Melvin Jackson, born August 16, 1915 in Tyler, Texas, was an American blues guitarist and singer. He began his musical journey playing gospel guitar with the Blue Eagle Four before serving in the U.S. Army during World War II. In 1946, he recorded a demo that led to a contract with Gold Star Records, resulting in the release of "Freedom Train Blues" in 1948, which became a nationwide hit. Jackson recorded for Imperial Records from 1950 to 1954, with notable releases including "Rockin' and Rollin'", which was later adapted as "Rock Me Baby". In 1960, he released an album with Arhoolie Records but did not resume his music career during the blues revival of the 1960s. Jackson died from cancer on May 30, 1976 in Dallas. Posthumously, Eric Clapton covered "Travelin' Alone" for his 2010 album Clapton.
