Jandek

Jandek
Jandek performing live (2007)
Background information
Birth name	Sterling Richard Smith
Born	(1945-10-26) October 26, 1945 (age 71)
Origin	Houston, Texas, United States
Genres	Folk, blues, experimental, rock, outsider, lo-fi
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, musician
Instruments	Guitar, bass, keyboards, harmonica, piano, drums, organ, accordion, vocals
Years active	1978–present
Labels	Corwood Industries

Jandek is the musical project of Corwood Industries, a record label that operates out of Houston, Texas. Since 1978, Jandek/Corwood Industries has independently released over 100 albums/DVDs of unusual, often emotionally dissolute folk and blues songs without ever granting more than the occasional interview or providing any biographical information. Jandek often plays a highly idiosyncratic and frequently atonal form of folk and blues music, often using an open and unconventional chord structure. Jandek's music is unique, but the lyrics closely mirror the country blues and folk traditions of East Texas. The name "Jandek" is most commonly used to refer specifically to the project.

Only a handful of people claimed to have successfully contacted Jandek before he began regularly playing in public in 2004 (see below). He releases albums through his own record label Corwood Industries, keeping a Houston post office box so fans can write to Corwood for a typewritten catalogue and order Jandek’s albums, usually at low prices. Many of his albums feature photos of a caucasian man at various ages; although it seemed likely that this man was the principal performer, this presumption was not certain until his live debut in 2004.

Jandek now often performs live with other musicians, but these collaborations remain the extent of his engagement with the public.

It was widely accepted that Jandek's real name is Sterling Smith (probably born October 26, 1945); a review of the debut album Ready for the House (1978) in OP magazine, the first ever national press given to Jandek, referred to the artist as Sterling Smith, checks written to Corwood were returned endorsed by Smith, and Smith is listed as the claimant in the copyright records for Jandek's albums at the Library of Congress. Corwood has never used the name in connection with Jandek, and, in turn, many of Jandek's fans respectfully maintain this separation. He lives in the area of Houston, Texas, that is widely believed by his fanbase, as this is the location of the post office box (No. 15375) which has been used by Corwood from the beginning. There is also a telephone number for Corwood Industries listed in the phone book for the area.