American R&B singer Freddie Jackson, best known for You Are My Lady and Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake), has died, according to reports quoting a statement from his family.
The statement said Jackson “went home to rest last night”. Published on Tuesday, October 6, it placed his death on Monday night. His family did not announce a cause of death.
Relatives paid tribute to his generosity and his love for fans, family and music. They thanked listeners for supporting him throughout his career and said details of arrangements and plans to honour his legacy would follow.
Jackson grew up in Harlem, New York, and began singing gospel at White Rock Baptist Church, where he met future producer and songwriting partner Paul Laurence.
After performing with the band Mystic Merlin and singing backing vocals for Melba Moore, he broke through as a solo artist with his 1985 debut album Rock Me Tonight.
The title track spent six weeks at number one on the US R&B chart. You Are My Lady also topped that chart and reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming his biggest US pop hit.
His second album, Just Like the First Time, followed in 1986. Both albums achieved platinum status, with subsequent hits including Tasty Love, Have You Ever Loved Somebody and Jam Tonight.
His later releases included Love Signals in 2018 and My First Love in 2023.
