John Bean

Long before the Jerky Boys, Crank Yankers, or Roy D. Mercer picked up the telephone, prankster John Bean was making crank calls and recording them. Recorded in the late '70s and early '80s, these tapes became known as "The Redneck Tapes" thanks to the southern fried character Bean assumed, the "Whup Ass Man" LeRoy Mercer. These tapes would be passed around among truckers, record store clerks, and musicians including Mel Tillis and Chris Isaak who both counted themselves as fans. Bean succumbed to cancer in the early '80s and seeing as how his tapes and characters were not copywrited or even officially released, bootlegging his recordings and stealing his act was easy. His fans had no love for the like-named Roy D. Mercer who released numerous successful albums in the Bean style, but they became excited in 2008 when the Dualtone label announced they would be officially releasing the recordings with the help of Bean's sister Betty. Their digitally re-mastered The Real Leroy Mercer arrived in the summer that same year. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide