Bo Weavil Jackson (dates and places of birth and death unknown) was an American

blues Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...

singer and guitarist. He was one of the first country bluesmen to be recorded, in 1926, for

Paramount Records Paramount Records was an American record label known for its recordings of jazz and blues in the 1920s and early 1930s, including such artists as Ma Rainey, Tommy Johnson (guitarist), Tommy Johnson and Blind Lemon Jefferson. Early years Paramoun ...

and

Vocalion Records Vocalion Records is an American record label, originally founded by the Aeolian Company, a piano and organ manufacturer before being bought out by Brunswick in 1924. History The label was founded in 1916 by the Aeolian Company, a maker of pi ...

. On the latter label he was credited as Sam Butler, which has become the name most commonly used to identify him. His 78-rpm records are highly sought by collectors and have been re-released on numerous LP and CD

compilation album A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one Performing arts#Performers, performer or by several performers. If the recordings are from ...

s. His technique is distinctive for its upbeat tempo, varied melodic lines, and impromptu instrumentals. It is widely believed that Jackson was active in

Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Jefferson County, Alabama, Jefferson County. The population was 200,733 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List ...

, since he referred to that area in his lyrics, and because that was apparently where the talent scouts found him performing on the street, but he was promoted as originating from

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

. According to

Eugene Chadbourne Eugene Chadbourne (born January 4, 1954) is an American banjoist, guitarist and music critic. Life and career Chadbourne was born in Mount Vernon, New York, Mount Vernon, New York, but grew up in Boulder, Colorado. He started playing guitar wh ...

, Paramount promoted him as having "come down from the Carolinas". Apart from his 1926 recordings, no further documentation of him exists. His recordings have been published in both notation and

tablature Tablature (or tab for short) is a form of musical notation indicating instrument fingering or the location of the played notes rather than musical pitches. Tablature is common for fretted stringed instruments such as the guitar, lute or vihuel ...

transcriptions, which have enabled contemporary detailed study of his style and technique.

Recordings

; As Bo Weavil Jackson, circa September 1926, in Chicago, Illinois * "You Can't Keep No Brown" / "Pistol Blues",

Paramount Paramount (from the word ''paramount'' meaning "above all others") may refer to: Entertainment and music companies * Paramount Global, also known simply as Paramount, an American mass media company formerly known as ViacomCBS. **Paramount Picture ...

12389 * " When the Saints Come Marching Home" / "I'm on My Way to the Kingdom Land", Paramount 12390 * "Why Do You Moan" / "Some Scream High Yellow", Paramount 12423 ; As Sam Butler, September 30, 1926, in New York City * "You Can't Keep No Brown" / "Devil and My Brown Blues", Vocalion 1055 (unreleased) * "Heaven Is My View" / "Christians Fight On (Your Time Ain't Long)", Vocalion 1056 * " Poor Boy Blues" / "Jefferson County Blues", Vocalion 1057

Compilations

* Bo Weavil Jackson (Sam Butler) 1926, ''Complete Recordings in Chronological Order'' (Matchbox, 1982) * ''Backwoods Blues (1926–1935): The Complete Recorded Works in Chronological Order of Sam Butler (Bo Weavil Jackson), Bobby Grant, King Solomon Hill, Lane Hardin'' (Document, 1991)

References

Gospel blues musicians Piedmont blues musicians Country blues musicians American blues guitarists American male guitarists American blues singers Paramount Records artists Vocalion Records artists Year of birth missing Place of birth missing Year of death missing Place of death missing African-American guitarists 20th-century African-American male singers 20th-century American male singers 20th-century American singers {{US-guitarist-stub