He wrote the politically themed "Democrat Blues", about the U.S. Election Day in 1952,[3] expressing his unease about Dwight D. Eisenhower becoming the first Republican in the White House in almost twenty years.
[5] He recorded mainly local musicians, including James "Little Daddy" Walton, Little Junior Cannady, Chubby Martin and Syl Foreman.
It became known as the "red album", from the color of the record sleeve, which included a photograph of a younger Jenkins – who was then 56 years old – within a star shape.
In 1974, Jenkins wrote another song with political overtones, "Watergate Blues," which was included on his next album, Here I Am a Fool in Love Again.
The session musicians included artists based in Ann Arbor, such as Sarah Brown, Fran Christina and Steve Nardella.
In 1982, Jenkins went to Europe with the American Living Blues Festival tour, but because of poor health he returned home after his first concert.