<P> Jefferson was born blind, near Coutchman, Texas . He was the youngest of seven (or possibly eight) children born to Alex and Clarissa Jefferson, who were African - American sharecroppers . Disputes regarding the date of his birth derive from contradictory census records and draft registration records . By 1900, the family was farming southeast of Streetman, Texas . Jefferson's birth date was recorded as September 1893 in the 1900 census . The 1910 census, taken in May, before his birthday, confirms his year of birth as 1893 and indicated that the family was farming northwest of Wortham, near his birthplace . </P> <P> In his 1917 draft registration, Jefferson gave his birthday as October 26, 1894, stating that he lived in Dallas, Texas, and had been blind since birth . In the 1920 census, he is recorded as having returned to Freestone County and was living with his half - brother, Kit Banks, on a farm between Wortham and Streetman . </P> <P> Jefferson began playing the guitar in his early teens and soon after he began performing at picnics and parties . He became a street musician, playing in East Texas towns in front of barbershops and on street corners . According to his cousin Alec Jefferson, quoted in the notes for Blind Lemon Jefferson, Classic Sides: </P> <P> They were rough . Men were hustling women and selling bootleg and Lemon was singing for them all night...he'd start singing about eight and go on until four in the morning...mostly it would be just him sitting there and playing and singing all night . </P>

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