Weekly Muppet Wednesdays: Jerry

Written by Ryan Dosier.

JERRY

Performed by...
Jerry Nelson

First appearance...
The Perry Como Winter Show (1972) 

Most recent appearance...
The Muppet Show Episode 322: Roy Rogers & Dale Evans (1978)

Best known role...
Guitar player for The Country Trio; puppet representation of Jerry Nelson

Also known as...
Tex 

WHO IS JERRY?
Jerry is the guitar player for the Country Trio band, alongside Jim on banjo and Frank on bass. He first appeared with the band on The Perry Como Winter Show in 1972 where they performed "You Don't Mess Around with Jim." The following year Jerry returned to TV with the band on The Dick Cavett Show to perform the classic tune "Mamma Don't Allow."

Jerry and the Country Trio would later appear briefly in The Muppet Show: Sex and Violence pilot in 1975. When The Muppet Show began in 1976, Jerry would make a few appearances both with the Trio and solo. His first Muppet Show appearance was with the Trio in perhaps their most well-known performance of "To Morrow" in Episode 105: Rita Moreno. In the song, Jerry took to the vocals with Jim. The Trio also performed "In The Summertime" in Episode 123: Kaye Ballard, but Jerry took a backseat to Jim's lead vocals, although he still got a few lines.

Jerry appeared solo singing in the backup for Paul Williams during "Old Fashioned Love Song." He would later play an Arab in the Spike Milligan episode of Season 3. Jerry's final notable appearance was in Episode 322: Roy Rogers & Dale Evans in Season 3 where he and Jim performed the song "Four Legged Friend" while atop a pair of cows. It should be noted that in this sketch Jim referred to Jerry as "Tex," but the name Jerry has stuck.

Jerry is not to be confused with Sesame Street's Little Jerry or Mr. Jerry. Little Jerry is, of course, the lead singer of Littler Jerry and the Monotones. Mr. Jerry is a kindly guitar player on Sesame Street whom Elmo says hi to in the TV special Families Stand Together.


WHY DO THE MUPPETS NEED JERRY?
The Muppets needed Jerry Nelson... Jerry was a Muppet representation of Jerry Nelson... point proven.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier, muppetmindset@gmail.com