Freddie Jackson

Biography 1956–1980: early life and education, Mystic Merlin Born in the Harlem section of New York City, Jackson was trained as a gospel singer from an early age, singing at the White Rock Baptist Church of Harlem. In 1984, Jackson landed a recording contract with Capitol Records, and released his debut album, Rock Me Tonight in 1985.

The pace of Jackson's success slowed with the 1988 release of Don't Let Love Slip Away, which nonetheless featured another two R&B chart-toppers in "Hey Lover" and "Nice 'N' Slow." The title track of 1990's Do Me Again and "Love Me Down" duplicated that feat, and "Main Course" just missed, topping out at No. 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. At the end of 2010, Jackson released a new album on the Entertainment One Music label, entitled For You, and produced by hit songwriter Barry Eastmond. The album featured the single "I Don't Wanna Go".

2014–present: later career On August 26, 2014, Jackson released the single "Love & Satisfaction," written by Dustin "Dab" Bowie, Gregory Bowman, Kameron Corvet, Bertram Ford Jr, and Selasi "The African Kid," and released by the entertainment company Climax Entertainment. The single received some positive reviews and airplay, and allowed Jackson to reintroduce himself as he toured internationally in support of the release, as well as appear with artists Jeffrey Osborne, Peabo Bryson, Melba Moore, and Stephanie Mills at various performances and festivals. In late 2016, Jackson announced that he was recording a new album and that a new single would be released early the following year to mark his true return to recording studio and on May 1, 2017, the lead single "One Night" from his forthcoming album Love Signals was released via Climax and reached No. 1 on the internet radio Indie Soul chart associated with the Internet Broadcasters Alliance on June 12, 2017, while reaching in the top 50 of independent R&B, smooth jazz, and soul charts around the US and Europe. In January 2018, Jackson appeared on the cover of STS Entertainment and Fashion Magazine. He performed in Albany, GA on April 21, 2018, at a Soul Music festival along with the 69 boys and various other performers. In August 2019, it was announced that Jackson would perform later that month as the headlining act of the 37th annual African World Festival, hosted by the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. In 2019, Jackson released the single "A Million Ways".

A fiction piece in the November 25, 2019, issue of The New Yorker, by John Edgar Wideman, titled "Arizona", is written as a letter to Jackson.

Controversy

In August 1988, the British music infamous magazine NME reported that Jackson had verbally attacked George Michael in the Los Angeles Times over his black music chart success.

Discography

Rock Me Tonight (1985) Just Like the First Time (1986) Don't Let Love Slip Away (1988) Do Me Again (1990) Time for Love (1992) Here It Is (1994) At Christmas (1994) Private Party (1995) Life After 30 (1999) It's Your Move (2004) Personal Reflections (2005) Transitions (2006) For You (2010) Love Signals (2018)

Tours Tasty Love Tour (1986–87) Hey Lover Tour (1988–89) Do Me Again Tour (1991) Finer with Time Tour (Summer 2014) One Night Tour (Spring/Summer 2017)

Awards 1985 – nominated for Grammy Award: Best New Artist 1985 – nominated for Grammy Award: Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance – Male ("You Are My Lady"). 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' Slow").