John Jackson 1924-2002 One of the Greatest Blues Artists of All Time
John Jackson to Be Remebered During National Black History Month
JOHN JACKSON(1924-2002)
As part of National Black History Month the man above John Jackson should be remembered with fondness and affection. John throughout his long 77 year life endeared himself to so many and moved the art of true blues guitar and song to new levels for anyone who sat and listened to him.
I had the pleasure of meeting John and his agent Trish while I was one of the organizers at the Gloucester International Blues Festival in England. I watched from the wings of the stage at John with Trish sitting next to him play to his audience, some of whom had never heard of him before. Little did they know this man had just been diagnosed with liver cancer and little did they know that this would probably be the last time they would see him. As he played seasoned blues players standing behind me listened as well and there comments were only to clear to hear. Look at his thumb move one whispered as John played Lay me Down, how does he do that. It was a performance I will always remember and find myself lucky I was there to share in one of his final performances he will be missed.
John Jackson was born in Woodville Virginia just below his beloved Blue Ridge Mountains on the 25th February 1924 he also had 13 other brothers and sisters. Born to farmer parents who also played music to earn a bit of cash life was quite hard but you wouldn't know that today, for in the short time I new him I never heard a bad word from him. On the contrary he was a great story teller and had us enthralled over lunch, with my wife becoming a fan immediately.
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