Oct 12, 2026
Author Spotlight: Freddie Jackson — The Voice That Made Slow Jams Sound Like Grand Romance
A deep dive on Freddie Jackson — the Harlem-born R&B balladeer who trained in a Baptist church choir, met his lifelong producer Paul Laurence there, sang lead for the funk band Mystic Merlin, and then dominated the 1980s with 'Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake),' 'You Are My Lady,' 'Tasty Love' and 'Jam Tonight'; a two-time Grammy nominee with ten No. 1 R&B hits and an American Music Award for 'Nice 'n' Slow'; his defining reflections on soul, on crossing over without selling out, and on putting his health before the stage; and the legacy of the singer who died on 5 October 2026, three days after his 70th birthday.