Born to Russell and Sophronia Glidewell in Bells, Texas, in Grayson County on
June 5, 1909 and was raised on a farm located about six miles from the Red
River. Jake is the oldest of eight children with three brothers and four
sisters. In those days, lots of old time square dances were held at homes
all up and down the Red River. It was here that Jake first learned to play
some on the banjo and then learned to second on the guitar. He also taught
his younger brother to second on the guitar.
The fiddler in the area where Jake grew up was Uncle Bill Givens and it was from
him that Jake learned to fiddle some of the old tunes like "Maggie",
"Nellie Grey", "Red River Valley" plus a few waltzes and
hoe-downs. Jake recalls that "Uncle Bill was getting old and very
contrary and might just at any time get mad at someone and box up his fiddle and
go home". By chopping cotton for 50 cents a day, Jake earned enough money
to order a fiddle of his own from Sears and Roebuck Company. It cost $9.50 and
was the best one they had at that time. The price also included a bow, an extra
set of Bell brand strings, a box of rosin, and the postage.
Jake’s mother made a canvas case for the fiddle from an old cotton sack,
which he still has. He rode to the dances on a mule, carrying the fiddle
in the canvas bag When Jake was about fifteen and shortly after he got his own
fiddle, Uncle Bill Givens passed away, which left Jake the only one for miles
around that played the fiddle. Sometimes he earned a couple of dollars playing
for dances. The usual charge was 15 cents a square and 10 cents extra to waltz,
rag, or round dance. This was mostly on credit and Jake says, "I guess I
really embarrassed a lot of those poor old farm boys right in front of their
girl friends but they would usually pay up when I asked for it!" Jake had
two young friends who played mandolin and guitar with him at these dances and
they had many good times. Jake met Bessie Lou Tucker in 1929 when his sisters
brought her home with them from school. Jake said "She was kinda
young then, but I kept my eye on her until she grew up". They were
married on August 14, 1932. They have two children, Frank and Cotton
Glidewell, five grandchildren and three great grandchildren. They were
married almost sixty six years. Bessie passed away May 22, 1998. In 1928,
Jake moved to west Texas and didn’t play any more. He worked in the
shipyards at Orange Texas as an electrician during the war. He moved to
Victoria in 1951 to work for E. I. DuPont as an electrician. He had a stroke
1969 and was losing the use of his left arm and the fingers on both hands.
During therapy, which followed an operation in Houston, his doctor found out
that he used to play the fiddle and told him that it would be very helpful if he
would begin playing again. Jake says, "I had to go to contests where the
fiddlers were to learn how to play again. I really love to hear all
fiddlers, young and old. In fact, I even enjoy the very worst ones for they all
do their best. Country musicians are the finest people I know." Jake plays
in many contests and often wins but considers the best reward he gets for his
playing, is the joy expressed by persons who live in the rest homes in Victoria
where he plays often. One of the most promising aspects of old time fiddling,
and one which pleases Jake very much, is the increasing numbers of young
fiddlers who are playing this type music. Jake has helped several
youngsters get started with the fiddle and always gives encouragement to those
just starting. When he hears a youngster playing "Fifty Years Ago
Waltz" and other old tunes, he knows that those tunes will never be
forgotten and it is his hope that there will be many more interested young
people who will keep fiddling going on for many years.
Jake is an active member in the Masonic and Odd Fellows lodges and a member of
the Second Baptist church. In June, 1974, Jake retired from E. I. DuPont
and began enjoying the fiddling he loves even more. He recommends it as
the very best thing to keep from getting old and says, "I am going to try
to keep on playing until I am at least a hundred and if I don’t make it, just
say I tried!"