Freddie Jackson
Encyclopedia
Frederick Anthony "Freddie" Jackson (born on October 2, 1956) is an American
soul
singer. He was an important figure in R&B
during the 1980s and early 1990s. Among his well-known hits
are "Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake)
", "Jam Tonight
", "Do Me Again
," and "You Are My Lady
".
singer from an early age, singing at the White Rock Baptist Church. There he met Paul Laurence, who would later become his record producer
and songwriting
partner
. After completing school, Jackson joined Laurence's group LJE (Laurence-Jones Ensemble) and played the New York nightclub
scene. During the early 1980s, Jackson moved to the West Coast
and sang lead with the R&B band
'Mystic Merlin', but soon returned to New York to work with Laurence at the Hush Productions company. He sang on demo
recordings
of Laurence's compositions
, and also served as a backing singer for Melba Moore
after she saw his nightclub act.
In 1985, Jackson landed a recording contract
with Capitol Records
, and issued his debut album, Rock Me Tonight
. The Laurence-penned title track stormed the R&B charts, spending six weeks at number one, and made Jackson an instant hit on urban contemporary radio
. "You Are My Lady" gave him a second straight R&B chart-topper, and also proved to be his highest-charting single
on the Billboard Hot 100
, peaking at #13. With "He'll Never Love You (Like I Do)" and "Love Is Just a Touch Away" also hitting the R&B Top Ten, Rock Me Tonight topped the R&B album chart
and went platinum
. Jackson issued the follow-up Just Like the First Time 1986, on the heels of a number one R&B duet
with Melba Moore, "A Little Bit More" (from her album A Lot of Love). Another platinum seller, Just Like the First Time continued Jackson's dominance of the R&B singles charts; "Tasty Love," "Have You Ever Loved Somebody," and "Jam Tonight" all hit #1, while "I Don't Want to Lose Your Love" went to #2.
The pace of Jackson's success slowed with the 1988 release of Don't Let Love Slip Away, which nonetheless featured another R&B chart-topper in "Hey, Lover," plus further hits in "Nice and Slow" and "Crazy (For Me)." In August 1988, the British
music magazine NME
, reported that Jackson had verbally attacked George Michael
in the Los Angeles Times
over his black music chart success. The title track of 1990's Do Me Again duplicated that feat, and "Main Course" just missed, topping out at #2. Even so, Jackson's earlier placings in the lower reaches of the Billboard Hot 100
had long since disappeared, and some critics
charged that his albums were growing too similar to one another.
Seeking a new beginning, Jackson parted ways with Capitol/EMI in late 1993, and signed with RCA
/BMG Records. His label debut, Here It Is, appeared the following year, with diminished commercial returns. Following a Christmas album, Jackson split with RCA and recorded Private Party for the smaller Street Life imprint of Scotti Brothers Records
in 1995. Several years of silence ensued, until Orpheus issued Life After 30 in late 1999; the equally low-key release Live in Concert followed in 2000. After returning to the charts with It's Your Move in February 2004 (Martland Entertainment), Jackson released his tenth studio
album, Transitions, in September 2006 on the record label Orpheus Music
.
At the end of 2010, Jackson released a new album on the Entertainment One Music label, titled For You, and produced by Barry Eastmond. The album featured the single, "I Don't Wanna Go".
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
singer. He was an important figure in R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
during the 1980s and early 1990s. Among his well-known hits
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
are "Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake)
Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake)
"Rock Me Tonight " is the debut single for Harlem-born R&B/soul singer Freddie Jackson. The popular ballad was written and produced by Paul Laurence....
", "Jam Tonight
Jam Tonight
"Jam Tonight" is a 1987 single by Freddie Jackson. The up tempo single was Jackson's sixth release to make the number one position on the Hot Black Singles chart, "Jam Tonight" also peaked at number thirty-two on the Hot 100.- References :...
", "Do Me Again
Do Me Again
Do Me Again is the title of a number-one R&B single by Freddie Jackson. The hit song spent one week at number-one on the US R&B chart and would be the last of ten singles to reach the top spot....
," and "You Are My Lady
You Are My Lady (Freddie Jackson song)
You Are My Lady is a 1985 single by Freddie Jackson which followed his debut single, "Rock Me Tonight ." Like his debut single, "You Are My Lady" hit number one on the R&B charts for two weeks, and was Jackson's most successful crossover single of his career, peaking at twelve on the Hot 100. It...
".
Career
Jackson was trained as a gospelGospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
singer from an early age, singing at the White Rock Baptist Church. There he met Paul Laurence, who would later become his record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and songwriting
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
partner
Business partner
Business partner is a term used to denote a commercial entity with which another commercial entity has some form of alliance. This relationship may be a highly contractual, exclusive bond in which both entities commit not to ally with third parties...
. After completing school, Jackson joined Laurence's group LJE (Laurence-Jones Ensemble) and played the New York nightclub
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
scene. During the early 1980s, Jackson moved to the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
and sang lead with the R&B band
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
'Mystic Merlin', but soon returned to New York to work with Laurence at the Hush Productions company. He sang on demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
recordings
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
of Laurence's compositions
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
, and also served as a backing singer for Melba Moore
Melba Moore
Beatrice Melba Smith , known by her stage name, Melba Moore is an American disco, R&B singer and actress. She is the daughter of saxophonist Teddy Hill and R&B singer Bonnie Davis.-Early life:...
after she saw his nightclub act.
In 1985, Jackson landed a recording contract
Recording contract
A recording contract is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording artist , where the artist makes a record for the label to sell and promote...
with Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
, and issued his debut album, Rock Me Tonight
Rock Me Tonight
Rock Me Tonight is the platinum selling debut album from R&B/soul singer Freddie Jackson.-Reception:Released in 1985 the album yielded four Top-10 Singles on the R&B Charts, with the first two “You Are My Lady" and "Rock Me Tonight ” reaching #1. The latter two “Love Is Just a Touch Away" and...
. The Laurence-penned title track stormed the R&B charts, spending six weeks at number one, and made Jackson an instant hit on urban contemporary radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
. "You Are My Lady" gave him a second straight R&B chart-topper, and also proved to be his highest-charting single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, peaking at #13. With "He'll Never Love You (Like I Do)" and "Love Is Just a Touch Away" also hitting the R&B Top Ten, Rock Me Tonight topped the R&B album chart
Record chart
A record chart is a ranking of recorded music according to popularity during a given period of time. Examples of music charts are the Hit parade, Hot 100 or Top 40....
and went platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
. Jackson issued the follow-up Just Like the First Time 1986, on the heels of a number one R&B duet
Duet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
with Melba Moore, "A Little Bit More" (from her album A Lot of Love). Another platinum seller, Just Like the First Time continued Jackson's dominance of the R&B singles charts; "Tasty Love," "Have You Ever Loved Somebody," and "Jam Tonight" all hit #1, while "I Don't Want to Lose Your Love" went to #2.
The pace of Jackson's success slowed with the 1988 release of Don't Let Love Slip Away, which nonetheless featured another R&B chart-topper in "Hey, Lover," plus further hits in "Nice and Slow" and "Crazy (For Me)." In August 1988, the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
music magazine NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
, reported that Jackson had verbally attacked George Michael
George Michael
George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
in the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
over his black music chart success. The title track of 1990's Do Me Again duplicated that feat, and "Main Course" just missed, topping out at #2. Even so, Jackson's earlier placings in the lower reaches of the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
had long since disappeared, and some critics
Music journalism
Music journalism is criticism and reportage about music. It began in the eighteenth century as comment on what is now thought of as 'classical music'. This aspect of music journalism, today often referred to as music criticism , comprises the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of...
charged that his albums were growing too similar to one another.
Seeking a new beginning, Jackson parted ways with Capitol/EMI in late 1993, and signed with RCA
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
/BMG Records. His label debut, Here It Is, appeared the following year, with diminished commercial returns. Following a Christmas album, Jackson split with RCA and recorded Private Party for the smaller Street Life imprint of Scotti Brothers Records
Scotti Brothers Records
Scotti Brothers Records was a California-based record label founded by Tony and Ben Scotti in 1974. Their first success was releasing albums from teen pop star Leif Garrett. They later helped launch the careers of Felony, Survivor, and "Weird Al" Yankovic...
in 1995. Several years of silence ensued, until Orpheus issued Life After 30 in late 1999; the equally low-key release Live in Concert followed in 2000. After returning to the charts with It's Your Move in February 2004 (Martland Entertainment), Jackson released his tenth studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
album, Transitions, in September 2006 on the record label Orpheus Music
Orpheus Music
Orpheus Music is an independent record label dedicated to R&B and jazz music and home to recording artist Freddie Jackson.-Artist Roster:*Eric Gable*Freddie Jackson*Meli'sa Morgan*Rob White*Andre Ward *Vlad...
.
At the end of 2010, Jackson released a new album on the Entertainment One Music label, titled For You, and produced by Barry Eastmond. The album featured the single, "I Don't Wanna Go".
Awards
- 1985 – nominated for Grammy AwardGrammy AwardA Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
: Best New Artist - 1985 – nominated for Grammy Award: Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance – Male ("You Are My LadyYou Are My Lady (Freddie Jackson song)You Are My Lady is a 1985 single by Freddie Jackson which followed his debut single, "Rock Me Tonight ." Like his debut single, "You Are My Lady" hit number one on the R&B charts for two weeks, and was Jackson's most successful crossover single of his career, peaking at twelve on the Hot 100. It...
"). - 1986 – nominated for American Music Award for Favorite Male Artist – Soul / Rhythm & Blues
- 1988 – won American Music Award: Favorite Soul / Rhythm & Blues Single ("Nice 'N' SlowNice 'N' Slow"Nice 'N' Slow" is a 1988 single by Freddie Jackson. The single was Jackson's seventh number one on the Hot Black Singles chart, staying at the top spot for three weeks. "Nice 'N' Slow" would be the last of Jackson's releases to chart on the Hot 100, peaking at number sixty-one..-References:...
").