Jesco White

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Performer Jesco "Jesse" White, mountain dancing atop a doghouse

Jesco (Jesse) White, the "Dancing Outlaw", (b. United States, July 30, 1956) is an entertainer from Boone County, West Virginia.

1 Life
2 Short films
3 Musical connections
4 Current life
5 Quotes from documentaries
6 External links

[edit] Life

Jesco White was born in Bandytown, West Virginia, a small community hidden in the Appalachian Mountains, and is an acclaimed mountain dancer. He is best known for the two short films about him which detail his desire to follow in his famous father's footsteps, while trying to overcome depression, drug addiction, and the poverty that afflicts some of rural Appalachia.

His father was D. Ray (Donald Ray) White (1927-1985), who was profiled in the PBS documentary Talking Feet, and his mother is Birty Mae White. Before his murder, D. Ray White was known as one of the greatest mountain dancers in the United States. His style, along with Jesco's, is a subtle mix of tap and clog dancing that is native to Appalachia.

He met his wife Norma Jean on Christmas Eve of 1974 and their on-again, off-again marriage was one of the focal points of the first documentary.

[edit] Short films

Jesco White was first profiled on the Public Broadcasting Service's "A Different Drummer" Series. Because of his popularity, PBS eventually released two documentaries about Jesco. The first was The Dancing Outlaw (1991), directed by Jacob Young, which featured him at home in West Virginia and gave audiences a glimpse into his troubled life.

As the popularity of The Dancing Outlaw grew, he was asked by comedian Tom Arnold to perform on the television show Roseanne. He travelled to Los Angeles for the performance, which was chronicled in the 1994 short film Dancing Outlaw 2: Jesco goes to Hollywood - directed by the original's Jacob Young.

[edit] Musical connections

Jesco has been linked to many popular artists through song. Big and Rich mention his name in their single "Comin' To Your City," although Jesco is not a fan and feels as if they are capitalizing on his name. Hank Williams III wrote the song "Legend of D. Ray White," which honors the cultural significance of Jesco's father. It also mentions Jesco, as well as another legendary Boone County artist, Hasil Adkins. Jesco also dances on the Hank Williams III song "Louisiana Stripes."

Tribute songs include "Jessico" by The Kentucky Headhunters, "Jesco (The Dancing Outlaw)" by Sam Black Church, "Jesco" by Trailer Bride, and "Dancin' Outlaw" by Ekoostik Hookah. The rock group Live included the line "...we'll lay flowers at the grave of Jesco White, the sinner's saint" in their song "Rattlesnake."

A short clip of Jesco dancing can be seen in Beck's "Loser" music video.

Nashville power pop band The Excuses used a Jesco quote as the title of their 1994 CD Messin' With My Good-Life. The track "Something I'm Not" samples Jesco saying, "That's pretty damn good."

The stoner metal band Atomic Bitchwax also used a Jesco quote in the track "Shitkicker" on their first album. The track begins with the quote, "Man, I got a double super-buzz. Here I was huffing, uh, li-, uh, airplane glue in a sandwich bag. Ya know, just all I could I breathed it on into my lungs and gettin' high. And then I'd take me a hit of that gas. Right after I'd hit it, man, you talk about a warped mind, I got one. And lighter fluid, ya know, I'd sniff-hit by the can. I mean I was Superman."

Jesco has stated to the media numerous times that all references to him in song have been without his express authorization. He has supposedly requested, yet never received any, monetary compensation. This might have changed due to his friendship and work with Hank Williams III.

The drummer for the popular horror-punk band, Blitzkid, is named after Jesco, "Jesco Devilanse."

[edit] Current life

Jesco White currently lives in his trailer in Peytona, which is in Boone County, West Virginia, with his Jack Russell terrier, Patches. His wife, Norma Jean, has moved into a low income high-rise in Charleston, West Virginia, to be closer to needed medical services.

Turner South recently filmed an episode about the lives of Jesco and the late Hasil Adkins for their television program Yokel.

Jesco is to appear in two upcoming films, a documentary entitled, "Vice Guide to Travel" and an independent sci-fi/horror film, "It Came from Trafalgar".

Friends of Jesco had planned a fundraiser to help him purchase water and firewood for the winter of 2006-2007, as well as to celebrate his fiftieth birthday and the fifteen year anniversary of The Dancing Outlaw. The festival was held in Hinton, West Virginia. Called JescoFest 2006, the event featured artists from all over the United States, all coming to perform pro bono for the living legend. This took place August 26 and 27, 2006. The event received festival goers from all around The United States and Finland. There have been reports that the organizers are planning for JescoFest 2007, featuring artists from Canada, South America, Europe, and The United States. It is tentatively scheduled near Jesco's 51st birthday in southern West Virginia.[1]

[edit] Quotes from documentaries

"I put the butcher knife up to her neck and said if you wanna live to see tomorrow, you're gonna start fryin' 'em eggs a little better'n what'chu been fryin' 'em. I'm tired of eatin' sloppy, slimy eggs!" - Jesco White to wife Norma Jean White
"You're gonna go to bed alright, you're gonna go to bed in a coffin!"
"Cuz all I want is for good dancin', and for people to enjoy their selves."
"just leave Mom & 'ems alone..."
"Anyone will say anything, under the influence of madness."
"Yeah, I've threatened your life a many a time to get your mouth to shut up. I mean I've told you I'd blow your brains plumb here to that river bank over there just to get you to quit arguing and trying to get ahead of me."