Thomas Jefferson Jarrell, born on March 1, 1901, in Surry County, North Carolina, was an American old-time fiddler, banjo player, and singer. He worked as a road construction operator until his retirement in 1966. Jarrell's musical career gained significant attention when he received the National Endowment for the Arts' National Heritage Fellowship in 1982. His distinctive style featured expressive syncopation and sliding ornamentation, influencing modern Appalachian old-time music enthusiasts. Jarrell's first release, Down to the Cider Mill, with Fred Cockerham and Oscar Jenkins, was released in 1968. He continued to release albums such as Sail Away Ladies and Joke on the Puppy, both in 1976. His life and music were documented in two films by Les Blank. Jarrell passed away on January 28, 1985.
