Thomas Jefferson Jarrell (March 1, 1901 – January 28, 1985) was an American fiddler, banjo player, and singer from the Mount Airy region of North Carolina's Appalachian Mountains.

Biography

He was born in Surry County, North Carolina, United States. That year's fellowships were the first bestowed by the NEA, and are considered the United States government's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts.

Jarrell's style was notable for its expressive use of syncopation and sliding ornamentation, and he was adept at singing while playing. His formidable technique and rough timbre continue to influence modern aficionados of Appalachian old-time music and in particular the Round Peak style of clawhammer banjo.

Jarrell married Nina Lowe in 1923; she died on February 13, 1967. They had three children: Ardena ("Dena"), b. 1925; Clarence ("Wayne"), b. 1927; and Benjamin Franklin ("B. F."), b. 1933.

Legacy

Jarrell's first fiddle, which he bought for $10, is now in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution. and My Old Fiddle: A Visit with Tommy Jarrell in the Blue Ridge. He also featured in the 2002 DVD Legends of Old Time Music.

An annual festival, established in 2002 as the Tommy Jarrell Celebration, is held in Mount Airy, North Carolina.

Selected discography

  • 1976 - Sail Away Ladies. Tommy Jarrell. County Records
  • 1986 - Been Riding with Old Mosby. Frank Bode with Tommy Jarrell and Paul Brown. Folkways Records

References

  • Jarrell commemorated in the Old Time Fiddler's Hall of Fame. Includes sound file.
  • Donny Mussel's Tommy Jarrell page
  • Field Recorders Collective "To find a superb collection of CDs of American traditional styles; including Tommy Jarrell and Fred Cockerham, music from private collections now made available to the public"
  • Been Riding with Old Mosby album details at Smithsonian Folkways
  • Appalachian Journey: PBS film with a segment on Jarrell
  • Tribute by David Holt to Jarrell as a mentor