Jackson, George (12th March 1945-14th April 2013)

He was a songwriter, producer and background singer born George Henry Jackson in Indianola, Mississippi.

He began professionally recording in the early 1960s when he sang for the record label owned by Ike Turner in 1963. This led to him recording and touring for the majority of the 1960s as well as writing songs.

He went to Memphis but was unsuccessful in landing a contract with Stax Records but after meeting Louis Williams he co-founded The Ovations. Their single “It’s So Wonderful to be in Love” found them some success when it went to No. 22 on the R&B chart.

He got signed up by Decca and recorded for them using the alias Bart Jackson. With them he released the 1968 single “Wonderful Dream”.

At the end of the 1960s he went to Muscle Shoals in Alabama with the encouragement of the producer Billy Sherrill, he went to the Fame Studio in Muscle Shoals and became employed there as a producer and staff songwriter. He also recorded several of his own singles from the mid-1960s to the mid-1970s which included “How Can I Get Next To You”, “Blinkety Blink” and “We’ve Only Just Begun” and the chart singles “Aretha, Sing One for Me” and “That’s How Much You Mean To Me”.

This is where he started to find success as a writer and co-writer when his songs were recorded by countless top artists of the day. These include “It’s too Funky in Here” which was recorded by James Brown, the gold status single “Too Weak to Fight” for Clarence Carter, “One Bad Apple” which was a No.1 chart song in 1971 for The Osmonds, “A Man and a Half” by Wilson Pickett, the UK No. 1 for Yazz and Coldcut “The Only Way Is Up” and “Old Time Rock and Roll” and “Trying to Live My Life Without You” by Bob Seger.

In the 1980s he became a staff songwriter for Malaco Records and wrote hits for several other artists and in 1991 he released his own album on Hep Me Records called “Heart to Heart Collect”.

Throughout his career he appeared on many recordings as a singer, songwriter and/or producer and just a few of these recordings include his own All Because of Your Love, Big Shot, Let the Best Man Win, Sweet Down home Delta Blues, Tell Me Why and Old Time Spirituals with Dorothy Jackson, Mountain Music by Alabama, An Anthology, Vol. 2 by Duane Allman, Honest Lover by Joan Baez, Members Only by Bobby “Blue” Bland, Cryin’ Over You: Anthology 1963-1978 by Ken Boothe, Live by James Brown, Bicentennial Burritos by The Flying Burrito Brothers, Soul Deep by Clarence Carter, Where the Hits Are by Connie Francis, Fancy by Bobby Gentry, More Hits from Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, Vol. 2 by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five, Let Go by Dobie Gray, I’m Still In Love With You by Al Green, Down Home Blues by Gene Harris, Killer Country by Jerry Lee Lewis, Feelin’ Bitchy by Millie Jackson, The Right Time by Etta James, Living for You by Al Jarreau, Makin’ Love is Good for You By B.B. King, Shakedown: Marley Remixed by Bob Marley, Feel the Love by Dorothy Moore, Mardi Gras Rock n Roll by Aaron Neville, Homemade by The Osmonds, It’s Time For Love/This One’s For You by Teddy Pendergrass, Hey Jude by Wilson Pickett, The Ultimate Collection by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Stranger in Town by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band, Ultimate by S’Express, Mood, Heart & Soul/Today by Joe Simon, The Best Of… by Southside Johnny & The Asbury Dukes, The Best Of… by Candi Staton, Famous in the Last Century by Status Quo, The Soul Sessions by Joss Stone, Forever Tams by The Tams, Disco 9000 by Johnnie Taylor, Funky Chicken by Rufus Thomas, Workin’ Together by Ike & Tina Turner, The Definitive Fats Waller, Vol. 1: His Piano, His Rhythm by Fats Waller and Midnight Mover by Bobby Womack.

He died of cancer at his home in Ridgeland, Mississippi in 2013 when he was 68 years old.

Sources:

Jackson, George (12th March 1945-14th April 2013)

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