I am originally from Greenville, Mississippi but have lived most of my life in Memphis. Some of my biggest songs were penned in Memphis and then taken to Muscle Shoals to be recorded.
I'm still writing for Malaco and make my way over there almost every day. It's a good life!
Below is my bio:
George Jackson is one of the most prolific songwriters who has written or co-written hits for some of the biggest names in the music industry such as James Brown (“It’s Too Funky In Here”), Bob Seger (“Old Time Rock and Roll”, “Trying To Live My Life Without You”), Wilson Pickett (“A Man And A Half”), Z.Z. Hill (“Down Home Blues”) and The Osmonds (“One Bad Apple”).
His songs span all genres, having been recorded by Liza Minelli (“One More Hurt”), The Staple Singers (“Unlock Your Mind”), Joan Baez (“Free At Last”), Tina Turner (“Root, Toot Undisputable Rock 'N' Roller”), and Bobbie Gentry (“Find 'Em, Fool 'Em and Forget 'Em”). He also recorded several Southern soul-flavored singles, charting with “That’s How Much You Mean To Me” and “Aretha, Sing One For Me.”
Born in 1945 in Greenville, Mississippi, Jackson started recording for Ike Turner’s Prann label in 1963 after introducing himself to Turner when the entertainer played a concert in Greenville. That took him to New Orleans to record the single “Nobody Wants To Cha Cha With Me” at Cosimo Matassa’s studio in New Orleans. Ike and Tina Turner later went on to record Jackson’s song “As Long As I Can Get You (When I Want You)”.
After traveling to Memphis, Jackson was turned down by Stax Records, but while there he met Louis Williams and they started a vocal group called the Ovations. Recording for Goldwax Records, their single ‘it’s so wonderful to be in love’ made it to number 22 on the R&B chart in 1965. While with Goldwax, Jackson wrote for label-mates James Carr and Spencer Wiggins. The Ovations broke up and Jackson got a solo deal with Decca Records under the pseudonym Bart Jackson, releasing ‘Wonderful Dream’ in 1968.
At the suggestion of producer Billy Sherrill, Jackson journeyed to Muscle Shoals, AL, to work at producer Rick Hall’s Fame Recording Studio, where he became a staff songwriter and wrote for Candi Staton (“Just a Prisoner”, “I’d Rather Be An Old Man’s Sweetheart (Than A Young Man’s Fool)”) and a gold single for Clarence Carter (“Too Weak To Fight”).
MGM Records act The Osmonds visited the hit factory and Jackson submitted a song he had originally written for the Jackson 5. “One Bad Apple” hit Number One on the pop charts in early 1971 for five consecutive weeks and sold over a million copies. The Osmonds also had much success with his song “Double Lovin’”. Because of the accomplishments, Jackson was allowed to record some singles for MGM.
During the mid-80s, Jackson joined Malaco Records as a staff songwriter penning hit after hit for Johnny Taylor, Bobby Bland, Z.Z. Hill, Latimore and Denise LaSalle. Jackson’s own album Heart to Heart Collect was released by Hep Me Records in 1991.
