Big Jack Johnson - The Oil Man
b July 30, 1940 - Lambert, MS d March 14, 2011 - Memphis, TN
Handy Blues Award Winner in 2003.
Big Jack's sister is Christine Johnson Coleman
Big Jack's Grandmother is Pearl Johnson
Big Jack's Grandfather is Ellis Johnson
Big Jack's nephew is James "Super Chikan" Johnson
Big Jack's
father played the fiddle and guitar in Clarksdale, MS playing mostly
Country
music. Big Jack said that he listened to the Grand Ole Opry growing
up.
Jack sat in with daddy's band as a teenager. Later on he
switched to electric
guitar after listening to BB King. Big Jack was first recorded at Sun Studio in
Memphis, TN by
Sam Phillips in 1961. Along with Frank Frost & Sam Carr,
Jack was a
member of the nationally known Jelly Roll Kings. Big Jack
appeared in the
films, "Juke Joint Saturday Night", "Juke", and Robert
Palmer's
acclaimed "Deep Blues". Big Jack recorded & toured out of his home
in Clarksdale,
MS until his death in 2011 after a short illness.
Big Jack was involved with several bands in the Clarksdale, MS
area and the
band members were well known & respected as musicians. Jack also ran a few
Joints
in his day such as The Black Forest on Ashton Avenue and the Possum Trot.
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