A Wilson County School bus driver has added ‘Grammy Winner’ to his resume after taking home a gold statue at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards on Monday night.
Joe Thompson sings bass for the gospel group Fairfield Four, the acapella foursome is in their third generation and was awarded a Grammy for Best Roots Gospel Album.
“I really had no idea we were gonna win it,” Joe said about the life altering moment.
But when Joe isn’t singing, he’s driving home students in Wilson County as a bus driver.
“I like driving the buys, I really do,” Joe said on Wednesday just hours after arriving home from the Grammy awards in Los Angeles.
Since 2002 Joe has been a dedicated bus driver for the district. He even on occasion can be founding serenading the kids on his route in gospel song.
During the awards ceremony on Monday Joe gave his students a special shout out.
“I would like to give a shout out to the Transportation Department of Wilson County!” the 80-year-old said during his Grammy acceptance speech.
“I hope that the kids see this and take this education that they’re getting and become somebody, something real good in life,” Thompson said.
His bosses at the Wilson County Trasnportation Department were just as surprised by Fairfield Four’s Grammy win as they were.
“I think the whole school system is excited about it,” said Jerry Partlow, Director of Transportation for Wilson County.
“I don’t know if we’ve ever had any super stars as drivers!” he added.
This group knows even with a Grammy now singing will never pay the bills but for all the students in Wilson County, Joe and the Fairfield Four are setting the gold standard.
