It fascinates me that we as people can have the most amazing things right in front of us, but yet we do not see them. That is my case anyway it seems I had to be in my late 40’s I dare say to really see who my grandfather was not just that he was Jack Teagarden an amazing musician and according to my mother the nicest sweetest man you could ever meet and one who loved us even though he died the day before my second birthday I was raised to know those things about him but all the many facets and accomplishments that he was so ahead of his time with I am now just discovereing.
So I am now awake and fascinated by his life and career and how it has really impacted so many people to this day. So I have begun a long time in the coming journey to know and share all I can about the man I was raised to know as Ginkaw and the world knows as Jack Teagarden. I have just celebrated my 50th birthday on January 16th which means it has been 48 years that he has been entertaining angels.
I find myself in the position as my mother (Vernajean Atwell and grandmother (Addie Teagarden) I believe are with my grandfather having a great time. I have been handed so much of the family achieves and a passion to share that legacy with the generations who did not have the first hand opportunity to experience his enormous talents and personality that was Jack Teagarden. This is just the being of the journey I have started to take back into the life and times of an incredible era of not only Jazz but of our American coulter and some of the fascinating people who helped shape it one of which was my grandfather Jack Teagarden.
