James Wolfe Jr.

James Wolfe Jr., known as “Super- Wolf”, was born Jan. 25, 1950, to the late James Wolfe Sr. and Malinda Wolfe in Marianna. He was the second oldest of the Wolfe’s Family Children. On Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, the Lord saw that J “Super- Wolf” had fought a good fight. So he took him by the hand at Baptist Desoto Hospital in Southaven, Miss., and led him to his heavenly home in peace at the age of 72. He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Malinda Wolfe; his wife, The Queen of Blues Denise LaSalle Wolfe; and a sister-in-law, Marsha Wolfe.

James accepted Christ at an early age in Marianna and sang in their family gospel group. He is no stranger to music.

James Wolfe Jr. graduated from Marianna High School and moved to Jackson, Tenn., in the late 1960s with a full scholarship to Lane College for football at the age of 18. While attending Lane College he pledged Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity. James initiated a low-power FM station, WLCJ (Lane College Jackson) which he broadcasted to the campus.

On July 16, 1977, he married the late Queen of Blues “Denise LaSalle” (over 40 years) and together they built a successful life and career together as entrepreneurs until her death in 2018. They founded “The Unity Project” which focused on putting unity back in the community, created the “Feed the Need” to aid the less fortunate, while encouraging youth to avoid drugs and violence and become productive citizens, owned Wolfe Enterprise, and several radio stations, they created several music projects together with other accomplishments.

He went from poverty in the segregated Arkansas Delta. He got his first start in radio at WJAK in 1968. He also worked for WBHT (Brownsville, Tenn.), WDXI (Jackson, Tenn.), WTJS (Jackson, Tenn.), and WJHR-FM (Jackson, Tenn.). His goal was to own a radio station. On Feb. 1, 1984 WFKX-FM/ KIX 96 hit the air. Wolfe and his partners bought the first full time black programmed station, which became a multi-million-dollar radio station in Jackson, Tenn. For over 30 years he also owned WZDQ 102.3, WJAK 1460 AM and the Lane College Radio Station. He was known for his song “Super-Wolf Can Do It”. Earlier in 2022 he co-wrote the song “Hurt People-Hurt People” with his youngest brother Gary Wolfe and Johnathan Ellison.

He was recipient of the distinguished National Association for Equal Opportunity award, which is presented annually to an outstanding alumni of an HBCU. He accomplished many other tasks, such as city councilman, disc jockey, radio station owner, songwriter and most of all a loving and caring family man, the list goes on. He was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018, he is a legendary name in radio and music.

James “Super-Wolf” Wolfe Jr. is survived by two daughters, Dawn (Corey) Jones of Clarksville, Tenn., and Bridget Edwards of Tupelo, Miss.; one son, Kenneth Ray Kight of Chattanooga, Tenn.; four brothers, William Bill (Ira) Wolfe of West Memphis, Bobby (Connie) Wolfe of Little Rock, Larry (Mary) Wolfe of West Memphis and Gary Wolfe of Blytheville; four sisters, Sophia (Melvin) Sims of West Memphis, Kaye Wolfe Turner of Round Rock, Texas, Bernadette Deveroix’-Fox of West Memphis and Manita (Richard) Forney of Broken Arrow, Okla.; 14 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; a host of nieces, nephews and friends that loved him dearly.

He will lie in state Thursday, Oct. 6, from noon until 6 p.m., at Wolfe Brothers Funeral Home, 128 South 7th Street, West Memphis, Ark. 72301.

Visitation will be held Friday, Oct. 7, from 10-11:55 a.m., at Light of Life Ministries, 411 Fairmont, Jackson, Tenn. 38301. Service will follow at noon. Interment will be at Parkway Memorial Garden, Jackson, Tenn. Bishop Nathaniel Bonds will be officiating.

Funeral arrangements are by Wolfe Brothers Funeral Home, 128 South 7th Street, West Memphis, Ark. 72301 and 634 West Main Street Blytheville, Ark. 72315, 870-735-5855, Cards, acknowledgments and floral arrangements can be sent to both locations.