Music has always been Jacksonville’s biggest claim to fame. From brothers John Rosamond & James Weldon Johnson to Ray Charles to Derek Trucks and so many more, Jacksonville’s multi-racial melting pot has forged a sound renowned the world over.
From opera to jazz, from hillbilly to rap, from blues to rock, here is a partial list of famous musical stars who began their careers in Jacksonville. The roll call is phenomenal:
Frederick Delius, James Weldon Johnson, John Rosamond Johnson, Blind Blake, Oliver Hardy, Billy Daniels, Connie Haines, Judy Canova, Dorothy Shay, Ray Charles, Luther Dixon, Charlie “Hoss” Singleton, Mae Axton, Hoyt Axton, Johnny Tillotson, Jo Ann Campbell, Classics IV, Jackie Moore, Robert Nix & J.R. Cobb (Atlanta Rhythm Section), Allman Brothers Band, Cowboy, Mike Campbell & Ron Blair (Heartbreakers), Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rossington Collins Band, Blackfoot, 38 Special, Molly Hatchet, Kevin Elson (Producer), Clyde Orange (“Brick House”), Doyle Dykes, 95 South, 69 Boyz, Mase, C.C. Lemonhead, Yellowcard, Marcus Roberts, Limp Bizkit, Cold, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, J.J. Grey & Mofro, Tedeschi-Trucks Band, Shinedown
We at DocJax think it’s time the city capitalized on its most illustrious asset: Jacksonville’s music. That is why we’re producing the series Cowford Chronicles: The Music. Created by award-winning author Michael Ray FitzGerald.
