vanzilla
05-11-2005, 11:01 AM
For those of you unfamiliar with who Jesco White is - a little background info:
Jesco is from Boone County, WV and in 1991 was the subject of a documentary directed by Jacob Young for the PBS "Different Drummer" series.
His father was a Mountain Dancer, which is basically a tap dancer that performs to bluegrass music. Jesco also was a mountain dancer, but never achieved the levels of popularity his father reached because he struggled with drugs and alcohol.
The documentary basically gives a Reader's Digest version of the trials and tribulations of his life and the lifestyle he and his family are accustomed to.
It's great story telling, although sometimes you wonder if Jesco realizes that the director was laughing at him, not with him - as some of the editing didn't do him any favors.
The doc became a cult classic and Jesco actually rose to a small level of stardom when John Goodman invited him to make a cameo appearance on Roseanne back in 94. The group Kentucky Headhunters also wrote a song about him entitled "Jessico" and Beck put a short clip of him dancing in the "Loser" video.
Growing up in WV, I got to meet Jesco about 11 years ago, after his appearance on Roseanne, and actually did some freelance work with him under his old management. We became friends, but I lost touch with him after I moved in 96 and haven't heard from him since.
Next month, I'll be heading back to WV and it's one of my goals to find him again. If it happens I'll let you know. He's a remarkable, if not somewhat disturbing human being.
Do a google search on him...there's some interesting stuff out there.
Jesco is from Boone County, WV and in 1991 was the subject of a documentary directed by Jacob Young for the PBS "Different Drummer" series.
His father was a Mountain Dancer, which is basically a tap dancer that performs to bluegrass music. Jesco also was a mountain dancer, but never achieved the levels of popularity his father reached because he struggled with drugs and alcohol.
The documentary basically gives a Reader's Digest version of the trials and tribulations of his life and the lifestyle he and his family are accustomed to.
It's great story telling, although sometimes you wonder if Jesco realizes that the director was laughing at him, not with him - as some of the editing didn't do him any favors.
The doc became a cult classic and Jesco actually rose to a small level of stardom when John Goodman invited him to make a cameo appearance on Roseanne back in 94. The group Kentucky Headhunters also wrote a song about him entitled "Jessico" and Beck put a short clip of him dancing in the "Loser" video.
Growing up in WV, I got to meet Jesco about 11 years ago, after his appearance on Roseanne, and actually did some freelance work with him under his old management. We became friends, but I lost touch with him after I moved in 96 and haven't heard from him since.
Next month, I'll be heading back to WV and it's one of my goals to find him again. If it happens I'll let you know. He's a remarkable, if not somewhat disturbing human being.
Do a google search on him...there's some interesting stuff out there.