Blind Lemon Jefferson - Dallas, TX
N 32° 47.034 W 096° 47.231
14S E 707236 N 3629498
A bronze sign on the old J.D. Smith building, at 2546 Elm St, Dallas, TX, in Deep Ellum, pays tribute to blues legend, Blind Lemon Jefferson.
Waymark Code: WMNFJ1
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 03/06/2015
Views: 2
The sign says:
Blind Lemon Jefferson
1893-1929
Blind Lemon Jefferson was a seminal blues guitarist and singer. Born on a farm in Couchman, near Wortham, Texas, southeast of Dallas, he followed the railroad to Deep Ellum, where he often played for tips on the corner of Elm Street and Central Track. Reportedly, Blind Lemon was "a big, loud songster... a big, stout fella," who had a tin cup wired to the neck of his guitar. He had a rare, two octave vocal range and often played dance songs for passersby in Deep Ellum. R.T. Ashford, who owned a shine parlor and record store at 408 North Central Avenue, wrote to Paramount Records about him, and in 1925, he accompanied Jefferson to Chicago. Blind Lemon made more than 80 records and became the biggest selling down-home blues singer in America. He is buried in Wortham, and is recognized as a vital influence on the musicians who followed him, including Leadbelly, Aaron "T-Bone" Walker, and B.B. King. One of his most famous songs, "Matchbox Blues" was covered by Carl Perkins and the Beatles.
"Just sittin' her wondering,
will a matchbox hold my clothes
I got so many matches, got so far to go"
DEEP ELLUM FOUNDATION
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Blind Lemon Jefferson's grave is the subject of a waymark as well. Be sure to see that his grave is kept clean. (
visit link)