John Ray “Johnny Ray” Brummett was born December 4, 1953, in Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas.
Brummett began writing for his high school newspaper as a sophomore and by his senior year was writing for the Arkansas Democrat in the mornings before school. He attended the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Brummett then moved to Conway to be the sports editor for the Arkansas Democrat from 1973 to 1977 while attending the University of Central Arkansas. He returned to Little Rock as a political reporter for the Arkansas Gazette, where he wrote his first regular column in 1986. Brummett left in 1990 to become the editor of the Arkansas Times and Arkansas Business. He also began writing a column for the Arkansas Democrat and continued with them through their transition to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Brummett left in 2000 for Donrey Media Group, where he is a syndicated political reporter.
Brummett is also the author of a book, High Wire, about President Bill Clinton's first year in office.
#1: Composite image of early photo of John Brummett and still frame from Pryor Center video interview
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#2: John Brummett's mother, Ozella Bearden Brummett
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#3: John Ray Brummett, December 1953
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#4: John Brummett as a child
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#5: John Brummet with his mother, Ozella Bearden Brummett
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#6: John Brummett with his sister, Judy
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#7: John Brummett with his parents, Ozella and J. T. Brummett, and sister, Judy; Pinewoods, Howard County, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#8: John Brummett in first grade, Baseline Elementary School, Little Rock, Arkansas, 1959
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#9: John Brummett as a child
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#10: John Brummett with his mother, Ozella, and sister, Judy
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#11: John Brummett (center) with his sister, Judy, and cousins David and Steve Bearden
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#12: John Brummett
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#13: John Brummett with his parents, Ozella and J. T. Brummett, and sister, Judy; East Side Church of Christ, ca. 1966
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#14: John Brummett's senior picture, McClellan High School, Little Rock, Arkansas, 1971
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#15: John Brummett (right)
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#16: John Brummett
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#17: John Brummett
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#18: John Brummett
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#19: John Brummett
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#20: John Brummett (center)
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#21: John Brummett (left)
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#22: John Brummett with his sister, Judy, mother, Ozella, beagle, Roscoe, and lab, Lilly; Arkansas Vietnam Veterans Memorial; Little Rock, Arkansas
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#23: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with John Brummett; Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2018
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#24: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with John Brummett; Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2018
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
#25: Still frame from Pryor Center video interview with John Brummett; Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2018
© Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History, University of Arkansas
