James Wesley "Jay" Huguely (September 21, 1940 – December 13, 2008)[1] was an American stage actor, singer, advertising executive, and television writer and executive. He enjoyed a brief run of popularity as a novelty recording artist in the 1970s,[2] billed as Cledus Maggard & the Citizen's Band. He worked for Leslie Advertising in Greenville, South Carolina[2] and enjoyed his only hit in 1976 with "The White Knight", released during the wave of popularity of the citizens' band radio. The song is about a truck driver victimized by a Georgia highway patrolman's speed trap. He chose the name "Cledus" after his mother's name Cleta.
"The White Knight" reached No. 1 on the Billboard magazine Hot Country Singles chart in February 1976, and was his only hit to reach that chart's Top 40.[3] Following the success of this record, Huguely was a producer on the 1980s television series Magnum, P.I.. In the 1990s, he was a writer and producer, known for Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993), Street Justice (1991), and Bandit: Bandit's Silver Angel (1994).
^ abRoland, Tom, "The Billboard Book of Number One Country Hits" (Billboard Books, Watson-Guptill Publications, New York, 1991 (ISBN0-82-307553-2)), p. 161
^Whitburn, Joel, "Top Country Songs: 1944-2005," 2006
^Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. p. 253. ISBN978-0-89820-177-2.
