Bill Jackson (6)

Bill Jackson was born in Granite , Maryland , on February 22 , 1906 , one of five children , and the only one of his family to take an interest in music. Bill was fifteen years old when the playing of an older neighbor, Jim Fuller, one of the region's finest guitarists, inspired in him a desire to take up the instrument. After six months of rudimentary instruction from Fuller, Jackson struck out on his own and began playing at the house parties, community work parties, back country suppers and dances that comprised the region's social life. Small three or four piece string groups made up of guitar, banjo, mandolin and violin would play reels, jigs, and breakdowns for the dancers at these affairs.