| Jackson, born Tabor City, North Carolina, is the youngest of three children. He was named after the Confederate Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, who he claims was an ancestor; the name is not a nickname. His father died when he was two and his mom moved the family to South Georgia. Jackson grew up there working on his uncle's farm. Jackson enlisted in the Navy in 1950 and was discharged in 1954. He moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 1956. [edit] Recording career After hearing Jackson's demo tape, Wesley Rose, president of Acuff-Rose Music, arranged for Jackson to audition for the Grand Ole Opry. Jackson became the first artist to join the Grand Ole Opry before obtaining a recording contract. He toured with Ernest Tubb, who became his mentor. Jackson signed to Columbia Records and debuted in 1958 with "Don't Be Angry". The song did not score in the country music top 40, but it got him recognition. His breakthrough came in the country Top 40 in late 1958, with a song written by a young George Jones, "Life to Go". It peaked at No. 2 in early 1959 and his follow-up record, "Waterloo", was No. 1 for five weeks and crossed over into the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, where it reached No. 4. The track also reached No. 24 in the UK Singles Chart in July 1959.[1] It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.[2] The song was a haunting and catchy tune that states "Everybody has to meet his Waterloo", meaning their fate. The song cites Adam, Napoleon and Tom ... |
