Comedian James Gregory has died at the age of 78

Comedian James Harold Gregory Jr. died Thursday of heart complications. He was 78 years old.

Known to many as "The Funniest Man in America", Gregory was born in Lithonia, Georgia on May 6, 1946.

Gregory was scheduled to perform in Hoover on Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11.

According to his representatives, Nashville Publicity Group, Gregory was particularly popular in the southeastern United States, working in comedy clubs and, later, theaters, especially in small towns near major cities.

Gregory was also a radio icon, with thousands of appearances on local radio stations and hundreds on popular syndicated programs including "John Boy and Billy", "Rick and Bubba" and "Bob and Tom".

Shortly before his passing, Nashville Publicity Group announced that he had completed his first and only autobiography, A Bushel of Beans and a Peck of Tomatoes: The Life and Times of The Funniest Man in America, James Gregory (Post Hill Press), which will be published in November 2024.