Learning from Jack Owens - Bentonia Mississippi

I recorded this song in 1991 on Jack Owen's front porch... Toby Walker.
Free Download - Jack Owens Playing Hard Times Killing Floor

I knew Jack Owens lived in Bentonia MS, somewhere. I didn't have the exact address. All I had was his phone number. So I called Jack the week before and told him I was on my way. My plan was that once I got to Bentonia I'd call him again and get directions. But you know how plans can sometimes go.
This is one of the grocery stores on Main St.

It's not that Bentonia is huge by any standard. Two general stores, a gas station, food market and several other buildings occupied it's one and only Main St. There were however hundreds of little homes and shacks in the outlying countryside, amidst miles of farmland. Jack's house was out there somewhere.

After arriving in Bentonia I stopped in this little grocery store in order to call jack and grab a coke. There was this man sitting next to a pot belly stove who, now that I think about it, sort of resembled that stove. I dialed up Jack's number.

"Hello", Jack said in his high pitched voice.

"Hi Jack, it's Toby Walker. I called you up last week. I'm in town and need directions to your home."

"What?"

I told Jack once more who I was, hoping he'd remember.

"I don't seem to recall." Jack replied "But you wan 'rections? Ok. Nowyouheadupayonder tillyouseethishere tree. Makearightupyonder. Keeponagoin tillyouseethis ol'church. Upayonder fromdere is one mo' tree. Turnupthata driveyonder and dereyouis."

I hadn't a clue as to what jack was saying on the phone.Something about living up the road apiece, next to a big tree. His accent was thicker than the heat that day and I don't think he was talking into the phone half the time. All I could think was 'Damn, I'm so close and yet so far. I'll never find this guy.'

Lucky for me the man that was sitting next to the stove overheard me. Turns out he was the owner of the store.

"You looking for Jack Owens?" he asked

"Yeah, but I can't understand a word he's saying."

The store owner chuckled. "Hell, he comes in here once a week for groceries and even I have a hard time making out what he says sometimes. But I can tell you where he lives. He's just up the road a piece; once you see this big tree just hang a right and follow the road till the end."

Bentonia countryside, just outside of Jack's house

Jack's Front 'Driveway'

Jack's House

If you ever heard a Skip James record, then you've heard the influence of Jack Owens. Born in 1904, Jack's musical peers were among many of the original recording bluesmen from Mississippi. However, he himself didn't record until 1970, which resulted in a collection of songs for the Testament label. Jack's music is indigenous and unique to the Bentonia area of Mississippi. He plays primarly in a minor key while singing in a high, falsetto voice. This produced a beautiful haunting style which on a hot summer night can carry it's way across the fields near his home.
This is Jack's pig

Jack's musical partner is a man named Bud Spires, an outstanding harmonica player who lives in the neighboring town of Flora. Bud, who is partially if not completely blind, is a man of means. When I picked him up at his home I asked him if he had directions to Jack's house. Bud said sure, adding that he would tell me which roads to turn down as I drove. When I asked him how he was going to do this (he is blind) he just barked that he could walk to Jack's house if he had too seeing as how he'd been doing this for years. So there we were, driving along these dirt roads, with Bud pointing out landmarks like trees and church's telling me 'Now turn here, when you come up to that tree yonder.' All I could do was wonder how the hell he knew when we were coming up to that tree.

Jack and his musical partner, harmonica player Bud Spires

While I was hanging around the house one of Jack's neighbors happened to stop by. She was a little girl all of 9 or 10 years old. She had this cool ice cone in her hand and kept smiling as she licked the cone on that hot Mississippi day. I couldn't help but take her picture.

One time when I was visting Jack he said that he needed a ride over to his friend's house, Bud Spires. I knew that Bud lived in the neighboring town of Flora, a short ride down Highway 49. I said sure, let's go.

Jack started going about the whole ordeal of locking up his house. When I mean ordeal, I mean an ordeal. Normally when one locks up their house it's nothing but a simple matter of turning a key or two in a front door. Not so with Jack. He went into another room and came out with no fewer than 7 padlocks. In his own meticulous way Jack set about locking up every individual room in his home. One padlock for the bedroom, one for the other room, the kitchen and even the icebox! Finally when we made it to the front room Jack reaches into a drawer and pulls out a pistol.

Toby: What's the pistol for Jack?

Jack: Just in case we run into any trouble.

Pretty soon we're heading down Highway 49. Seeing how this is Mississippi and I'm driving a car with New York plates on it, I'm taking no chances. Speed limit is 55, so I'm doing no more than 50. Real smooth and easy does it. The whole time Jack was fidgeting in his seat and watching things go by out the window. Finally he turned and said,

Jack: Boy, what you in such a hurry for?

Toby: Jack, I'm only doing, let's see [I said looking down at the speedometer], 48 miles an hour.

Jack: Whooo boy, these cars sure do fly.

'Flying' down the highway'

If you said Jack Owens had a golden smile, you'd be one hundred percent correct. He had a golden tooth or two that would shine real bright in the Mississippi light. And there's a good reason for that, having those gold choppers.

On one of my trips I brought along some of my guitar students. They were all itchin' to go and one of 'em had a big car and camper, which were two good economical reasons I brought them.

For most of that afternoon we hung out on Jack's porch. At first that porch had a lot of shade but as the day wore on that blistering hot sun made it's way up the porch. As you can see from the picture below, Eric (sitting on the porch) was the only one smart enough to wear shorts that day.

Mike, Me, Jack, Dean and Eric (sitting)

But I was talking about Jack's gold teeth, and probably how he got them. I found Jack to be a remarkably astute businessman. The very first thing Jack asked us when we got there was:

Jack: Who's the main man?

Toby: Well, guess that would be me.

Jack: Ok. We got some talking to do.

Jack then proceeded to lead me, and just me, into his house. I had a feeling of what was coming.

Jack: You know, I did this show for these folks over in Europe, and they paid me big money, yessah, big money. Made me over $1000. Now, you the main man and I wanna know what you gonna pay me.

Toby: Well Jack, I suppose that's fair enough, some person in Europe paying you that price. But to tell you the truth, I can't afford that much. I'm just a musician and guitar teacher. I only budgeted so much for each interview, and that's the truth [which of course it was]. I do hope you'll accept my offer.

Now I'm sure many people over the course of Jack's lifetime had tried to put one or two things past him. So I was hoping for two things here; Jack's ability to see who was telling him the truth and his accepting my offer [which wasn't close to $1000, but wasn't bad either].

Jack: [after looking at me very carefully for what seemed to be a long time]. Toby, I believe you is an honest man. Ok, it's a deal.

Now here's the amazing part. I can tell you this now because Jack passed away a few years ago. Jack took the money I have him and put it inside a pouch which he kept inside his shirt. I found out later that Jack had $10,000 dollars, cash, in that pouch which never left his person.

I suppose Jack could afford a gold tooth or two.

A guitar lesson from Jack Owens