A bit of Accordionist history

[Caps]

Last week my wife and I went down to Georgia to visit the FDR State Park and campground. There was a museum there at the "Little White House" and Hot springs that Roosevelt used as a vacation/theraphy spa. The museum was really nice and I saw some photos of a gentleman that was Roosevelt's favorite musician. One photo is of him playing at the president's funeral and the other two are of cards with a bit of a write-up about him. Looks like he played a really old Sonola.

 

[Ventura]

wow !

this is the first i have ever heard of him

just a footnote in history in some obscure corner of the earth..

Graham Jackson

i should have known his name and story long ago..
and somehow i feel ashamed of myself

thank you for noticing this and bringing him here for us

 

[Caps]

There is actually a couple of you tube videos of him playing the piano and accordion on the Ed Sullivan show. He also produced two albums of his music, one was of Confederate Songs.

 

[Zevy]

There is actually a couple of you tube videos of him playing the piano and accordion on the Ed Sullivan show. He also produced two albums of his music, one was of Confederate Songs.

I have a small file on him. His accordion was not a Sonola. I will try to upload a few photos that I found. One is of his accordion. Here are a few words that President Ronald Reagan said when Mr. Jackson passed:

"A week ago, Graham Washington Jackson, an ex-Navy musician, died in Atlanta at the age of seventy-nine. You probably don’t recognize his name, but his face became familiar to millions of Americans when President Roosevelt died in Warm Springs, Georgia, in 1945. There’s a very famous, very moving photo of Chief Petty Officer Jackson, tears streaming down his face while he played ‘Going Home’ on his accordion as FDR’s body was borne away by train to Washington."

The picture Reagan calls to mind reinforces the assertion offered in the televised nonverbal exchange between Reagan and Clara Hale: Reagan understands and is responsive to the concerns of blacks. The eulogy for Jackson also places Reagan above petty politics or partisanship. After all, Jackson is immortalized for sorrowing over the death of a revered Democratic president.

 

[Caps]

Thank you for putting the photos up. Fascinating man. I was in error about the Sonola apparently. I based my guess on the photo where i could only see the last half of the name. Also didn't realize it was a bright yellow. I did an internet search to see if I could locate any of his albums but came up with nothing, not even from the Library of Congress music files.

 

[Zevy]

Thank you for putting the photos up. Fascinating man. I was in error about the Sonola apparently. I based my guess on the photo where i could only see the last half of the name. Also didn't realize it was a bright yellow. I did an internet search to see if I could locate any of his albums but came up with nothing, not even from the Library of Congress music files.

He seems to have been a fine man.

 

[Dingo40]

He was also pictured with a Dallapé

 

[Tom]

There is actually a couple of you tube videos of him playing the piano and accordion on the Ed Sullivan show. He also produced two albums of his music, one was of Confederate Songs.

Thanks Caps! New to me too. Pretty bizarre to think of him making an album of “Confederate Songs,” but hey, gotta play what pays I suppose….

 

[noelekal]

I'm a history buff and World War II has long been a niche I've visited. I've seen that photo in books since as probably as far back as high school American history books. I'm grateful to learn of the person behind the accordion.

 

[Zevy]

Thanks Caps! New to me too. Pretty bizarre to think of him making an album of “Confederate Songs,” but hey, gotta play what pays I suppose….

Confederate culture was part and parcel of southern culture. Even during the civil war there was a lot of mutual respect. It’s only today that everyone thinks that they have to cave in to cancel culture.
One is not supposed to discuss religion or politics with friends. I consider all of you as friends, so make believe I didn’t say that.

 

[noelekal]

I'll verify your assessment of southern culture, Zevy.

I also know that I'm not tough enough to play accordion like Graham Jackson while weeping.

 

[Caps]

In 1971 he was designated the "Official Musician of the State of Georgia" by President Jimmy Carter.
Awesome stuff!

 

[Ventura]

well what he did was in the grand tradition of Pro musicians
throughout History.. we even fiddle while the damn ship sinks..
we are the distraction in those moments of stress that help
other Humans make it through

so yes, even you can play through your tears when it is necessary
because you will rise to the occasion