Dillon Jackson

Autoharp, Pedal Steel Guitar Dillon Jackson, of Seattle, Wash., has been playing guitar, banjo, mandolin and autoharp since in high school. He was inspired by a folk singing lawyer friend of the family when he was a child. Acoustic guitar was his instrument of choice until the early eighties when a local group of lawyers formed a bluegrass band. Virtually all of the players were guitarists, so (depending upon whom you talk to) the most talented musicians or the worst guitarists were invited to take up other instruments. Dillon became the mandolin and occasional autoharp player for the band. Since the band broke up after a few years, the autoharp has been Dillon's favored instrument for the last 20 years or so. Dillon's autoharp was handmade in Pennsylvania from a cherry tree log, by George Orthey, a retired U.S. Army veterinarian and world famous luthier. Dillon and his wife, Misha, live on a floating home on Lake Union in Seattle, where his numerous instruments continue to take up more space than the limited square footage will allow. Current space constraints are challenged by the addition of a pedal steel guitar and amp, as rumors abound that his neck is becoming increasingly red. Fortunately for Misha, the opportunity for car, on blocks in the "front yard" is lacking as the house floats in 40 feet of water. This will probably deprive Dillon of the full "redneck" certification, but gigs with the Indubies provide him with occasional solace.