reeves, Melba Montgomery, Kenny Price, and the Statler Brothers. Sorrells penned four songs for and played guitar on Ringo Starr's acclaimed 1970 country album "Beaucoups of Blues." In 1972 he recorded his self-titled debut album for the Decca record label. That same year Pickard served time in jail for possession of marijuana. Sorrells then went to Los Angeles, California to pursue an acting career. He made his film debut in 1975 with an uncredited minor part in the movie "W.W. and the Dixie Dance Kings." Pickard acted in four films for writer/director Mark Griffiths: Excellent as a shrewd ex-con in the exciting chase thriller "Running Hot;" very engaging as aging wannabe playboy bachelor Carlton Ashby in the amusing lowbrow comedies "Hardbodies" and "Hardbodies 2," and a nice bit as a mean country singer in the nifty thriller "Ultraviolet." In 1999 Sorrells launched his own hugely successful brand of gourmet peanut butter; said gourmet peanut butter sold six million jars in eleven states prior to having production halted for economic reasons. Sorrells Pickard died at age 63 from a heart attack in his home in Keystone Heights, Florida on July 5, 2003.