Johnny Meadows, Pro Wrestler With a Tuneful Side, Dies at 59

And he found many ways to put on a show.

Mr. Condrone, who lived in Maryville, Tenn., became an accomplished singer-songwriter in East Tennessee known for parody country tunes like “The Clintons Went Down to Georgia” and “Bubba Claus,” about a trailer park Santa. He sang Christian rock songs at his church, he played weddings as a freelance D.J., and he once worked at Dollywood as a vendor and magician.

His final performance was an acoustic set in September at the Commodore Grille in Nashville. Mr. Condrone died on Oct. 20 at a hospital in Maryville. He was 59. The cause was complications of Covid-19, his son said.

John Albert Condrone was born on Nov. 16, 1960, in Hollywood, Fla., and grew up in Harriman, Tenn., the youngest of three brothers. His father, Joseph, worked as a boxer for a traveling carnival (customers paid to fight him) and later as a truck driver. His mother, Marie (Rizzoli) Condrone, died when John was 5. He graduated from Oakdale High School.

Mr. Condrone started wrestling as Johnny Meadows around 1980 and quickly became a fixture on the Southeast’s regional wrestling circuit. When he began fighting for World Championship Wrestling, his sweaty exploits were beamed onto national television. Mr. Condrone battled stars of the era like Ric Flair, the Mongolian Stomper, Big John Studd and Abdullah the Butcher.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/04/obituaries/johnny-meadows-dead-covid.html