Although not nearly as well-documented as Sam Phillips, Art Rupe, or the Chess brothers, Cordell Jackson is no less important a figure of the embryonic days of rock ‘n’ roll. Purchasing some recording gear in 1947 and launching her own Moon Records label in the early ’50s, she became the first lady of rock ‘n’ roll by releasing her first records while Wanda Jackson and Janis Martin were still in junior high. She can also be seen as a true precursor to today’s indie grrrls — from Ani Difranco to Cub — both musically and spiritually.
Like Hasil Adkins and the Flat Duo Jets, Cordell’s music is primitivism so erratic that it goes beyond raw rock energy. Her picking often resembles that of a Southern-fried Thurston Moore rather than the clean licks of a Carl Perkins or James Burton, and her vocal delivery more closely resembles the one-dimensional charm of Mo Tucker than the wrap-around caressings of Elvis or the raspy howls of Gene Vincent and Johnny Burnette.
Still, Jackson’s music retains a rootsy purity, just to remind you that it’s comin’ from Memphis — kinda like the Grifters do. And the fact that this 70-year-old woman can still shred the nerves of most folks half her age proves she’s still as essential an American artist, in her own unique way.
