Abner Wingate Jay (July 15, 1921 – November 4, 1993)[1] was an American multi-instrumentalist from Georgia, best known for performing eccentric, blues infused folk music as a one man band.

[3] He became confidante and driver for "Prophetess" Dolly Lewis, a singer, evangelical preacher and healer in the Southern United States, and was briefly also the agent and manager of Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

These concerts, as evidenced in his recordings, were often equal parts spoken word (crude humor,[7] jokes, philosophical asides, rants) and music.

In the early 1960s, he tried to start a career as a singer on Broadway in New York, but after that failed to materialize - and having some 16 children to support - he instead established himself as a live performer in clubs in and around Atlanta.

From 1974, he established himself as an attraction on the college circuit and the Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park in White Springs, Florida.

[5] In later years he held a residency, playing shows and selling his LPs and cassette tapes released on his own label, Brandie Records,[5] at Tom Flynn's Plantation Restaurant in Stone Mountain, Georgia.

He performed original material that was mostly secular, and subjects ranged from politics, relationships, drugs, war, the bible, the 1969 Moon landing, ethnomusicology, Southern culture and depression.

[5] After his death, record label owner Eric Isaacson said of Jay: "He had this whole image of himself as this ancient troubadour who was playing this forgotten kind of music, even though in reality most of the songs and styles were very unique to just him.