This past Thursday and Friday, Music Maker had the pleasure of hosting Piedmont blues master, Jeffrey Scott. Jeffrey, nephew of National Folk Heritage fellow John Jackson, is the heir to his family’s musical tradition. He is a great storyteller and a masterful guitar player. Currently, the majority of Jeffrey’s time is split between managing his 100 acre farm where he raises Texas Longhorn beef cattle, working as a mortician, driving a truck and raising his two sons with his wife.

Jeffrey and I have been writing letters for the past 2 years on and off. He had discussed wanting to cut another album and get involved with the work of Music Maker. When the opportunity came to book him at one of our local Roots and Leaves Series concerts, I seized on it and invited him to come a day early so we could record. From the time he got here until the time he left, he was playing songs, regaling us with tall tales he heard his Uncle Johnny tell and sharing laughs. He even had a chance to get together with his old friend John Dee Holeman.
While most of Jeffrey’s material is presented with a light, affable manner, even the darker blues numbers, when Jeffrey introduced “Just A Closer Walk With Thee” the mood turned serious. He told us of the terrible car wreck that would change his life by introducing him to his wife and reaffirming his faith in God.

— Aaron