Melvin "Lil' Son" Jackson (August 16, 1915, Tyler, Texas – May 30, 1976, Dallas[1]) was an American blues guitarist and singer. He was a contemporary of Lightnin' Hopkins.[2]
Melvin Jackson | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 16, 1915 Tyler, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | May 30, 1976 (aged 60) Dallas, Texas |
| Genres | Blues |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer |
| Instrument | Guitar |
| Years active | 1946–1955, 1960 |
| Labels | |
Biography
editJackson's mother played gospel guitar, and he played early on in a gospel group, the Blue Eagle Four.[1] He became a mechanic and served in the U.S. Army during World War II, after which he pursued a career as a blues musician.[1] He recorded a demo and sent it to Bill Quinn, the owner of Gold Star Records, in 1946.[2] Quinn signed him to a recording contract and released "Freedom Train Blues" in 1948, which became a nationwide hit in the U.S.[1] Jackson recorded for Imperial Records between 1950 and 1954, both as a solo artist and with a backing band.[1] His 1950 song "Rockin' and Rollin" was recast by later musicians as "Rock Me Baby".[1][3] In 1951, Quinn shuttered the Gold Star label and sold or leased his catalogue of master recordings to other labels, with Modern Records buying 32 unreleased Jackson and Lightnin' Hopkins masters for $2,500.[4]
Jackson was injured in a car crash in the mid-1950s and gave up his music career, returning to work as a mechanic.[2] He recorded an album for Arhoolie Records in 1960, but did not resume his career as a musician during the blues revival in the 1960s.[2] He died of cancer in 1976 in Dallas, at the age of 60.[1] Eric Clapton recorded Jackson's "Travelin' Alone", for his 2010 album, Clapton.[5]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g Dahl, Bill. "Melvin "Lil' Son" Jackson – Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved May 30, 2009.
- ^ a b c d Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books. pp. 122–123. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
- ^ Escott, Colin (2002). B.B. King: The Vintage Years (Box set booklet). B.B. King. Ace Records. p. 44. Ace ABOXCD 8.
- ^ "Modern Buys 32 Hopkins, Jackson Masters for $2,500". Billboard. September 29, 1951. p. 26. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
- ^ Cober-Lake, Justin. "Eric Clapton: Clapton". PopMatters. Retrieved August 7, 2020.