Melvin Jackson

For the American football player, see Melvin Jackson (American football).

Melvin Jackson
Birth name	Melvin Jackson
Also known as	Melvin "Lil' Son" Jackson Lil' Son Jackson
Born	August 16, 1915(1915-08-16) Tyler, Texas, United States
Origin	Tyler, Texas, United States
Died	May 30, 1976(1976-05-30) (aged 60) Dallas, Texas, United States
Genres	Blues
Years active	1946–1955, 1960
Labels	Gold Star Imperial Arhoolie

Melvin "Lil' Son" Jackson (August 16, 1915, Tyler, Texas - May 30, 1976, Dallas^[1]) was an American blues guitarist. He was a contemporary of Lightnin' Hopkins.^[2]

Biography

Jackson's mother played gospel guitar, and he played early on in a gospel group called the Blue Eagle Four.^[1] He trained to be a mechanic and did a stint in the Army during World War II, then decided to pursue a career in blues music.^[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] He recorded for Imperial Records between 1950 and 1954, both as a solo artist and with a backing band.^[1] His 1950 tune "Rockin' and Rollin" was recast by later musicians as "Rock Me Baby".^[1][3]

He was hurt in a car crash in the middle of the 1950s and gave up his music career, returning to work as a mechanic.^[2] In 1960 Arhoolie Records had him record a full-length self-titled album, but he did not make a major comeback in the wake of the blues revival.^[2] He died of cancer in 1976 in Dallas, at the age of 60.^[1][4]

Legacy

B.B. King covered Jackson's "I Got to Leave This Woman", on his 2000 album, Makin' Love Is Good for You. Eric Clapton covered Jackson's "Travelin' Alone", on his 2010 album, Clapton.

See also

• List of Texas blues musicians
• List of country blues musicians

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} "Biography by Bill Dahl". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p384/biography. Retrieved May 30, 2009. 
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues - From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books Limited. pp. 122–123. ISBN 1-85868-255-X. 
3. ^ Broven, John; Gibbon, Peter (2002). Liner notes to B. B. King The Vintage Years, Ace ABOXCD 8.
4. ^ Thedeadrockstarsclub.com - accessed May 2009

External links

• Melvin Jackson at Allmusic
• Illustrated Lil' Son Jackson discography

Persondata
Name	Jackson, Melvin
Alternative names
Short description	American blues guitarist
Date of birth	August 16, 1915
Place of birth	Tyler, Texas, United States
Date of death	May 30, 1976
Place of death	Dallas, Texas, United States