Jerry used to play on street corners and drew quite a crowd. The police would ask him
to play a couple of tunes called the dog in behind the rabbit , and the train, and Jerry
would tell him that he didn't have his harmonica. The police would take him to get it;
but, he had it with him all the time. He would end up playing for them and everyone else.
Jerry used to play on the radio, at station WETO, with only a jug to accompany him.
This was during the fifties. Later, Jerry was on the street in front of a café and a fellow
came up with an old guitar and Jerry asked him if he could play. He said yes, and Jerry
kind of hummed a tune for him to play and when he did, Jerry pulled out his harmonica
and began to play. People began to gather all around them on the street and that was
the beginning of the combo called The Upstarts.

Jerry continued to send audition sample records to record companies, but this time it
had more than a harmonica and a washboard on it. He got another fellow, Jean Dozier, to
play drums - but, he played a marching type drum! Jerry then showed his brother, Walter,
how to play a little - mainly just to keep time. After the foundry where Jerry's two brothers
worked shut down, he let one of the brothers play with him on Friday nights and the
other brother play with him on Saturday nights. After a while, they had a disagreement
and Jerry got Jimmy Sheffield to play drums. He was a real drummer. However, Jerry's
brother Walter did help him record his first record "East Of The Sun" on Trumpet for
Diamond Recording Company in Jackson, Mississippi. This all happened after Little
Walter, another bad harmonica man, had made a record called: "Juke And I Can't Hold
On Much Longer". It was a hit and Jerry sent an audition record to Trumpet sounding
almost like the hit of Little Walter. Jerry was asked to come to Mississippi for an audition.

He stayed with Trumpet a few years and then went to Nashboro Records and recorded
twelve tunes on the Excello label with Chris Collins, Jerry Sheffield and studio musicians.
After leaving Excello, Jerry met Gary Sizemore, who was in the music business in
Birmingham, Alabama. Gary took Jerry into Homer Mylam's studio on First Avenue North
in Birmingham. It was a rickety old studio with an Ampex three track, but the musicians
had the feel and they cut two sides which are classics in Blues. "Steady" which is
considered by many people to be the best blues harmonica instrumental ever recorded,
and "She's Tuff", which is Jerry's most recorded song, having been cut by such notable
artists as The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Jerry's brother played drums and L.M. Jackson
played guitar on "Steady". Chris Collins and Sheffield had left town. He went on to record
"Ting Tang Tigaloo", "Love Me Right" and some other tunes that were not released.
Sizemore wasn't satisfied so he negotiated with CBS and Columbia Records. He secured
a recording contract with Okey Records, which is a part of Columbia. Jerry suggested the
song "Red Top", written by Lionel Hampton and Pete Canard for the first recording in
Nashville.

All the top pickers gathered for the session - Boots Randolph, Lloyd Green, and The
Anita Kerr Singers. Boots Randolph "popped the sax" which later became his trademark
on "Yakity Sax". "Red Top" charted in Billboard and The Music Reporter. On the second
session, done in Nashville, two sides were cut - one being "Jet Stream" which was a
super instrumental, but far ahead of it's time. and the other side was "Twist 62" which
was timely, but nothing happened with the song. This session was one of the largest
groups of musicians that had been assembled in Nashville. The same top pickers as
before, plus the string section from the Nashville Symphony joined Jerry in this recording.
The New York Times reviewed "Jet Stream", calling it the greatest instrumental ever cut.

Jerry played mostly in the south until 1965. Then he went on the road with the Drifters,
the Temptations, William Bell, one spot with Freddy King and many more. Jerry's God-
given talent has taken him to many places during his 60 year career. McCain fans
should Bookmark this location and check back for the next installment of his exciting
career.

On a personal level, Jerry still lives in Gadsden with his sixteen year old grandson, Joe,
who he has raised almost all of his life. Jerry was married briefly twice before he
married his third wife - the love of his life - Jean Spanks. Jean and Jerry did EVERYTHING
together. They were a perfect example of a loving, devoted couple. They shared the raising
of his grandchildren, fishing, gardening, and many other pastimes. Jean passed away in
March of this year (1997) after a courageous struggle with cancer. She was diagnosed on
Thanksgiving week-end of 1996. Jean endured surgery and chemotherapy, but to no avail.
She deteriorated rapidly and had three stays in the hospital during her next three months.
Jeans funeral was in Gadsden and she is buried at Rainbow Memorial Gardens. Jerry had
the following inscribed on her headstone: "I had three marriages, but Doris Jean was my
only wife". He has built a memorial flower garden in their back year and has erected a
fountain in the front yard in her memory. Jerry has had a very difficult time since the
death of his beloved Jean. Condolences can be e-mailed to him here.