Bill Jackson

Bill Jackson, b. February 22, 1906 in Granite, MD, Maryland blues singer and guitarist in 1930s - 1960s. Jackson only made one recording in his career for Pete Welding's Testament label. This is Bill Jackson's first and only album he put out before returning back to obscurity.

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By Scott Yanow

Bill Jackson, a likable blues singer and guitarist, only made this one recording in his career, although he came close to recording in 1928. On the first album released by Pete Welding's Testament label (and reissued on CD in 1994), Jackson is heard at the age of 55 in superior form. He performs in a '30s acoustic blues style, telling stories both verbally and musically. Unfortunately there was no follow-up album and he slipped back into obscurity, but at least this one record survives to show how talented a performer he was. The CD reissue adds four selections (two of which are stories) to the original program and is easily recommended to fans of acoustic blues.