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I've found a reference from the horse's mouth, so to speak:

"In 1915 he left for Memphis with his mother, took his real father's name, and except for brief military service in World War I, has lived in Memphis ever since. By the time he arrived his skill on the guitar was such that he competed successfully with the other great bluesmen for which Memphis has long been famous. Over the years he met and played with Furry Lewis, Memphis Minnie, Son House and many others. He gained experience in small vaudeville and minstrel shows which toured the South. Rev Wilkins has mentioned the famous "Kansas City Blues" which Jim Jackson sang on a Vocalion record which sold a million copies or so in 1927. It was Rev. Wilkins himself who first began to sing it around Memphis and from that Jackson first learned it. Later, after the song's tremendous success, Jackson (a decidedly inferior musician to Wilkins) was ashamed to sing it when Wilkins was around. During the same period, Rev. Wilkins remembers that Memphis Minnie was beginning to learn guitar and that he was able to teach her a few things".

'Nothing But The Blues', ed Leadbitter 1971

And now to listen to 'Rolling Stone'....