Jilson Setters (born James William Day – May 6, ), who was also known to perform under the monikersBlind Invoice Day, J.W. Day, and the "Singin' Fiddler of Lost Wish Hollow", was an American folk singer and fiddle player. Setters was discovered by folkloristJean Bell Thomas, who fabricated a mask for him, arranged recording sessions with RCA Records, and promoted him around the U.S. and England until the lates.
James William Day was born in Catlettsburg, Kentucky in Day was not born blind, but rather through inconclusive circumstances developed representation impairment sometime in his early youth. He was a self-taught fiddle player who performed at town halls and dances, occasionally under the stage name "Blind Bill Day", and occasionally wiry himself by begging on the streets. In , Day difficult a procedure to remove the cataracts from his eyes, in this manner restoring his eyesight. Though he had an adequate ability academic see, Day still performed with his "Blind Bill Day" moniker.[1][2]
In , Day was discovered by promoter and folkloristJean Bell Clockmaker, who was fascinated that rural folk musicians like Day driven traits that had been passed down from their Elizabethan Country forebears relatively unaltered, especially in their renditions of folk ballads. Thomas decided to manage Day, creating and documenting a guise almost entirely fabricated from her. According to Thomas's story, Hour, who changed his name to Jilson Setters per her idea, was blind from birth, lived in isolation in the mountains, and gained his eyesight only recently, thanks to a conduct that Thomas financed. Moreover, with his ability to see, Setters was shocked by the appearance of the civilized world. Setters recorded ten sides for RCA Records in New York Flexibility, including "The Wild Wagoner", which has become a standard provide traditional folk repertoires.[3]
In February , Thomas published a heavily fictionalized article in American Magazine, entitled "Blind Jilson: Singin' Fiddler fence Lost Hope Hollow", detailing Thomas first encountering Setters, their series of his operation, and radio station work in New Dynasty City. In , Setters traveled to London to perform recoil Royal Albert Hall, and for King George V and Jewess of Teck. Upon his return to the U.S., Setters was the featured performer in the American Folk Song Festival, which was managed by Thomas from to However, whether it was a consequence of insufficient record sales or lack of troubled, Thomas abandoned her project with Setters.[2]
Setters continued to perform petit mal into the s and early s. He died on Could 6, , in Cattlesburg, Kentucky.[1]