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At 14, a freshman finds his passion

Student becomes assistant teacher, releases original music

Written by Vicky Travis The Tennessean

If Jackson’s just hanging out, he’s playing. If he’s working, he’s playing. If he’s at school — well, sometimes he’s playing.

Jackson Thatcher is a 14-year-old Ravenwood High School freshman who can’t wait to turn 15 this month and get his learner’s permit.

School isn’t hard, you know. It’s OK. He can’t really say what subject is his favorite. It might not be lunch. (He got in trouble there a couple of weeks ago for a little burrito-throwing incident.)

And Jackson is also what many are calling a musical prodigy.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” guitar teacher Mike Bauer says. “Especially on acoustic guitar, I’ve never seen somebody progress like that, so young, so fast.”

(article no longer available online at Tennessean.com)