Tugboat Jackson - Money Tree

Tugboat Jenkins

 LeRoy Jackson, better known as Tugboat Jackson, is a slide guitar and blues singer. He brings many years of playing and singing to the genre, and the quality of his talent is such that he could, and maybe should, be a professional musician. But he chose to be an owner/manager of a hardware store! How he got the name Tugboat, he says he doesn't know or remember when or why he got it, just that it was picked up during the small time years ago when he was on the road. As Tugboat, who is quite articulate, tells it:

Naw, don't recollect much 'bout the name, except some guys I met hung it on me when I was on the road playin' the blues. As a blues man, had to have a nickname I guess. Tugboat's good as any, and a lot better than some! My Daddy was a born blues man, had it in his blood. Only home enough to make six kids with our Momma, otherwise he was out on the road. Never made much money, never made much of a name for himself, and he got in a whole lot of trouble! All finally caught up to him, and he ended up in prison for sellin' dope. He died in prison years ago of what they said was cancer of the stomach. I found out I had the blues within me too from when I was a little kid, and I went out on the road for a short time. But I come to see that I was gonna end up just like my Daddy, so I settled down, got a job, finally got in the hardware business and bought my boss's store when he retired. Been makin' a good livin' at it, got two sons workin' there now. When I retire, I want them to have the store. I wanna leave them more than my Daddy left me. I play the blues all the time, sometimes play for get togethers and such. I'm excited to get this opportunity to record one of my original songs.

I wrote 'Money Tree' a few years back. One of my most somber songs, I'll grant ya, but it has a lot of what I've learned in my life. Man, I've seen fellahs that got all the drive and hard work in the world, that once they made some big money, ain't satisfied. Don't make 'em happy, like they're still missin' somethin', which they are. But I'll quit preachin'. It's in the song!

Indeed it is, Tugboat! With his deep, even somewhat soothing voice, and fine slide guitar playing,  we present Tugboat Jenkins!

You get wisdom with age, unless ya’ll just stay dumb. 

Indeed, get wiser with age, or ya’ll just stay dumb. 

The dummies stay stupid, like this guitar that I strum. 

 

You think life’s all about green stuff, grows on the money tree.

 If that’s what life is to you, green stuff growin’ on the money tree. 

You’ll miss most of life, you’re too ignorant to see. 

 

Blame that guy over there, for all the evil that starts. 

Some blame that guy over there, for all the evil that starts. 

Evil come from just one place, the coldness of human hearts.

 

 Lived most my life in the 20th century. 

Lived a lot of my life, in the 20th century. 

Most wicked century, in all history! 

 

Millions dead in all the wars, famine and disease,

 And we did it all over, as quick as you please!

 

 And it’s still goin’ on, ain’t learned a damn thing. 

So much still goin’ on, ain’t learned a damn thing. 

Death still marches the world, still poised to sting. 

 

Ain’t sayin’ we didn’t make no gains, 

But for every step forward, seem to take two back again.

 

Hate to be a cynic, hate to throw up my hands. 

Wasn’t born a cynic, sure hate to throw up my hands. 

There’s so much bad in the world, as things stand. 

 

Still tryin’ to think good, do good as well. 

Tryin’ to think the best, doin’ it as well. 

Don’t get easier, but I’m still tryin’ like hell!