Freddie Jackson, whose romantic ballads made him a prominent voice in American R&B during the 1980s, has died.
According to Associated Press, his family announced on his official Instagram account that he died on Monday, 5 October. No cause of death was disclosed.
His official biography records his birth date as 2 October 1956, making him 70 at the time of his death.
From gospel singing to R&B success
Jackson grew up in Harlem, New York, and sang gospel at White Rock Baptist Church. There he met Paul Laurence, who later became an important songwriting and production partner.
His early career included performances in New York clubs, work with the band Mystic Merlin, and backing vocals for Melba Moore.
His breakthrough came with the 1985 debut album Rock Me Tonight. Its title track spent six weeks at number one on the R&B singles chart, according to his official biography.
“You Are My Lady” became another R&B chart-topper and reached number 13 on the US pop chart. The album was certified platinum.
Grammy recognition and later recordings
The Recording Academy’s artist record lists two Grammy nominations for Jackson in 1986: Best New Artist and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for “You Are My Lady”.
He received no Grammy wins, making “Grammy-nominated” the accurate description of his awards record.
Further hits included “Tasty Love,” “Have You Ever Loved Somebody” and “Jam Tonight.” He continued recording beyond his initial commercial success, releasing albums including Love Signals in 2018 and My First Love in 2023.
Family remembers his generosity
People’s account of the family statement described their tribute to his generosity and his love for fans, friends, relatives and music.
Jackson publicly disclosed kidney disease in 2024 and supported awareness efforts. However, the family has not identified it as the cause of his death.
The family said that details of the arrangements and plans to honour his legacy would be shared in the coming days.
