Walter Jackson (singer)
Encyclopedia
Walter Jackson was an American
soul
ballad
singer who had a string of hits on the US R&B chart between the mid 1960s and early 1980s. His biggest successes included "It's All Over" in 1964, "It's An Uphill Climb To The Bottom" in 1966 and "Feelings
", a cover of the Morris Albert
pop
hit, in 1976.
, and raised in Detroit. As a child he became ill with polio, as a result of which he used crutch
es for the rest of his life. He first recorded as a member of a vocal group, the Velvetones, on the Deb label in 1959, and then turned solo, singing in Detroit nightclubs. After failing an audition for Motown, he was discovered there by Columbia Records
' A&R
man Carl Davis
, who was impressed with his powerful voice, persuaded him to move to Chicago
in 1962, and signed him to the label. His first solo record, "I Don't Want To Suffer", was not a hit, and after a few more releases he transferred to the subsidiary label OKeh
. There, he had his first hit with "It's All Over", written by Curtis Mayfield
and produced by Mayfield and Davis, which made no. 67 on the Billboard
Hot 100 in 1964.
Davis continued to provide songs for Jackson from such writers as Mayfield and Van McCoy
, and he had a string of hits on the R&B chart in the mid 1960s, although none rose above the lower reaches of the pop charts. Among the most successful were "Suddenly I'm All Alone" (no. 13 R&B, no. 96 pop, 1965), "Welcome Home" (no. 15 R&B, no. 95 pop, 1965), "It's An Uphill Climb To The Bottom" (no. 11 R&B, no. 88 pop, 1966), and "Speak Her Name" (no. 22 R&B, no. 89 pop, 1967). Davis also promoted Jackson as an album
artist, releasing three LPs by him on OKeh - It’s All Over, Welcome Home (1965), and Speak Her Name (1967), together with a greatest hits collection. He moved to Cotillion Records
in the late 1960s, and then on to the Brunswick
label, with diminishing commercial success. However, in the mid-1970s he moved to Davis' new Chi Sound
label and had one of his biggest hits with a version of Morris Albert's 1975 pop hit "Feelings". Jackson's version reached no. 9 on the R&B chart and no. 93 on the pop chart in 1976. The following year, his version of Peter Frampton
's "Baby, I Love Your Way
" reached no. 19 on the R&B chart, but later releases were less successful.
Jackson died of a cerebral haemorrhage in 1983 at the age of 45.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
singer who had a string of hits on the US R&B chart between the mid 1960s and early 1980s. His biggest successes included "It's All Over" in 1964, "It's An Uphill Climb To The Bottom" in 1966 and "Feelings
Feelings (song)
"Feelings" is a song based on a melody composed by Loulou Gasté and made famous by Morris Albert, who recorded it as a single released in 1974 that later appeared as the title track of his 1975 debut album. The song's lyrics, recognizable by their "whoa whoa whoa" chorus, concern the singer's...
", a cover of the Morris Albert
Morris Albert
Morris Albert is a Brazilian singer and songwriter, famous for his 1975 hit single "Feelings"....
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
hit, in 1976.
Life and career
He was born in Pensacola, FloridaPensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
, and raised in Detroit. As a child he became ill with polio, as a result of which he used crutch
Crutch
Crutches are mobility aids used to counter a mobility impairment or an injury that limits walking ability.- Types :There are several different types of crutches:...
es for the rest of his life. He first recorded as a member of a vocal group, the Velvetones, on the Deb label in 1959, and then turned solo, singing in Detroit nightclubs. After failing an audition for Motown, he was discovered there by Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
' A&R
A&R
Artists and repertoire is the division of a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. It also acts as a liaison between artists and the record label.- Finding talent :...
man Carl Davis
Carl Davis (record producer)
Carl H. Davis is an American record producer and music executive, who was particularly active in Chicago in the 1960s and 1970s when he was responsible for hit R&B records by Gene Chandler, Major Lance, Jackie Wilson, The Chi-Lites, Barbara Acklin, Tyrone Davis and others.-Life and career:He was...
, who was impressed with his powerful voice, persuaded him to move to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 1962, and signed him to the label. His first solo record, "I Don't Want To Suffer", was not a hit, and after a few more releases he transferred to the subsidiary label OKeh
Okeh Records
Okeh Records began as an independent record label based in the United States of America in 1918. From 1926 on, it was a subsidiary of Columbia Records.-History:...
. There, he had his first hit with "It's All Over", written by Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Mayfield
Curtis Lee Mayfield was an American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer.He is best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and for composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly, Mayfield is highly...
and produced by Mayfield and Davis, which made no. 67 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100 in 1964.
Davis continued to provide songs for Jackson from such writers as Mayfield and Van McCoy
Van McCoy
Van Allen Clinton McCoy was an accomplished musician, music producer, arranger, songwriter, and orchestra conductor. He is known best for his 1975 internationally successful song "The Hustle", which is still played in dance halls and on radio to this day more than thirty years since his death...
, and he had a string of hits on the R&B chart in the mid 1960s, although none rose above the lower reaches of the pop charts. Among the most successful were "Suddenly I'm All Alone" (no. 13 R&B, no. 96 pop, 1965), "Welcome Home" (no. 15 R&B, no. 95 pop, 1965), "It's An Uphill Climb To The Bottom" (no. 11 R&B, no. 88 pop, 1966), and "Speak Her Name" (no. 22 R&B, no. 89 pop, 1967). Davis also promoted Jackson as an album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
artist, releasing three LPs by him on OKeh - It’s All Over, Welcome Home (1965), and Speak Her Name (1967), together with a greatest hits collection. He moved to Cotillion Records
Cotillion Records
Cotillion Records was a subsidiary of Atlantic Records and was active from 1968 through 1985. The label was originally formed as an outlet for blues and deep Southern soul; its first single, Otis Clay's version of "She's About A Mover", reached the R&B charts. Cotillion's catalog quickly expanded...
in the late 1960s, and then on to the Brunswick
Brunswick Records
Brunswick Records is a United States based record label. The label is currently distributed by E1 Entertainment.-From 1916:Records under the "Brunswick" label were first produced by the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company...
label, with diminishing commercial success. However, in the mid-1970s he moved to Davis' new Chi Sound
Chi Sound Records
Chi-Sound Records is an independent record label set up in 1976 by established Chicago record producer Carl Davis. He had been involved in the music industry since the early 1960s working with locally-based labels including Vee-Jay and Okeh, a subsidiary of the major Columbia Records. He produced...
label and had one of his biggest hits with a version of Morris Albert's 1975 pop hit "Feelings". Jackson's version reached no. 9 on the R&B chart and no. 93 on the pop chart in 1976. The following year, his version of Peter Frampton
Peter Frampton
Peter Kenneth Frampton is an English musician, singer, producer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. He was previously associated with the bands Humble Pie and The Herd. Frampton's international breakthrough album was his live release, Frampton Comes Alive!. The album sold over 6 million copies...
's "Baby, I Love Your Way
Baby, I Love Your Way
"Baby, I Love Your Way" is a song written and performed by singer Peter Frampton that was first featured on Frampton's 1975 album, Frampton...
" reached no. 19 on the R&B chart, but later releases were less successful.
Jackson died of a cerebral haemorrhage in 1983 at the age of 45.