Bill Luckett (businessman)

Bill Luckett
Mayor of Clarksdale
In office
2013–2017
Preceded byHenry Espy
Succeeded byChuck Espy
Personal details
BornWilliam Oliver Luckett Jr.
(1948-03-17)March 17, 1948
Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.
DiedOctober 28, 2021(2021-10-28) (aged 73)
Oxford, Mississippi, U.S.[1]
PartyDemocratic[2]
SpouseFrancine Luckett
Children4, including Oliver
EducationUniversity of Virginia
University of Mississippi
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceMississippi National Guard

William Oliver Luckett Jr.[3][4] (March 17, 1948[5] – October 28, 2021)[6] was an American politician, attorney, actor and businessman.[7][8][9][10]

Early life

Luckett was born in Fort Worth, Texas and grew up in Clarksdale, Mississippi.[11] He had lived in Mississippi since he was six weeks old.[12] His father was a lawyer.[5] Luckett was also the great-nephew of Semmes Luckett, who in 1954 argued in favor of segregation against Thurgood Marshall in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas case.[4]

Education and military service

Luckett graduated from Clarksdale High School in 1966.[11] Luckett also graduated from the University of Virginia and earned a Juris Doctor degree at the University of Mississippi.[13] He graduated from the latter university in 1973.[14] He also served in the Mississippi National Guard from 1971 to 1979.[5][11] He received an honorary degree from Coahoma Community College in May 2002.[1] He was also inducted into the Living Legends of Aviation in 2009.[1]

Career

Film career

He has acted in the films Texas Heart (2016), Battlecreek (2017), The Poison Rose (2019), Vanquish (2021) and Paradise Highway (2022).[1][15]

According to Luckett, he and actor Morgan Freeman had been best friends for “25 years.”[16]

Businesses

Luckett co-owned the Madidi Restaurant with Freeman from 2001 to 2012.[17][18] From May 2001 till his death, Luckett also co-owned with Freeman the Ground Zero Blues Club.[6][19]

Political career

He unsuccessfully ran for Governor of Mississippi in 2011 and served as Mayor of Clarksdale, Mississippi from 2013 to 2017.[20][12][21][22]

Luckett was also considered a mentor to consultant Burns Strider, who worked on Luckett’s gubernatorial campaign.[23]

Luckett practiced law with Luckett Tyner Law Firm, P.A. as a member of The Mississippi Bar and the Tennessee Bar Association.[1]

Other work

Luckett was a founder and board member of the Pinetop Perkins Foundation.[24] He was also a member of the NAACP.[4]

Personal life

Luckett was married to Francine Luckett from 1984 until his death and was the father of four children.[12][25] One of his sons is Oliver Luckett.[26][27] Luckett attended St. George's Episcopal Church in Clarksdale.[28]

Death

Luckett died on October 28, 2021 in Oxford, Mississippi, one year after being diagnosed with cancer.[1][29]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "William O. Luckett, Jr". The Clarion-Ledger. October 29, 2021. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  2. ^ Merica, Dan (December 13, 2013). "Democrats' dream of a blue South: Moon pie in the sky?". CNN. Retrieved December 27, 2025. …said Bill Luckett, who became the Democratic mayor of Clarksdale, Mississippi, this year.
  3. ^ "William Oliver 'Bill' Luckett Jr. Obituary". Meredith-Nowell Funeral Home. Retrieved February 10, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c Salter, Sid (November 3, 2021). "Bill Luckett was a true Renaissance man with a strong desire to serve Mississippi". Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Salter, Sid (November 3, 2021). "Luckett, known for business dealings with Morgan Freeman, just wanted to serve Mississippi". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Szymanowska, Gabriela (October 29, 2021). "Bill Luckett, former Clarksdale mayor, blues club owner died Thursday. He was 73". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  7. ^ "Standin' at the crossroads". The Economist. June 9, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2025.
  8. ^ Associated Press (August 21, 2011). "DuPree, Luckett seek Democrat nomination for Mississippi governor". Al.com. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  9. ^ "Mississippi blues promoter and raconteur Bill Luckett dies". The Independent. November 1, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  10. ^ Miller, David (August 21, 2011). "Bill Luckett: 'I love this state and want to make it better'". The Commercial Dispatch. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  11. ^ a b c Wagster Pettus, Emily (July 27, 2011). "Governor Candidate Profile: Bill Luckett". The Commercial Dispatch. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  12. ^ a b c Wagster Pettus, Emily (November 1, 2021). "Mississippi blues promoter and raconteur Bill Luckett dies". The Frederick News-Post. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  13. ^ Elkins, Ashley (January 14, 2009). "SID SALTER:Delta Democratic lawyer Bill Luckett assays 2012 governor's race". Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  14. ^ Chaney, Kim (October 29, 2021). "Former Clarksdale, Mississippi Mayor & Ground Zero Blues Club co-owner Bill Luckett has died". WATN-TV. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  15. ^ Clark, Jeff (June 21, 2016). "Clarksdale mayor filming scenes for anti-HB 1523 movie in Long Beach". Sun Herald. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  16. ^ WLOX Staff (October 29, 2021). "Bill Luckett, former Mississippi mayor and co-owner of Morgan Freeman's Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, dies". Action News 5. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  17. ^ Powell, Akim (October 28, 2021). "Co-owner of Clarksdale's Ground Zero Blues Club and former Mississippi mayor dies". WLOX. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  18. ^ "Freeman, Luckett out of restaurant business". WLBT. February 29, 2012. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  19. ^ Pipkin, Christopher (October 28, 2021). "Businessman, gubernatorial candidate and former mayor of Clarksdale Bill Luckett has died". WAPT. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  20. ^ Davis, Andi (October 29, 2021). "Bill Luckett: "Renaissance Man", "A Visionary", "Big-hearted", and "Distinguished Southern Gentleman" passes away". Supertalk Mississippi. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  21. ^ Wright, Aliyah (May 3, 2017). "Luckett and Espy go after each other again in Clarksdale". Mississippi Today. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  22. ^ "Morgan Freeman campaigns for Bill Luckett in Mississippi governor race". Al.com. Associated Press. October 13, 2009. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  23. ^ Wagster Pettus, Emily (November 2, 2021). "Mississippi Blues Promoter and Raconteur Bill Luckett Dies". Mississippi Free Press. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  24. ^ Royer, David (October 29, 2021). "Reports: Former Clarksdale mayor Bill Luckett has died". WJTV. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  25. ^ Emily Wagster Pettus (November 1, 2021). "Mississippi blues promoter and raconteur Bill Luckett dies". The Seattle Times. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  26. ^ Vankin, Deborah (May 2, 2014). "Tech mogul Oliver Luckett connects with emerging artists in a big way". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  27. ^ Barnes, Brooke (November 11, 2012). "A-Listers, Meet Your Online Megaphone". The New York Times. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  28. ^ "William O. Luckett Jr". The Commercial Appeal. October 29, 2021. Retrieved November 16, 2025.
  29. ^ Wagster Pettus, Emily (November 1, 2021). "Mississippi blues promoter and raconteur Bill Luckett dies". Associated Press. Retrieved November 16, 2024.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Luckett_(businessman)