Cordell Jackson (née Miller; July 15, 1923 – October 14, 2004) was an American guitarist thought to be the first woman to produce, engineer, arrange and promote music on her own rock and roll music label.
She was born Cordell Miller in Pontotoc, Mississippi, where her father led a string band, the Pontotoc Ridge Runners. As a child she learned guitar, piano, and double bass, and soon began performing in her father's band and on radio in Tupelo. She married William Jackson in 1943, and settled in Memphis, Tennessee, where she joined the Fisher Air Craft Band and wrote songs. After installing recording equipment in her home, she recorded demo records for Sam Phillips before he set up Sun Records.[1]
Careeredit
Jackson founded the Moon Records label in Memphis in 1956. Unable to break into the Sun label's stable of male artists, she received the advice and assistance of RCA Records' Chet Atkins in forming this new label to release her music. She began releasing and promoting on the label singles she recorded in her home studio, serving as engineer, producer and arranger. The artists recorded included her and a small family of early rock and roll, rockabilly, and country music performers she recruited from several Southern states.
Tav Falco's Panther Burns and Alex Chilton helped create new interest in her career in the 1980s when they began covering some of her Moon label's old singles such as "Dateless Night", a song she originally wrote in the 1950s for Florida artist Allen Page. Jackson then began playing occasional shows in the 1980s with her signature red Hagstrom electric guitar as a solo artist in Memphis, Hoboken, New York, and Chicago nightclubs. She recorded new material on her label with Memphis musicians Colonel Robert Morris and Bob Holden, becoming known as a "rock-and-roll granny" solo guitar instrumentalist. She appeared in 1991 and 1992 on national talk shows like Late Night with David Letterman and in a television commercial duelling with rockabilly artist Brian Setzer on guitar.
In the late 1990s, Cordell co-wrote and played with rockabilly icon Colonel Robert Morris in Memphis. Colonel Robert also helped edit the book based on her life and career.
Her Moon Records label was the oldest continuously operating label in Memphis at the time of her death in 2004. The 50s Rock on the Moon of Memphis, Tennessee + an Oddity, a compilation album of the label's 1950s singles, was released on vinyl in the early 1980s and was later sold on compact disc until her death in 2004. The original 1950s vinyl singles compiled on that album have been displayed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. She also released video singles through her label in the 1990s, including "Football Widow" and filmmaker Dan Rose's production of "The Split." Her marketing of her own video singles, as opposed to marketing them in multiple-song video collections, is reputed to be another first in her innovative lifetime of doing things her own way, bucking the trends of standard industry practice.
Jackson's only solo full-length album to date, Cordell Jackson — Live in Chicago was released on Bughouse Records in 1997. Information and memorabilia about Jackson is included in the Memphis Rock N' Soul Museum in Memphis.
Appeared in a Budweiser commercial where she interrupts Brian Setzer during his rehearsal, to teach him a fast lesson on how to play rock-and-roll guitar.
On January 23, 1995, Cordell Jackson sent a letter to then Moon Records requesting them to cease the use of the name Moon Records, thus prompting the New York-based ska label to add the "ska" portion to their current name Moon Ska Records.
Discographyedit
Singlesedit
Cordell Jackson
"Rock And Roll Christmas" / "Beboppers' Christmas" - Moon Records G80W-6407/8 - (1956)[3]
Cordell Jackson and her Guitar
"Football Widow" / "I'm at Home Again (In the Memories of My Mind)" Moon Records EP-311 - (1983)[4]
"Rockin' Rollin' Eyes" / "Memphis Drag" - Sympathy for the Record Industry SFTRI 50 - (1990)[5]
The 50s Rock On The Moon of Memphis, Tennessee + an Oddity - Moon Records LP-MR 3010 - (1979) [4] (Moon compilation LP, rereleased later on CD, United States, 1981* Rock And Roll Christmas (Jan/Star Club compilation, Sweden, 1989)
Rock On The Moon (Redita compilation, the Netherlands)
Living in a State of Love. (Memphis Music Community, 1990s)
Legends of the Memphis Music Scene Billboard article few Cordell Jackson
December 18, 2023
cordell, jackson, née, miller, july, 1923, october, 2004, american, guitarist, thought, first, woman, produce, engineer, arrange, promote, music, rock, roll, music, label, jackson, 1990background, informationbirth, namecordell, millerborn, 1923, july, 1923pont. Cordell Jackson nee Miller July 15 1923 October 14 2004 was an American guitarist thought to be the first woman to produce engineer arrange and promote music on her own rock and roll music label Cordell JacksonJackson c 1990Background informationBirth nameCordell MillerBorn 1923 07 15 July 15 1923Pontotoc Mississippi U S DiedOctober 14 2004 2004 10 14 aged 81 Memphis Tennessee U S GenresRockCountry musicGarage RockRockabillyInstrument s Guitar This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations October 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Death 4 Trivia 5 Discography 5 1 Singles 5 2 EPs 5 3 Albums 6 Song sample 7 References for article 8 References 9 External linksEarly life editShe was born Cordell Miller in Pontotoc Mississippi where her father led a string band the Pontotoc Ridge Runners As a child she learned guitar piano and double bass and soon began performing in her father s band and on radio in Tupelo She married William Jackson in 1943 and settled in Memphis Tennessee where she joined the Fisher Air Craft Band and wrote songs After installing recording equipment in her home she recorded demo records for Sam Phillips before he set up Sun Records 1 Career editJackson founded the Moon Records label in Memphis in 1956 Unable to break into the Sun label s stable of male artists she received the advice and assistance of RCA Records Chet Atkins in forming this new label to release her music She began releasing and promoting on the label singles she recorded in her home studio serving as engineer producer and arranger The artists recorded included her and a small family of early rock and roll rockabilly and country music performers she recruited from several Southern states Tav Falco s Panther Burns and Alex Chilton helped create new interest in her career in the 1980s when they began covering some of her Moon label s old singles such as Dateless Night a song she originally wrote in the 1950s for Florida artist Allen Page Jackson then began playing occasional shows in the 1980s with her signature red Hagstrom electric guitar as a solo artist in Memphis Hoboken New York and Chicago nightclubs She recorded new material on her label with Memphis musicians Colonel Robert Morris and Bob Holden becoming known as a rock and roll granny solo guitar instrumentalist She appeared in 1991 and 1992 on national talk shows like Late Night with David Letterman and in a television commercial duelling with rockabilly artist Brian Setzer on guitar In the late 1990s Cordell co wrote and played with rockabilly icon Colonel Robert Morris in Memphis Colonel Robert also helped edit the book based on her life and career Her Moon Records label was the oldest continuously operating label in Memphis at the time of her death in 2004 The 50s Rock on the Moon of Memphis Tennessee an Oddity a compilation album of the label s 1950s singles was released on vinyl in the early 1980s and was later sold on compact disc until her death in 2004 The original 1950s vinyl singles compiled on that album have been displayed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland Ohio She also released video singles through her label in the 1990s including Football Widow and filmmaker Dan Rose s production of The Split Her marketing of her own video singles as opposed to marketing them in multiple song video collections is reputed to be another first in her innovative lifetime of doing things her own way bucking the trends of standard industry practice Jackson s only solo full length album to date Cordell Jackson Live in Chicago was released on Bughouse Records in 1997 Information and memorabilia about Jackson is included in the Memphis Rock N Soul Museum in Memphis Death editShe died in Memphis in 2004 aged 81 2 Trivia editAppeared in a Budweiser commercial where she interrupts Brian Setzer during his rehearsal to teach him a fast lesson on how to play rock and roll guitar Had a role as Bathroom Lady in the 1992 film The Gun in Betty Lou s Handbag On January 23 1995 Cordell Jackson sent a letter to then Moon Records requesting them to cease the use of the name Moon Records thus prompting the New York based ska label to add the ska portion to their current name Moon Ska Records Discography editSingles edit Cordell Jackson Rock And Roll Christmas Beboppers Christmas Moon Records G80W 6407 8 1956 3 Cordell Jackson and her Guitar Football Widow I m at Home Again In the Memories of My Mind Moon Records EP 311 1983 4 Rockin Rollin Eyes Memphis Drag Sympathy for the Record Industry SFTRI 50 1990 5 EPs edit Cordell JacksonThe Split Moon Records MR 333 1980s 5 Knockin Sixty Moon EP 312 1983 4 Various artist compilationsMoon Records of Memphis Tennessee Moon EP 1001 198 4 Albums edit Cordell JacksonLive in Chicago Bughouse 3 1997 6 Various artists compilationsThe 50s Rock On The Moon of Memphis Tennessee an Oddity Moon Records LP MR 3010 1979 4 Moon compilation LP rereleased later on CD United States 1981 Rock And Roll Christmas Jan Star Club compilation Sweden 1989 Rock On The Moon Redita compilation the Netherlands Living in a State of Love Memphis Music Community 1990s Rockabilly Xmas Buffalo Bop compilation Germany 2000 Past Present and Future Inside Sounds 2003 Song sample editMoon Discography Containing mp3 of Jackson s 1956 Moon Single Rock and Roll Christmas Johnny Tate Bop With Me Baby Keeping Your Memories Kind And Gentle 57 Cleveland Rock n Roll Hall Of FameReferences for article editCline Cheryl Cordell Jackson Country Grrl Accessed May 3 2005 J Artists amp Songs Rockabilly Hall of Fame website Accessed May 3 2005 Gordon Terry 2004 Cordell Jackson Rockin Country Style Artist Discography Accessed May 3 2005 Gordon Terry 2004 Moon Rockin Country Style Artist Discography Accessed May 3 2005 Hanas Jim August 4 1997 Cordell Jackson Live in Chicago Weekly Wire Accessed May 3 2005 Hoppula Peter 1998 2005 Moon Records Discography Post Productions of Moon Records Cordell Jackson Wang Dang Dula Accessed May 3 2005 Porter James and Austen Jake 1993 Cordell Jackson Interview Rocktober 6 Accessed May 3 2005 Rockin Grannie Cordell Jackson Thrust Electronic Accessed May 3 2005 References edit Cordell Jackson Profile Country Grrrl Retrieved 29 November 2019 Cordell Jackson Biography Allmusic com Retrieved 29 November 2019 Rockin Country Style Jackson Cordell a b c d Country Music Showcase International Moon Records Archived 2016 03 21 at the Wayback Machine a b Discogs Cordell Jackson Discography All Music Cordell Jackson Live in ChicagoExternal links editRoctober interview Allmusic Country GRRL page Legends of the Memphis Music Scene Billboard article few Cordell Jackson Moon Records Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cordell Jackson amp oldid 1179611194, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
