Jack Norton says he was born somewhere in rural Georgia during the summer of 1879 to a family of itinerant workers. He spent his childhood in the Deep South, drifting from town to town, eventually learning how to play the guitar from legendary blues musician Blind Lemon Jefferson.
When he was 12, he ran away from home to join the circus and later worked as a banjo player, vocal contortionist, and comedian in a traveling medicine show.
He eventually resurfaced in New Orleans, playing acoustic guitar in Jelly Roll Morton’s band. It was here that Norton tried his hand at songwriting, crafting songs which were stolen by Buddy Bolden.
Never one to settle down, Norton moved to New York City and quickly found himself in the heart of Tin Pan Alley, penning hit songs for Al Jolson, Rudy Vallee, and a young Bing Crosby.
Norton recorded his first records for Okeh in Asheville, North Carolina, in the summer of 1925. It was here that he influenced Jimmie Rodgers and Emmett Miller. He has been recording and touring ever since. Throughout the 1930s, Norton drifted from town to town, riding the rails and singing for his supper. During the folk boom of the early 1960s, Norton would influence artists such as Dave Van Ronk and Bob Dylan.
Now, in 2025, Jack Norton is celebrating his 100th year as a recording artist. He continues to perform live, touring the world, playing his unique blend of vintage blues, ragtime jazz, and hokum folk.
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