Jackson Free Press

by David McCarty, Emily Braden Knight, Robert Williamson, Casey Parks, Thabi Mooyo, Swetha Regunathan, Todd Stauffer

We spent last week spotlighting all the cool chicks of the city, but this week, as we near Father's Day, the JFP honors its annual Men We Love. These cool dudes range from kick-ass drummers (Denny Burkes) to kick-ass nutritionists (Hunter McGee), from role models (Jim Nelson) to activists (Derrick Johnson). Some have kids, some don't. Either way, this group of eight men is certainly a sampling of the best men Jackson has to offer. Ladies, most of the guys are taken, but use these guys as models of what you can find if you look hard enough.

Denny Burkes

He's the drummer non pareil for local legends The Vamps, a crisply clad mod who can rhapsodize at length on the relative merits of the Jam and 1950s Italian furniture. He is a design-minded visionary whose graphic abilities are widely renowned. But the reason we love Denny Burkes, 37, is because he's Jackson's proudest new poppa. He and his beautiful graphic designer wife, Vicki, got the big blessing this year, in the form of one Graeme Hobby Burkes, aka the "Junior G-Man." Since then, Burkes has been focusing less on tennis and obscure British B-sides than on diapers, onesies and snuzzly blankets. True—he still has the ass-pocket backbeat behind the drums and the crushing forehand on the tennis court, but he's found out that there's more to life than sticks and strings. Hats off to a straight-up righteous dude who will be playing at the JAM this weekend.

Kyle Jennings

Kyle Jennings, aka Mr. Jill Conner Browne, is soooo fine. In fact, he's one downright dreamy lawyer. Kyle easily meets the "five men we must have" criteria outlined by the Sweet Potato Queen herself. He can pay for things. He can fix things. He can dance. He holds great conversation. And I hear he's really good in bed … of a parade float.

Jennings can also take care of business. He doesn't just say, "Honey, I support your career." Virtually every time Jill is signing books, speaking to the masses or playing in parades, Jennings is there. In fact, he is the Bad Dog of Bad Dog Management, who makes sure that no one rains on the Sweet Potato Queens parade by protecting intellectual rights and all that fancy lawyer stuff.

He's happy to lay the smack down for the queens, so their first and only order of business remains having fun. He brings a whole new meaning to, "Honey, let me handle that." One visit to the Sweet Potato Queens World Wide Headquarters says it all with a door knocker reading "The Conner Brownes." Now, don't you just love that?

Jim Nelson

Jim Nelson, 44, a graduate of the Parents for Public Schools Leadership Institute in 2004, is such a fixture at his two sons' schools that he might as well work there. At Jim Hill High School, he has coached his 16-year-old son Jermaine's tennis team and served as the parent adviser to the percussion section of the band, in addition to being active in their band booster program. Nelson is also involved with the tennis team at JSU, where his 18-year-old son Brandon is on an academic and tennis scholarship. Nelson helps the tennis team work out and serves as a general go-to-guy, stringing rackets and helping with whatever else they need done. A warmth born of fatherly love permeates his voice when he talks about his two sons.

Hunter McGee

Sometime in the last few months, something has happened to the High Noon Café— more than just expanding their days of business, more than just providing delicious food. High Noon has become the place to see Hunter McGee, 33. He doesn't know it, but he has a secret fan club in the JFP. Every time we go over there, McGee fills us in on new tips about tasty nutrition—whether it be a food recommendation or a lesson in why agave is a better sweetener. McGee thinks agave's the sweetest thing around, but we think that title might be reserved for him. He's the perfect example of staying true to his causes without allowing negativity to knock the causes of others. Plus! We've seen him riding his bike around town, which makes him even more of a city role model.

Donald Purvis

Don Purvis, 48, is a Jacksonian who is knowledgable about the past, present and future of Jackson. Purvis sat on his living room sofa looking out the window over downtown Jackson and confidently spoke about what drives his passion for inner-city African American youth. Writing grants to find funding for his own youth programs and reaching out within the communities of Jackson is where his passion lies. His vision to turn around the desolate destinies that face many of our young black men is alive, as he has observed throughout the years the degradation of inner city youth. To reverse the cycle, he is teaching them the way he was taught, by strong black men. He is determined to stay involved and work on local youth projects and programs, as it allows him to teach our city's youth the necessary skills and labor that it will takes to become economically adept. He reaches within inner-city communities wholeheartedly because he genuinely cares about the future of young black males, youth and this city.

Derrick Johnson

A great father must "listen and be an active participant and a role model," says Derrick Johnson, activist, advocate and daddy-o to boot. As president of the state chapter of the NAACP, Johnson works to affect public policy in the interests of African Americans and other minority groups as they combat discrimination for the sake of equal opportunity. As he works for such issues as economic and voter empowerment, quality education, an equal opportunity between government and business, Johnson tries to instill the same values in his three kids that he finds in his work— "to understand the value of people."

James Graves III

You often find James Graves III, 24, standing 6-foot-2-inches tall among the socialites of Jackson. He's dressed to impress depending on the occasion, in a distinguished custom-tailored suit or in a trendy authentic NBA jersey, jeans and Timberland boots. No matter how he's dressed, his intelligence and genuine personality always speaks for itself and will be the very thing that you remember when you part from him. Our friendship is now a decade old and still growing. Graves is versatile and can adapt in diverse social situations and fill the shoes of any role you require him to play. I will never forget how he stepped into my nephew's life when his father was absent and took on the role of uncle to fill the part of the missing link. Having been raised in a family that pledges education as the key to success, Graves is an alumnus of Murrah High School and Millsaps College and currently attends the University of Virginia in pursuit of a law degree. His legacy lingers in the hall of fame of Murrah as proof of his determination and dedication to achieve excellence in education. The one thing that I never witnessed him do was make a wrong turn.

John Lawrence

John Lawrence, 34, isn't just a guy who is doggedly working to keep businesses in downtown Jackson while encouraging new ideas—like high-rise residential living—in the 39201 area code. He's also the man who decided to take on the relatively thankless task of president of the Jubilee!JAM board of directors this year. With a smaller budget and an eye on making next year's 20th anniversary of the festival a blowout, Lawrence had to encourage some creative thinking for the JAM this year, including working with the others involved to move the show to Commerce Street, refocus it on local talent and balance the needs of the audience, the talent, the sponsors and the JAM itself. And he does it all with a friendly smile that speaks to not only his native Memphis charm, but also his capacity to enjoy himself in stressful situations and keep a roomful of people on the same page. Plus, what makes a cool guy cooler than having a swanky warehouse-style loft apartment overlooking the Hal and Mal's parking lot?