Throwback: R.I.P. Freddie Jackson

I’m on deadline mode with a publication and was editing photos when a dear friend texted me with a Bluesky post that read “Freddie Jackson, the R&B legend known for multiple hits, including “You Are My Lady” has died. He was 70.”

The Harlem-born artist, much like countless R&B and soul artists before could trace the origins of his career to church: As a child he sang at the White Rock Baptist Church of Harlem, where he met longtime collaborator and producer Paul Laurence. After Jackson completed school, he joined Laurence’s group Laurence Jones Ensemble (JLE) playing across the New York nightclub circuit.

By the late 1970s, he had relocated to Los Angeles, where he joined and fronted the band Mystic Merlin, with who he had released three albums between 1980-1982. But he retuned to New York to work with Paul Laurence at Hush Productions. Jackson sang on Laurence’s demos and became a backing vocalist for Melba Moore after she saw him play at a nightclub in 1981.

In 1984, Jackson signed with Capitol Records, who released his 1985 solo debut and breakthrough album Rock Me Tonight. The Laurence penned title track “Rock Me Tonight” spent six weeks at #1 on the R&B chart. Album track “You Are My Lady” was his second straight R&B chart topper — and his highest charting single on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #12. “He’ll Never Love You (Like I Do)” and “Love is Just a Tough Away” also landed on the R&B Top Ten. And as a result of those four singles’ success, Rock Me Tonight topped the R&B charts and went platinum.

His duet with Melba Moore “A Little Bit More,” off 1986’s A Lot of Love landed at #1on the R&B charts. He promptly followed up with that year’s Just Like the First Time, which went platinum off the success of “Tasty Love,” “Have You Loved Somebody” and “Jam Tonight” all landing at #1 on the R&B charts while “I Don’t Want to Lose Your Love” landed at #2.

1988’s Don’t Let Love Slip Away featured two more R&B chart toppers “Hey Lover” and “Nice ‘N’ Slow.” 1990’s Do Me Again also featured two addition R&B chart topping singles, album title track “Do Me Again” and “Love Me Down,” with “Main Course” landing at #2.

While his commercial success did slow down a bit from the high point of his career, he was occasionally active releasing a handful of albums and singles over the past decade. But let’s not forever that he recorded some of the most beloved Quiet Storm R&B songs of the mid 1980s and early 1990s. And goodness, that voice.

Rest in peace, brother!

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