Clower was born in Liberty, Mississippi and began a two-year stint in the Navy after graduating from high school in 1944.

[1] He studied agriculture at Mississippi State University,[2] where he played college football and was a member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity.

Tapes of Clower's speaking engagements wound up in the hands of Edwin "Big Ed" Wilkes and Bud Andrews in Lubbock, Texas, who had him make a better-quality recording which they promoted.

Once MCA began distribution in 1971, Jerry Clower from Yazoo City, Mississippi Talkin' retailed more than a million dollars over 10 months and stayed in the top 20 on the country charts for 30 weeks.

[4] Clower's first on-stage engagement occurred in the early 1970s when country radio station owner and show promoter, Marshall Rowland (WQIK, Jacksonville; WDEN, Macon; WQYK, Tampa), received an early Clower recording ("The Coon Huntin' Story") which was met with rave reviews by his station's listeners in Jacksonville.

The exception was Ain't God Good, which Clower recorded with MCA's blessing at a worship service.

This recording gave Clower, always a staunch Christian, an opportunity to present his personal testimony in a comfortable church setting.

He also co-hosted a radio show called Country Crossroads with Bill Mack and Leroy Van Dyke, which has aired in syndication for 40 years and a television version of the program was produced, as well, starting in 1993.

[8] Clower also taped segments of Nashville On the Road, which included comedic performances and interviews with other country artists featured on the show.