R&B singer Freddie Jackson, the voice behind "You Are My Lady" and "Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake)," was 70 when he died Monday night, October 5, three days after his birthday. His family announced the news on his verified Instagram account, saying he "went home to rest." No cause of death has been announced.
Where he learned to sing
Born Frederick Anthony Jackson on October 2, 1956, he grew up in Harlem and trained as a gospel singer from an early age at White Rock Baptist Church. He later sang with the funk group Mystic Merlin and worked as a backup singer for Melba Moore before his solo breakthrough.
The hits that defined "quiet storm" R&B
Jackson signed with Capitol Records, and his 1985 debut album Rock Me Tonight made him a star. Both "Rock Me Tonight" and "You Are My Lady" reached No. 1 on the R&B chart and made the Top 20 on the pop chart. In just six years he scored 10 No. 1 R&B hits and eight more Top 10s, including "Have You Ever Loved Somebody," "Tasty Love," and "Jam Tonight." He earned Grammy nominations for Best New Artist and Best R&B Vocal Performance, Male for "You Are My Lady." His second album, Just Like the First Time, also went platinum.
What the family has shared
The family thanked everyone who sang along and danced to his music, and asked for prayers for his loved ones. Funeral arrangements and ways to honor his legacy will be announced in the coming days. Jackson shared in September 2024 that he was living with kidney disease, but his family has not connected it to his death.
For many fans, his songs were the soundtrack to weddings and anniversaries. The voice behind them was shaped in a Harlem Baptist church.
Related: Freddie Jackson Dies: What His Family Has Confirmed About the "You Are My Lady" Singer
