To mix things up a bit here on NewMusicTalent I have decided to do one post a month on old music talent. Genius I know! I will focus on Artists that may not be greatly well known but deserve to be staples in any record collection.

To start with I will be doing a post on Jackson C Frank. Now before I start talking, taken a listen. Then I’m sure you’ll be more likely to keep reading and listen to what I have to say.

At the age of 11 a furnace exploded in Frank’s school classroom in New York killing fifteen of his classmates and hospitalizing Frank for months. During time in hospital his teacher Charlie Castelli brought him a guitar and Frank took to it well. At the age of 21 Frank received $100,000 compensation for his injuries and moved to England.

Franks first album ‘Jackson C Frank’ was produced by Paul Simon. Supposedly Frank was so shy he asked to be shielded by screens so no one could see him when he performed, perhaps this is part the reason Frank never really hit the mainstream.

Franks most famous track ‘Blues run the Game’ has been covered by Simon and Garfunkel and Counting Crows, whilst another well known song entitled ‘Milk and Honey’ appeared within Vincent Gallo’s film ‘Brown Bunny’ and was also covered by Nick Drake and Fairport Convention.

Frank had a good reception in the British folk scene however in 1966 things took a turn for the worse as his mental health began to deteriorate. A combination of financial pressures and writers blog led Frank to head back to the US, when he returned to England two years later he appeared deeply depressed and low in self confidence. After his only son died of Cystic Fibrosis Frank entered into great depression, eventually being admitted to an institution suffering from paranoid schizophrenia.

Whilst attempting a move to Woodstock Frank was shot in the eye by kids playing with a pellet gun in New York. A few years later Frank died of cardiac arrest in Barrington, Massachusetts. Although not famous in his lifetime Jackson C Frank has become an inspiration to many musicians around the World, commanding respect from all who discover him.