Jerry Naylor Jackson (March 6, 1939 – December 5, 2019)[1] was an American country and rock and roll artist, broadcaster and inspirational speaker.
He listened to Country music the most including artists such as: Hank Williams, Sr., Lefty Frizzell, Bob Wills (with whom he shared his birthday) and Slim Whitman, and Whitman's steel guitar player, Hoot Raines (who led the 9-year old Naylor to purchase and learn to play a steel guitar with money he earned picking cotton).
By the age of twelve, Naylor was playing that steel guitar at local honky tonks in and around Carlsbad and San Angelo, Texas, with his brother-in-law, Tommy Briggs' Hillbilly band.
Veteran broadcaster, Joe Treadway, who with his wife Matilda (Tillie) would become Naylor's foster parents when his mother died in 1955.
Joe Treadway encouraged Naylor to continue his performing, but on the insistence of his mother, gave him the opportunity to be the lead singer of the band.
Joe Treadway and his close friend, Tillman Franks, Talent Coordinator for the Louisiana Hayride, managed Naylor's young singing career and booked him and his band on these touring shows.
Their first hit for the label was "Don't Ever Change", a Carole King/Gerry Goffin written song, which reached the number 5 position on the national charts in the UK.
Joe Treadway owner of KPEP radio station in San Angelo became interested in the young teenager and trained him as a DJ.
[7] During 1962 while living in California Jerry joined The Crickets, alternating with Sonny Curtis in singing lead with the band until March 1965.