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Wrestling's Honky Tonk Man Still Rockin'

Posted: Jun 23rd 2006 By: CMBurnham

It took a nationwide fan base to pick him as "The Greatest WWE Intercontinental Champion of All Time," but the professional wrestler known as The Honky Tonk Man has fond memories of his days catering to a smaller audience in Alabama and Florida.

"This whole Honky Tonk Man gimmick and persona, it came from some fans in Birmingham, Alabama," said Wayne Farris. Farris, the real-world alter ego to the former World Wrestling Entertainment titan, said the fans presented him with his first gold jumpsuit.

They had seen the possibility that he went on to fulfill, a larger-than-life wrestling star with an appearance and style based heavily on Elvis Presley. The Honky Tonk Man took it as far as finishing off opponents by smashing guitars over their heads.

The jumpsuit came back in the early '80s, when Farris was working for Southeastern Championship Wrestling, a Pensacola-based circuit that regularly brought him to Mobile.

By the mid-'80s he was in the big leagues of the WWF, which later became the WWE. He made his mark by holding that organization's intercontinental champion title for some 15 months.

He may no longer enjoy that nationally televised spotlight, but he still keeps up a schedule that includes as many as 80 appearances a year, he said recently.

"I still do the same thing," he said. "I still pretty much look the same."

Area fans will get the chance to see for themselves tonight, when he headlines an Alabama Wrestling Federation event in Semmes. The "Headlocks for Hoses" show is a benefit for the Wilmer Volunteer Fire Department.

"That's the kind of work I do now. I go around and do benefits," Farris said. "My thing is, I go out and entertain the people."

He's eager to return to the area, he said. Back in the day, the Pensacola-based Southeastern Championship Wrestling circuit regularly took him to Mobile, Dothan, Montgomery and Birmingham. He said he has fond memories of Mobile-area stars such as "Bullet Bob" Armstrong and Percy Pringle III.

Nowadays he makes his home in Phoenix, Ariz. It's been a while since he visited the Gulf Coast, he said.

"I was in Mobile once with the WWE about 8 years ago," he said, "and that was probably the first time I'd been to Mobile in 10 years."

No matter: Dwaine Henderson, owner of Alabama Championship Wrestling, said he's already heard from numerous fans who remember Farris. Some, in fact, even brought up one of his earlier personas, Wayne "Punk Rock" Farris.