Papa Charlie Jackson

Little is known of William Henry Jackson’s early life, it is not even certain that he was born in New Orleans, sometime around 1885. He probably toured the south as part of various minstrel and medicine shows in the early 1900’s. Sometime around the end of the First World War Jackson settled in Chicago and began playing street corners for small change. He was soon a regular site at the Maxwell Street Market where he sang and played his often bawdy blues tunes that were later known as ‘Hokum Blues’. Jackson did not only sing the blues, he sang novelty songs and ragtime too.

Jackson was one of the first country blues artists to record, in August 1924 Paramount took him into the studio in Chicago to cut 'Papa's Lawdy Lawdy Blues' & 'Airy Man Blues'. These were the first of over 70 sides that Jackson was to record, all for Paramount except for his last four sides that were recorded for Okeh in 1934.  It was at Jackson’s fifth recording session in May 1925 that he recorded his most enduring number, the dance song, ‘Shake That Thing’. In mid 1926 Paramount got Jackson to provide vocals on a recording of ‘Salty Dog’ by Freddie Keppard's Jazz Cardinals. His 10 year recording career created opportunities for other blues artists to record. He also made records with a number of other artists including, Blind Blake, Hattie McDaniels, Ida Cox and Lucille Bogan. At the end of 1928 Jackson recorded two sides with Ma Rainey, which were destined to become the last recordings of her career.

While details of Jackson’s life are sparse the supposition that he was born in New Orleans is supported by the facts of his playing.  He was a sophisticated player, with a talent for chord sequences that was well beyond contemporary country blues players. He played a 6-string banjo, not in conventional style; he picked, strummed and tuned it like a guitar. He inspired Big Bill Broonzy, they recorded together in 1935 but none of the three sides were released. The man who was described as ‘a sophisticated all round entertainer’ died in 1938, the circumstances of his death, like most of his life, are shrouded in mystery.