quote:You might write the AFM in Atlanta to see if you can get some leads to some old-timers who might have some info, but that would be a long, long shot in such a large, transient group.
From: "john amy ben lauter"
Subject: Re: FWD: ISO info about organist Graham Jackson
There was a famous picture of Graham Jackson in Life magazine (1945) standing beside a railroad track playing the accordion as the train carrying President Roosevelt's casket rolled past. Tears were flowing down his cheeks as he was very emotionally wrought.
quote:The Atlanta Fox didn't have a segregated "colored" entrance & gallery? Humiliating, & the worst seats in the house, but the big houses usually had them to get every possible dime from every possible customer.
He was black an an organist at the Atlanta Fox at a time when he couldn't have bought a ticket.
quote:I had erroneously thought that the picture of Graham Jackson was in _The Encyclopedia of the American Theatre Organ_; but he's right, it's in _Best Remaining Seats_.
I was a teacher at the Westminster Schools in Atlanta from l966 to l968.
Graham Jackson was a fixture in the community at that time, probably because of his close association with Presidet Roosevelt. He played the Hammond organ at a restaurant in Marietta and his speciality was a very noisy piece called "The Battle of Atlanta." He also came to Westminster to perform once a year.
Ben Hall was from Atlanta and so got in touch with Graham one evening when Graham was very drunk and asked him to come down to the Fox to play the organ. As I recall, Graham had never played the instrument. Ben took the photograph that appears in Best Remaining Seats on that occasion and made a recording of which I have a copy.
Graham was not a very subtle organist to say the least. I have heard his recording done on the Byrd Wurlitzer and think it is one of the worst performances I have ever heard.
Graham was in his seventies at least when I knew him. I have no other information on him.
It has been 1071 days since the last post.