At 79, the lifelong ventriloquist continues a childhood passion with her sidekick Jerry while helping raise scholarship funds for future healthcare professionals
OWENSBORO, Ky. (October 13, 2026) — Long before Janie Jett Mason took first place at Morning Pointe Seniors Got Talent, she was a little girl in rural Robertson County, Kentucky, watching ventriloquists on her family’s black-and-white television and dreaming of having a dummy of her own.
Nearly seven decades later, Mason, 79, is still entertaining audiences with her longtime sidekick, Jerry. The Owensboro resident recently brought her talent to the stage at the 8th Annual Morning Pointe Foundation Seniors Got Talent in Franklin, Tennessee, earning first place among 13 senior acts in the annual competition celebrating the creativity and abilities of adults ages 60 and older.
“I can’t believe I’m in a talent show being 79 years old,” Mason said. “I’ve had a good time with Jerry, I’ll tell you. I can’t begin to tell you what a wonderful time.”
Mason’s love of ventriloquism began on Saturday mornings in the early 1950s, when she watched performers Edgar Bergen, Paul Winchell, Jimmy Nelson and Shari Lewis on television, studying their techniques. At age 7, she asked Santa Claus for a ventriloquist dummy she had spotted in a Sears & Roebuck Christmas catalog. Two years later, she received a Jerry Mahoney figure and quickly began impressing her family, classmates and other members of her community with her natural ability and quick wit.
By age 10, Mason had been invited to join the International Brotherhood of Ventriloquists as its youngest member.
Although her career took her in several directions, ventriloquism remained a constant. Mason worked as a schoolteacher, real estate broker, Weight Watchers leader and tour bus operator, finding ways to incorporate her performances into each role. Along the way, she had opportunities to perform with entertainers Johnny Russell, Kitty Wells, Bill Monroe and Chris Stapleton before he became a star. She also performed privately for Earl and Louise Scruggs and Dolly Parton, who once called Jerry the cutest little bluegrass dummy she had ever seen.
Mason and her husband, Jim, have been married for 57 years and have two sons, three grandchildren and a new granddaughter. The couple lives in Owensboro, where Mason and Jerry still perform occasionally at church events, senior living communities and family gatherings.
For Mason, the opportunity to compete was also a chance to support a cause close to her family. The evening’s fundraising helps students pursue careers that serve others, including nursing, a path her own granddaughter is beginning.
“What a wonderful fundraiser for scholarships,” Mason said. “Our middle granddaughter is becoming a nurse, so we are very proud about this.”
The Morning Pointe Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Morning Pointe Senior Living, raised more than $40,000 through the Franklin event, including ticket sales and more than $2,000 through People’s Choice voting. Proceeds support scholarships for students pursuing careers in nursing, therapy, social work and culinary arts through the Foundation’s educational partners, along with free caregiver education programs.
One of those partners is Owensboro Community & Technical College, connecting the Foundation’s scholarship mission to students in Mason’s hometown.
The Foundation’s annual Seniors Got Talent events celebrate older adults who continue to share their abilities and passions with their communities. Miranda Perez, executive director of the Morning Pointe Foundation, said Mason’s story reflects the spirit behind the competition.
“Every Seniors Got Talent show reminds us how much older adults continue to contribute through their talents, creativity and willingness to share what they love with others,” Perez said. “Janie’s story is a wonderful example of a passion that has continued throughout a lifetime. We’re proud that this event celebrates performers like her while also raising funds to help prepare the next generation of caregivers and healthcare professionals.”
Mason’s first-place finish also creates an opportunity to bring her act to residents closer to home. Jackson Stewart, interim executive director at Morning Pointe of Owensboro Assisted Living, said the community looks forward to welcoming Mason and Jerry for a performance.
“We’re excited to have Janie and Jerry visit our community and give our residents the chance to enjoy her humor and remarkable talent firsthand,” Stewart said. “Seniors Got Talent celebrates the abilities and interests older adults continue to share, and we’re looking forward to welcoming Janie for what we know will be a special time with our residents.”
From a little girl studying her favorite performers on television to a first-place winner on stage, Mason has spent nearly 70 years turning her love of ventriloquism into entertainment for others. With Jerry still by her side, she continues to show how a childhood passion can bring joy to audiences across generations.
About Morning Pointe Senior Living
Morning Pointe Senior Living, headquartered in Ooltewah, Tennessee, was founded in 1997 by healthcare entrepreneurs Greg A. Vital and J. Franklin Farrow, Morning Pointe Senior Living operates assisted living and Alzheimer’s memory care communities in four southeastern states, including GA, IN, KY & TN. For more information, visit morningpointe.com.
The philanthropic arm of Morning Pointe Senior Living is the Morning Pointe Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to provide clinical scholarships and caregiver support.
