Freddie Jackson, 'Rock Me Tonight' R&B Star, Dies at 70
The Harlem-born balladeer ruled R&B radio in the 1980s with 'Rock Me Tonight' and 'You Are My Lady.' He died Monday night, days after his 70th birthday.
Freddie Jackson, the R&B singer whose velvet baritone ruled the quiet-storm era of the 1980s, died Monday night. He was 70.
His family announced his death Tuesday in a post on his official Instagram account. They did not give a cause.
“It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we share the passing of our beloved Freddie Jackson, who went home to rest last night,” the family’s statement said. “For decades he gave us the songs that became the soundtrack to our love stories, our celebrations, and our most treasured memories. That gift will live on forever.”
Jackson was born and raised in Harlem. He sang gospel at the White Rock Baptist Church, where he met his future producer and songwriting partner Paul Laurence. He played the New York club scene, moved west to front the funk band Mystic Merlin, then came back and sang backup for Melba Moore before landing a deal with Capitol Records.
His 1985 debut, Rock Me Tonight, made him a star overnight. The title track spent six weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B chart. The follow-up, “You Are My Lady,” also topped the R&B chart and reached No. 13 on the Hot 100.
Ten of his songs hit No. 1 on the R&B chart. He landed seven crossover hits on the Hot 100 and earned two Grammy nominations in 1986 — best new artist and best male R&B vocal performance for “You Are My Lady,” according to People.
The hits kept coming: “Have You Ever Loved Somebody,” “Jam Tonight,” “Tasty Love,” and the Melba Moore duet “A Little Bit More.”
In 2024, Jackson told fans he had been diagnosed with kidney disease. He partnered with the National Kidney Foundation to raise awareness about it. His final album, My First Love, came out in 2023.
The family said details about funeral arrangements and ways to honor his legacy would be shared in the coming days.
