Paul Jackson

When and how did you first become interested in oldtime music? In the late 90s I owned a video production studio and was contracted by the State of Tennessee Tourism folks to video a concert of Yank Rachell playing blues mandolin . I was intrigued by the mandolin. My friend, Jimmy Tankersley, told me about the plectral society and how a mandolin was an element of that type music. It wasn't blues but I was immediately hooked. My first meeting was with Jeff, Sarge and an oriental guy who could play the fire out of a fiddle.

How long have you been playing oldtime music? Bought my first mandolin in 2000 and started picking. What are your musical influences? Church music which led to gospel music were my initial influences in performance music.

Does anyone in your family play music My dad whistled all the time and that is the extent of family musical influence. :)

What kinds of times and places have you played music in your life? In the early fifties, in Memphis, I sang in a group called "Teenagers for Christ".....name drop.... Elvis was a member of the group. :) In the 60s traveled with a gospel group from Charleston, SC....The Oakland Quartet. We won a national contest in Bryson City, NC which got us a spot on The Mull singing convention show (WWL clear channel 870 , New Orleans) That sold quite a few albums. We had a 30 minute weekly TV show in Charleston for a number of years. We once opened for the Oak Ridge Boys at the Ryman. The marque read "The Oak Ridge Boys and others". That got a few laughs. 70-72 learned to play bass while in the Air Force in Southeast Asia and played a bit of country in the clubs on base. I played bass and sang with The Layman Quartet from Brownsville a number of years (late 70s and 80s) and played bass for the Jones Family for a short stent. What else do you do besides play music? I still work at my profession/hobby.....photography.

What makes this kind of music "good" to you? I call it "real" music as opposed to "artificial" music. There is a place for both but to be able to get some friends and sit under a shade tree and play and sing raw music is a joy and it's real.

Why did you choose to play this kind of music It's an anytime, anyplace music.