John Murray “Hippie Jack” Stoddart, Jr., the founder of the Jammin’ at Hippie Jack’s Music Festival and a documentary photographer of the Cumberland Plateau has died.
Stoddart moved to Tennessee in 1972 and began his career developing black-and-white film in Livingston to document the daily lives of people in Appalachia. His photography eventually became part of permanent collections at the Smithsonian and the Tennessee State Museum.
Stoddart transitioned to video production in 2004 and launched the Jammin’ at Hippie Jack’s Music Festival in May 2007 to support the preservation of Americana roots music. The event led to a nationally syndicated PBS television series and the founding of the nonprofit Council for Americana Roots Music (COARM).
“There will never be another Hippie Jack,” the press release said. “But his kindness, photographs, stories, and the community he built will continue to carry his spirit forward.”
Stoddart and his wife, Lynne DesGrange Stoddart, began a humanitarian effort in 2011 to distribute food, clothing, and firewood to families in the Upper Cumberland. The press release said the work included providing school meals, children’s coats, and assistance with medical and funeral expenses.
“His legacy lives on in the images he made, the music he welcomed, the words he wrote, the people he loved, and the community he served: one person, one meal, one winter coat, and one act of generosity at a time,” the press release said.
Stoddart was born in Miami, Florida, and held his first one-man art show at Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art in 1980.
A celebration of life will be held November 7, 2026, from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the Hippie Jack Farm in Overton County.
