Tony Jackson

Antonio Junius Jackson AKA Tony Jackson (1882-1921) was a New Orleans native best known as a pianist, singer, and composer.

Humble Beginning
Although the Jackson family was poor, Tony showed his musical talent at an early age. He started working at 13 years old as a piano player during the off hours in a New Orleans Honky Tonk run by bandleader Adam Olivier. By age 15, the local musicians considered him to be one of the best pianists in town.

Success
Jackson was popular and the most sought after entertainer in Storyville, since he was able to play any tune after hearing it only once. His works included ragtime, cakewalks, popular tunes from the United States and Europe, blues, and light classics. Fellow musicians praised him too for his exceptional singing voice. His range was from the operatic baritone to soprano. According to Jelly Roll Morton, Jackson was the only musician better than himself. Jackson wrote many original Tin Pan Alley pop tunes of the era.

Clarence Williams stated that, “He was great because he was original in all his improvisations… We all copied him.” They even copied his look of a gray derby, checkered vest, ascot tie with a diamond stick pin, and sleeve garters that held up his sleeves while he played. “If you can’t play like Tony Jackson, at least you can look like him.” (Storyville, New Orleans: Being an Authentic, Illustrated Account of the Notorious Red light District, University of Alabama Press, 1978, p. 91 )

In 1912, Jackson moved to Chicago and in 1916 published “Pretty Baby”. The original lyrics are said to refer to his male lover of the time. He was a resident performer at the De Luxe and Pekin Cafes in Chicago. Although Jackson’s style was emulated by younger musicians like Jelly Roll Morton, Clarence Williams, and Steve Lewis, he never recorded.