Jackson C Franks story is one of sadness and depression, he produced these beautiful songs through it though. At the age of 11 a furnace exploded at his school, in which 18 of his classmates were killed. The fire left him with burns over half of his body, Whilst recovering in hospital his music teacher purchased him an acoustic guitar as something to do whilst in recovery.
The folk music scene in Greenwich village led him to New York where he made his biggest impact on the music scene. At the age of 21 he received an insurance of $110,50, Enough to catch a boat to England.
He moved to London and shared a flat with a struggling folk musician called Paul Simon, who ended up producing the majority of Franks album. Although he initially impressed the British folk scene, he found it hard to keep there interest and failed to produce any follow up records. This caused a deepening depression and stage fright for Frank, and he decided to move back to the states, however still never to realise another album.
His depression got worse and he ended up being institutionalised on a few occasions where he was treated for paranoid schizophrenia. However a few years later things were looking better and he attempted to realise a new album, however failed to get any companies to touch it due to what they called a lack of marketable appeal for his music.
He later married and had a son followed by a daughter, However his son died of cystic fibrosis, sending Frank deeper into depression.
After this whilst sitting on a bench in New York he was shot in the eye, Leaving him blind in one eye. At the time the reason was unknown for this but it was later discovered it was children in the neighbourly playing with a pellet gun and Frank had simply been sitting in the wrong place.
Frank died later of pneumonia and cardiac arrest at the age of 56.
Every ones life has a story, and Jacksons is heart breaking, but one of not giving up on doing what you love, which in his case was writing, and boy could he write. His songs have inspired many great folk musicians including the late Nick Drake a fellow song writer with the ability to communicate their story.
His song the blues run the game, documents his move to England. Here is his version and it is followed by a few covers of it which I think are also stunning. I hope you enjoy him.
Anyway I hope you like him, I haven't really done a post like this before but I thought I would because well, music is such a major thing in my life.
