This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human. Insurance may all seem the same on the surface, but having insurance isn't the same as having State Farm. As the leading auto and homeowners insurer in the US, State Farm is there, how and where you need them, whether it's in person with a local State Farm agent, on the phone, online, or through their mobile app. Don't take a chance with insurance coverage that may not meet your needs.
And don't settle for insurance that may only be halfway there. Stop living on a prayer and get State Farm. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Life gets messy. Spills, stains, head accidents, and kid chaos.
But with Anibay, cleaning up is easy. Our sofas are fully machine washable, inside and out, so you never have to stress about messes again. Made with liquid and stain-resistant fabrics, that means fewer stains and more peace of mind. Designed for real life, our sofas feature changeable fabric covers, allowing you to refresh your style anytime. Need flexibility?
Our modular design lets you rearrange your sofa effortlessly. Perfect for cozy apartments or spacious homes. Plus, they're earth-friendly and built to last. That's why over 200,000 happy customers have made the switch. Upgrade your space today.
Sofas start at just $699. Visit washable sofas.com now and bring home a sofa made for life. That's washablesofas.com. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply. Hello, Malcolm Glaube here.
We're here in New York City with T-Mobile for Business recording another episode of Revisionist History about how 5G network slicing strengthens trust and connections across worldwide industries. Slicing can be used for so many different things. We're here with our friends from CNN, from Siemens Energy. The ways that it can be used, frankly, are limitless and are really, really built to think through how can T-Mobile understand the pain points that our customers have, smash those pain points, and help you deliver very specific outcomes. Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously.
On Public, you can build a multi-asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto, and now generated assets, which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high-free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one-of-a-kind index, and lets you backtest it against the SP 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks.
Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com/slash podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com/slash podcast. Paid for by Public Investing. Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc., member FINRA, and SIPC.
Advisory Services by Public Advisors LLC, SEC Registered Advisor. Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures. Available at public.com/slash disclosures.
This is Lee Habib and this is Our American Stories. And we tell stories about everything here on this show, including your stories. Send them to ouramericanstories.com. And now a story from Kemmons Wilson Jr. Kemmons is a second-generation leader of their third-generation family investment company that's out of Memphis, Tennessee.
With the first generation being his dad, the founder of Holiday Inn. And by the way, we broadcast an hour south of Memphis. in Oxford, Mississippi, a beautiful small town that's home to great writers like Faulkner and Grisham, and also the home to All Miss. Kemmons has previously shared with us the Holiday Inn story, which you can find at ouramericanstories.com. And today he brings us some lighter stories about his father and the unusual interactions that he's had with some pretty famous folks.
Here's Kemmens. I don't know if y'all remember back when they had the tramboline craze.
Well, he decided that he wanted to put a trampoline that was on ground level. Our company here was manufacturing a round trampoline. It was about maybe four foot in diameter. and had springs and you would just bounce on it. And the idea was you would jog in place.
So he put one in. Not on Lamar Avenue. And at the time, our family company broke the insurance. For Hall lands. Back in the early days, when you could do that, it wasn't a conflict of interest.
So, our head insurance guy said, Hey, Kimmens, man, you can't do this. Oh, kind of. reliability here. He said, oh, get out of here. J th they're they're they're gonna just having some fun.
And so I think within a week, Some kid had bounced something down and went through the plate glass window.
So they started tearing it all up, and you know, but he would try anything.
So my dad called one day, he said, hey. Muhammad Ali is in town. He's staying at the big Rivermont Hotel. Down on Riverside Drive, and I'm going to go by and see, would you like to come? I said, absolutely.
You know, it was huge. Bye-anny. And so he comes by, he picks me up. And he's got this tramboline in the car. And so.
I said, what's that for? He said, well. I want to see if he'll endorse it. And I said, oh man, okay.
So we get up there. And he's got a huge suite and he's got an entourage that you've never seen. Finally, we get Muhammad Ali out of his room and we meet him. And my dad's got a camera. He said, uh he said But Jolly, get on that traveling and start jogging a little bit.
And so he did and took his picture. And he said, I'd like for you to endorse this thing for us. He said, Well, Mr. Wilson, you're gonna have to to talk to my lawyer. I got a Jewish lawyer.
And if you can get past them, we're good to go. And also, we're going to need that picture you just took.
So at any rate, it went nowhere. But there was no. No shame. And whatever he did, he was really bold in doing that. My dad loved to basko.
And he loved it so much. He would get these little bottles and carry them in his pocket.
So if the restaurant didn't have it, he had his own supply. And this was in Halloween's heyday. He called Mr. McElhaney. And Asked him one day, he said, look, I love your product.
and I'd like to buy your company. I think that much of it. And Mr. McLane said, Mr. Wilson, you don't have enough money.
to buy this company. And I don't know if you've ever looked on the... the back of it, the basket of Salt, pepper, and vinegar. I mean, it's the secret sauce and So no telling how. Profitable, they are and have been, and they became great friends.
And every year he would send him a personalized bottle of Tabasco that They were so big, it would take about a year to finish it off. I tell people I think you put Dabasca on everything but ice cream. Later in his life, once he retired from holiday ends, he came to work for our family business. And he got in the nacho business. He was making nacho chips.
So he He was good friends with Sam Walton. My dad starts making nachos.
Well, he wants to sell them to Sam Walton.
So And I'm sure Mr. Walton was rolling his eyes like, listen, I don't have time to.
So he puts him with one of his buyers, you know. And so. We had the opportunity because of dad's relationship. Two. have lunch with Sam Walton.
on a couple different occasions. at the Ramada Inn. It was the buffet. He had a red truck with a bird dog in the back.
So all these stories that you read about, they're true. Two people cut out of the same mold. You know, I Um Uh I I think You know, my dad, having grown up in the depression, and not really having anything. You know, I think that made an impression on him. And throughout his life, he was very, very frugal.
when he didn't have to be. But it was a mindset. I mean, uh he wouldn't. pay two cents if he thought it was Worth one cent. Yeah, and money was just a number.
He never really aspired to you know, have second homes and boats and But he grew up in that era, you know, where Well you didn't know where your next meal was coming from, so Monty was just a A number and I'm telling you on. multiple occasions he He risked it all. And I think if If money had been that important to him, he probably wouldn't have done that. And you're listening to Kemmons Wilson Jr. with some fun and some fascinating stories about his dad.
who founded Holiday Inn.
So many more good stories to come. Kemmins Wilson, Jr. sharing fun stories about his father. Here on Our American Stories. Lee Habib here, and I'd like to encourage you to subscribe to Our American Stories on Apple Podcasts, the iHeartRadio app, Spotify, or wherever you get our podcasts.
Any story you missed or want to hear again can be found there daily. Again, Please subscribe to the Our American Stories podcast on Apple Podcasts, the iHeartRadio app, or anywhere you get your podcasts. It helps us keep these great American stories coming. Living on a prayer. Yeah, that song gets everyone singing, and now singing it could send you on a flyaway trip.
For two to see Bon Jovi live this summer. Enter the iHeartRadio Give It A Shot Sweepstakes presented by State Farm. Want bonus entries? Submit your best rendition of the song and possibly have it featured on air or on social. Enter now at iHeartRadio.com slash Give ItA Shot Sweeps.
No purchase necessary. Open the legal U.S. residents of the 50 United States in DC 18 plus void where prohibited sweepstakes since on 223, 2026. For official rules, visit iHeartRadio.com/slash give it a shot sweeps.
So, do you want to start shopping for your next car but don't know where to begin? Start at CarMax, where you can shop your way from start to finish. Whether you're shopping for something practical, adventurous, or luxurious, CarMax puts you in the driver's seat. And if you want to shop cars that fit your budget, CarMax has your back all the way. Simply grab your phone and get pre-qualified from your couch, the dog park, or even on a coffee break.
It's quick, easy, and has zero impact on your credit score. Want to explore your options? CarMax has plenty of options. In fact, with over 45,000 cars to choose from, CarMax has rides for almost every budget, including more than 25,000 cars priced under $25,000. From browsing online to checking out cars on the lot, you can shop your way at CarMax.
Want to get started on the search for your next car? Start at CarMax.com for details and get pre-qualified today. Want to drive? CarMax. Hawks.
Sink into affordable luxury. Annabe is the only machine washable sofa inside and out. With stain-resistant slip covers and a cloud-like frame duvet, everything goes right in the wash. Plus, the modular design lets you change the look of your space anytime. Visit washable sofas.com to upgrade your home.
Shop up to 60% off site-wide, with sofas starting at just $699 and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Shop now at washablesofas.com. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply. Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build a multi-asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto, and now generated assets, which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI.
It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high-free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one-of-a-kind index, and lets you backtest it against the SP 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's.
Go to public.com/slash podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com/slash podcast. Paid for by Public Investing. Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. member FINRA and SIPC.
Advisory Services by Public Advisors LLC, SEC Registered Advisor. Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com/slash disclosures. And we continue with Our American Stories and with Emmons Wilson Jr.
Sharing some fun stories about his dad and Holiday Inn founder. Kemmins Wilson. Let's return to Kemmyn's on his dad's relationship. and friendship with a fellow Memphian. named Sam Phillips.
Well, Sam Phillips had a recording studio called Sun. Studios. And Sam Phillips actually discovered Elvis and Johnny Cash and Sam was a He was an artist and he and my dad were good friends. And he looked at my dad as a sort of a financial guy. And so they got in business with radio stations.
Sam was the operator. And my dad put up some money.
So as Sam's career in his studio went, He called my dad one. Night. And he said, Kennes, I've got to talk to you. I've got. maybe the opportunity of a lifetime.
And you know, it was. Late at night, my dad said, Well, look, It's late. Why don't you just meet me at my office at 6 o'clock in the morning? That's what time he got to his office.
So Sam said, no, Kevins, you know, this is too big a deal. I got to come over. And he said, okay, so Sam Phillips comes over. My father put on his bathrobe and The background story on this is my dad and my mother were Very big band oriented back in those days. Tommy Dorsey, big bands, they like that music.
So Sam Phillips tells my dad that he has an opportunity to sell Elvis Presley's contract. to I think it was RCA for $35,000. And my dad, of course, knew who Elvis was. But, you know, he certainly didn't follow him. Big band guy, you don't follow rock and roll.
So when Sam said I've got this Really? Great offer. What do you think?
Well, he told Sam Phillips. He said, well, I don't even think illness is professional. And I kid people today, it's... It's tantamount to somebody asking me about a rapper. And I would say, no, no.
They're not, you know, I don't like them.
So Sam Phillips actually took my dad's advice and my dad said, sell this contract. And to be fair, this was the highest. highest paid contract in the history of the industry at the time. And Sam Phillips, his business was not doing That's great, so he needed the capital. And so, anyway, so he sells Elsa's contract.
And I always tell people, I said, make sure. You know who you're asking advice from. because he just asked the wrong guy. The right guy may have said, Hey, you may want to hold on to this thing for a little bit longer and see what happens. And my dad said, Boom, cut it off.
And he, Sam, was really a He was so keen on discovering talent. You know, he could. listen to a demo record. There you go, bingo. That's going to be a hit.
So He may have gone a little bit out of his comfort zone. You know, because he may have thought that, hey, if I follow my intuition, I... I would have held him, but again. You know, if you need the money, you need the money. And it was the highest offer ever paid at the time, so.
You know, you can't say Somebody stealing him. Then, you can say it now.
So that happens and we all know Elvis went on to be a huge iconic star of the universe. And Sam Phillips and my dad stayed best friends. Until they died. And Sam Phillips had every right. to never speak to my father again.
Like, get out of my life. You've ruined my life. And We had a roast. the years later. We roasted my dad and Sam Phillips was one of the Roasters.
And he said, Kimmin's You know, we've been great friends. I love you and uh He said, but I just will tell you one thing. He said, Not if I kept 10% of Elsa's contract. Not if I kept 5% of Elba's contract. He said.
If I kept 1% of Embassy's contract, I'd be worth $50 million today. And of course, we got a big laugh from everybody. But Again, that just goes to show you what kind of friendship they had. And neither one of them looked back. Sam Phillips took that money.
And he went on to sign Johnny Cash. Ain't Cole Perkins. And he went on to be very successful. And, you know, if that had never happened, I mean, the... You know, the story everybody sees, well, how dumb can you be?
Well You know, it worked out for Warren. And who knows if Elvis... would have ever hit. hit the mark again. And to be honest with you, I think my dad, even if he...
thought Elvis was going to be. Or could be. A huge success. At that point in time, I think he gave him the right decision about you need to sell and redeploy this money. back into your business and and you'll be able to sign a couple of guys onto your record label.
and you know go from there but It's a pretty good story when you Tell somebody that Elvis is not professional. And another funny thing, he... He never had, as long as he lived, a Unlisted telephone number. And so I can't tell you how many times we would get a call at 2 o'clock in the morning. And my father would answer the phone.
And it would be some guy that said too much to drink and and Peoria. at the hallway in. And he's complaining that they're closing the bar at 2 o'clock. And I've never saw him got upset. Yeah, he would just Say yes, okay.
You know, okay, I'll... I'll call the manager and And we'll get back with you. And this was back in the days where the General manager. they used to call them innkeepers, they had to live on the property. And so At 2.15 in the morning, he would call.
The general manager. and just say what in the heck is going on there. And you got some guy in a bar to go take care of it. And I remember one phone call he had. Again, it had to be some intoxicated guess that was complaining about something and My father said, well, who do you work for?
Now let's lab. and I work for IBM. He said, oh, really? And what's your name again?
Well, he gave him his name. He said, well, great. I know Mr. Watson, who's chairman of IBM. He'd probably like to know about that.
And, you know, phone hung up. But I mean, but to just think. that he never had a unlisted number. You could look in the phone book and call him. And we got all kind of crazy calls.
Yeah, when I look back, really A lot of the milestones in his life were that You know, he did have the largest hotel chain in the world at one time. He was on the cover of Time magazine. He was awarded the Racio Alger Award, which is now the rags of riches. Uh he was one of the m Thousand makers of the twentieth century, as noted by the London Times. and he was in the National Business Hall of Fame.
And really, you know, he got to meet. presidents and popes and kings and queens and a bunch of celebrities. I tell people he had A Absolute wonderful life. I mean, you look back and trace it. And Yeah, you couldn't have...
You know, you couldn't have... scripted at any butter. And great job by Faith on the production of that piece, and a special thanks to Alex. For bringing Kemmons Wilson Jr. to us.
There have been any number of stories he's told about his father. About his family. And about his faith. The STORY OF KEMINS WILLSON, Junior and His Father And, my goodness, it doesn't get better in terms of father-son stories and the influence of a dad on his son and shaping his outlook, his world view, and so much more. Kemmins Wilson Jr.
story here on Our American Stories. Kids, pets, life, your sofa sees it all. But with a washable sofa, stains don't stand a chance. All of our sofa collections come with fully machine-washable covers and cushions, making cleanup effortless. Liquid and stain-resistant fabrics provide extra protection against everyday messes.
Plus, with modular designs, you can rearrange your sofa however you like. Perfect for growing families and changing spaces. Starting at just $699, it's time to upgrade to a stress-free, mess-proof sofa. Visit washablefas.com today and save. Offers are subject to change, and certain restrictions may apply.
At CVS, it matters that we're not just in your community, but that we're part of it. It matters that we're here for you when you need us, day or night. And we want everyone to feel welcomed and rewarded. It matters that CVS is here to fill your prescriptions and here to fill your craving for a tasty and healthy snack. At CVS, we're proud to serve your community because we believe where you get your medicine matters.
So visit us at cvs.com or just come by our store. We can't wait to meet you. Store hours vary by location. Um Wasn't that delicious?
So good. Your bill, ladies. I got it. No. I got it.
Seriously, I insist. I insisted first. You know, silly. You know, people with the Wells-Fargo active cash credit card prefer to pay because they earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.
Okay. Rock, paper, scissors for it. Rock, paper, scissors for it. Shoot! No!
The Wells Fargo Active Cash Credit Card. Visit wellsfargo.com/slash active cash. Terms apply. With Bali from iShares, you get access to both monthly income and growth potential in one simple ETF. It's the best of both worlds.
Discover Bali, iShares Large Cap Premium Income Active ETF. iShares, the market is yours. Visit www.ishares.com to view a perspectives for investment objectives, risks, fees, expenses, and other information that you should read and consider carefully before investing. Risks include principal loss and the use of derivatives, which could increase risks and volatility. Monthly income is not guaranteed.
Prepared by BlackRock Investments LLC. This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human. Mm-hmm.
