For anyone reading this, Reverend Jackson's music needs no introduction or reminders. Along with Elder Utah Smith, Jackson was one of few of the widespread guitar slinging gospel preachers to actually record commercial records and it is such a treasure, especially now, that we have his unique testaments. I still savor the moment when I first heard Chris Smith's and Lynn Abbott's cassette of Reverend Jackson's music. It's a cliche but nonetheless too true: it literally changed my life.
Not suprisingly, Reverend Jackson in person was even more impressive than his music. On the occasions that I visited him I was overwhelmed with his perpetual warm heartedness and enthusisam. It was such a delight to be with him and his wife Laura.
There are many poignant and moving moments in Reverend Jackson's music but the one I've been returning to these past couple of days is “The Testimony of Reverend Charlie Jackson." “When I couldn't speak nothing, I let the guitar do it," he says in the song. And then he plays the old hymn “What a Friend We Have in Jesus" on his guitar:
What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear.
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer.
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear.
All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.
There will be a visitation and service on Friday February 17th at the Hall Celebration Center in Baton Rouge from 5-7PM for the visitation and 7-9PM for the service. Funeral sevices will be at Jackson's home church, Brown Chapel Baptist Church, in McComb, Mississippi on Saturday February 18th at 2PM. Flowers can be sent to the Hall Celebration Center through Heroman's Florist. As of this writing there is no information on donations. Please email me if you need further information on this as it becomes available.
Kevin Nutt
CaseQuarter Records
For more information contact All About Jazz.
