Fruteland Jackson | |
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| Background information | |
| Born | (1953-06-09)June 9, 1953 (age 71) Doddsville, Mississippi, United States[1] |
| Genres | Electric blues,blues[2] |
| Occupation(s) | Guitarist, singer, songwriter,educator |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | Mid 1980s–present |
| Labels | Electro-Fi Records |
| Website | http://www.fruteland.com/ |
Fruteland Jackson (born June 9, 1953) is an Americanelectric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter.Henry Townsend stated, "My respect for Fruteland Jackson is very high. He and my boyAlvin Youngblood Hart is the future sound of true acoustic blues."[3] He has also worked with children to raise awareness of blues music and has been honored for his work in that field, including in 1997 being granted aW. C. Handy Award for "Keeping the Blues Alive" in Education.[2][4]
Since 2000, Jackson has released three albums.[2]
Jackson was born inDoddsville, Mississippi, the son of an insurance underwriter, and he relocated with his family to Chicago in the 1960s to secure better employment and education outlooks. His father was employed byNorth Carolina Mutual Insurance Company, and his mother worked as a nurse at Chicago'sCook County Hospital. He received his first guitar from his uncle when aged 12, and played in high school band before receiving further education atRoosevelt University.[2][5] Jackson got married and worked as a private investigator then for the Illinois Department of Human Rights.[3] By the mid 1980s, Jackson had relocated toBiloxi, Mississippi.[2] His wholesale seafood business, Camel Seafood Company, was destroyed byHurricane Elena,[3] and Jackson immersed himself in blues music, inspired by the work ofWilliam R. Ferris. He learned the music ofJohnny Shines,Howlin' Wolf,Muddy Waters and the earlierRobert Johnson songs, with the view of working as an educator, activist and musician.[2]
Jackson appeared at theChicago Blues Festival andBoundary Waters Blues Festival, as well as working in schools across the United States. He perfected two presentation styles to educate children about blues music, and he was known as Mr. Fruteland by those who he taught. Jackson worked with theBlues Foundation to create a teaching program called "All About the Blues". In 1996 theIllinois Arts Council granted him their Folk/Ethnic Heritage Award. The Blues Foundation followed by naming Jackson as a recipient of their 'Keeping the Blues Alive Award.[2]
In 1999, he published the educational book,Guitar Roots: Delta Blues – The roots of great guitar playing. He has also penned a one-act play entitled,The Life and Times of Robert Johnson.[4]
Also in 1999, Jackson was signed to a recording contract byElectro-Fi Records.[3]I Claim Nothing But the Blues (2000), was followed byBlues 2.0 (2003).[2] The latter was nominated for a W. C. Handy Award, and the magazine,Blues Revue named it "one of the finest blues albums of this young decade."[3]Tell Me What You Say was Jackson's next album release in 2006. The latest recording from Jackson wasGood As Your Last Dollar (2019).[2]
He remains based in Chicago.[2]
| Year | Title | Record label |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | I Claim Nothing But the Blues | Electro-Fi Records |
| 2003 | Blues 2.0 | Electro-Fi Records |
| 2006 | Tell Me What You Say | Electro-Fi Records |
| 2019 | Good As Your Last Dollar | Electro-Fi Records |
