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| Jack
Owens, Bentonia, MS 1995 |
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| Born in 1904, bluesman Jack Owens was a musician contemporary with many of the first generation to record although he didn't make his recording debut until late in life. His music consisted primarily of songs made famous by his childhood friend, Skip James. Owens methodically picked out songs such as "Devil Got My Woman" and "Killing Floor Blues" in a minor key while singing in his haunting falsetto. Unlike James, Owens never left the Bentonia area with his music until the last 10 years of his life when he played across America and Europe. He was also a recipient of a National Heritage fellowship award given by the federal government for his work in keeping folk traditions alive. For years afterward until his death, Owens kept the entire $10,000 prize hidden in a pouch under his shirt. | ||||||||||