Interview Project
Interview with John Jackson

By Scott Perry

"Hi, John Jackson. Pleased to meet you," was how John greeted the entire crowd (about 25 people), one by one as they entered his living room. A true"country gentleman," he was dressed in a white dress shirt with a watch chain tucked in his pocket, dress pants and suspenders, dress shoes and felt fedora atop his handsome, youthful face. His living room comfortably and simply furnished with many pictures of family and friends decorating its walls.

John began his presentation with a couple of "his" classic numbers, "Key to the Highway," "Red River Blues" and, when he broke a string on his Gibson moved to a steel bodied guitar to play "Nearer the Cross" lapstyle with a knife. His youngest son, James, entered the room and after repeated invitations by his father and much coaxing from the small crowd seated at John's feet, James sat next to his father and "seconded" him on "Kansas City" (the Jim Jackson version), and "Guitar Rag." Again after much coaxing by John and the crowd, James took the lead on "Dust My Broom," playing slide in an open tuning and singing in a voice that hinted at his father's soft spoken delivery. After a few quips (James shares his father's dry sense of humor), James was off to work and John settled in to answer a few questions.

When questioned about the source of his diverse and sizable repertoire, John stated that "All the songs I know that wasn't on records[78s] was songs that I made up myself."

A student then asked if John had ever met Leadbelly.

John responded, "No I never met Leadbelly. According to what you hear about Leadbelly, he lived a pretty tough life. [He] was in penitention, was in prison three or four times. I think Mr. Lomax went down and got him out and he sang his way out of jail on "The Midnight Special." I mean, that's the story you hear. But I never did meet Leadbelly, he died in '49 of natural causes. Blind Boy Fuller died in 1940. Leroy Carr died in the early '30s. They claimed bad booze got him, but I don't know. Scrapper Blackwell, he used to like to fight a lot and some little tiny man he got in a fight with cut him everywhere but the bottoms of his feet and he died from it. They claim Robert Johnson, his girlfriend poisoned him, but I don't know. Blind Blake disappeared and never was found. Willie Walker, he disappeared. Bessie Smith died in an automobile accident....

"What's your secret John?" I asked, suspecting that John's response was an attempt to get through all the usual "did you know..." questions as soon as possible (not that I blamed him), and move on to topics more within his experience and interest.

"I really don't know," John chuckled. "Maybe just bein' lucky I suppose."

"Did you stay away form 'hard livin'" I asked.

"Oh I never drank but very little. If I went to a party or something, I put me just a little taste of booze and I put the rest water and I sip on it the rest of the night. I just never had the stomach for drinkin'."

"What kind of places did you play?"

"We used to play for dances and parties, that's all that there was to play for whatever activity went on in the neighborhood. Wasn't no kind of clubs or nothin'. You couldn't go to no white place and play back then like you can now. There wasn't nothin' integrated."

John gave a brief overview of his personal history when asked, including a complete list of where he lived and the year he moved there.

"Who are your favorite musical artists?" asked a student.

"I liked everybody, I really did. There was so many good, you know music people. Like Blind Blake, Lemon Jefferson, ol' Jimmy Rodgers, the Carter family. I loved 'em all, I really did. But Blind Blake, I liked him better than I did any. Blind Boy Fuller, Blind Willie McTell, it was just a lot of people out there that was on records -- but I never met any of those people."

"How about today's musicians?" the student pressed.

"Todays music?" John began. "I don't know anything 'bout rap and this other music. I ain't got a thing against it, but I don't understand it. Seein' people out there dancin' an' shakin' and goin' on it's a wonder there clothes don't fall off!"

Explosion of laughter from the crowd and John.

"When I was comin' up you had to put some footwork into your dancin'. They didn't do a whole lotta motioning and shakin'. That's all right, there's nothin' wrong with it. Long as they knows that they with the devil."

More laughter from crowd and John, making it clear the last comment was meant as a joke.

The questioning move on to queries about the area he lived in now (which is well on its way to being overdeveloped), and some other topical subjects. John answered these matter of factly. More music followed including "San Francisco Bay Blues" and John hurt's "Louis Collins." Then a question about his working life (farming, dairy farming, handywork, carpentry), that led to a discussion of how he built his present home.

A bit further into his "presentation" a student asked John for his definition of blues.

"I love the blues. That's it for me. It's the blues." John answered. "I like other music too, but blues, I like that better'n any. I really do."

"Do you have a religious affiliation?" asked another student.

Religion? Oh yeah, I was baptized a Baptist. I ain't no preacher yet! [laughter] I believe in the hereafter. Everybody have to have something to believe in, they really do. I do believe we have a God, 'cause the sun comes up and goes down. Somebody has to control it."

What is it about blues that you like?" was the next question.

"It's just a great feelin'" answered John. "Blues do have great feelin' to it, it really does. And there's great music to it besides. You know this ol' blues is where all your music come from. You don't have to take my word for it, it's out there. All this other music originated from the gospel and the old blues. That's were it all comes from. I grew up with this. The music dearest to my heart is the blues, I'll be frank with ya. Now there's pleanty of country western people I love. There's Hank Williams, Ernest Tubb. I loved a great many of them country western singers, but still, that music come from the blues."

Lots more tape to go through but no more time. Hope this is enjoyed by some of you folks. I'll try to provide some more of our visit with John if there's some interest amongst the list, as long as I get approval from John and his manager.

John has an instructional video on Homespun that gives some real insight into his style and a nice glimpse into John's easy going character. He also has several recordings available. If anyone would like more info, let me know privately and I'll get you his managers email address