John Jackson: Biography

• Overview
• Discography
• Biography
• Related Artists

• Brownie McGhee
• Blind Boy Fuller
• Cephas & Wiggins
• Horace Sprott

• Blind Lemon Jefferson
• Mississippi John Hurt
• Barbecue Bob
• Blind Blake

• Frank Black
• Howard Scott
• Brendan O'Brien
• Taswell Baird
• Gail Brockman
• Shorty McConnell
• Tommy Potter

Birth Name:

John H. Jackson

Born:

Feb 25, 1924 in Woodville, VA

Died:

Jan 20, 2002 in Fairfax Station, VA

Genres:

Classical Music, Blues Music, Country Blues Music

Decades Active:

1960's|1970's|1980's|1990's

Artistic Quality

Medium

Cultural Impact

Medium

Popularity

Medium

Ratings Guide

For much of his life, John Jackson played for country house parties in Virginia, or around the house for his own amusement. Then in the '60s he encountered the folk revival, becoming the Washington, D.C. area's bestloved blues artist. Undoubtedly one of the finest of traditional Piedmont guitarists, Jackson exemplified the songster tradition at its best. His eclectic repertoire embraced the music of his guitar heroes Willie Walker (who once visited his father's house), Blind Boy Fuller, and most notably Blind Blake. Besides the blues, rags, and dance tunes associated with these masters, Jackson played ballads, country songs, and what he termed "old folk songs," such as "The Midnight Special." His confident fingerpicking, downhome Virginia accent, and contagious good humor marked his performances, live or on record, as something special. A worldclass storyteller and partythrower as well as a National Heritage Awardwinning musician, Jackson recorded a halfdozen albums and toured the world as often as he wanted to. He died of liver cancer on January 20, 2002.

- Barry Lee Pearson, All Music Guide