The Men Who Preserved a Legacy

Guiding Jack Daniel’s growth while honoring its tradition

#Barrelhouse 107 • 11:55 a.m. Sept. 19, 2025

In Part Two of sharing insight on the history of Master Distillers, we look at the men who carried on the iconic Jack Daniel’s brand after Jack, Jess Motlow, and Lem Tolley – Master Distiller Nos. 4-6:

Jess Gamble (1964-66)

Jess Gamble joined the Jack Daniel Distillery on June 6, 1948, hired by Reagor Motlow as a common laborer. Through hard work, loyalty, and quiet dedication, he steadily rose through the ranks. In the late 1950s, when longtime Master Distiller Lem Tolley began talking about retirement, Motlow originally planned to name Frank Bobo as his successor. Instead, the distillery chose to honor Gamble’s years of service by appointing him Master Distiller in 1964.

Jess held the role until June 1, 1966, when he passed the title to Bobo. Known for his humility and dislike of the spotlight, little was recorded about his tenure—but his steady hand helped preserve Jack Daniel’s tradition.

Fun fact: Jess was a teetotaler; he never drank a drop of whiskey.

Frank Bobo (1966-88)

Born in Lynchburg on June 2, 1929, Frank “Frog” Bobo grew up helping at his family’s grocery store, Bobo’s Market, on the town square. His connection to the distillery came through Reagor Motlow, Jack Daniel’s grand-nephew, who, as a boy, would slip Frank a nickel whenever he saw him.

In 1966, Motlow offered Bobo a place in the still house. This move eventually led to Bobo becoming Master Distiller that same year. For more than two decades, he guided Jack Daniel’s through tremendous growth, expanding operations from two stills to five, all while fiercely protecting the whiskey’s integrity.

Bobo insisted on following the Lincoln County Process and staying true to Jack’s original methods despite mounting demand. He retired in 1989 and passed away in 2020.

Still, his legacy endures, carried forward by his grandson Chris Fletcher, the distillery’s current Master Distiller.

Jimmy Bedford (1988-2008)

A Lynchburg native, Jimmy Bedford joined the Jack Daniel Distillery in 1968, working in nearly every part of the operation before being named Master Distiller in 1988. By then, the role had evolved – no longer just about managing whiskey production, but also serving as an ambassador for the brand.

Bedford embraced both responsibilities, maintaining quality in the Holler while helping introduce new expressions that broadened Jack Daniel’s reach. Under his leadership, Gentleman Jack was introduced in 1988, and Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel followed in 1997, both of which have become staples of the brand.

After two decades at the helm, Bedford retired in 2008. The following year, he died suddenly at his Lynchburg farm at age 69 and was laid to rest in the town cemetery, just a short distance from Jack Daniel himself.