Grammy-nominated singer Freddie Jackson died Monday night, Oct. 5, 2026, three days after his 70th birthday, his family said.
Jackson was 70. His family announced the death Tuesday, Oct. 6, in a statement posted to the singer’s official Instagram account, and 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 said in the announcement.
“Freddie was more than a legendary voice,” the family said. They remembered him as kind and generous, and said he loved his fans, his family, his friends and his music.
The family said his decades of songs became the soundtrack to listeners’ love stories, celebrations and most treasured memories. They said they would share arrangements and ways to honor his legacy in the coming days.
From Harlem Gospel to Platinum
Frederick Anthony Jackson was born and raised in Harlem. He sang gospel from an early age at White Rock Baptist Church, then worked the New York club scene in his early years. He headed out West with the funk band Mystic Merlin in the late ’70s before coming back home.
His 1985 debut album, “Rock Me Tonight,” made him a star almost on arrival. The title track spent six weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart, and the album hit No. 1 on the R&B albums chart. The Recording Industry Association of America certified the record platinum.
“You Are My Lady,” also from the debut, became his signature song. It reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, the highest pop placement of his career, and it stayed in permanent rotation at weddings and engagements.
Jackson picked up the only two Grammy nominations of his career in 1986, for best new artist and for best male R&B vocal performance for the song.
His 1987 follow-up, “Just Like the First Time,” went platinum as well. It produced three No. 1 R&B singles: “Tasty Love,” “Have You Ever Loved Somebody” and “Jam Tonight.” The fourth single, “I Don’t Want to Lose Your Love,” stopped at No. 2.
His duet with singer Melba Moore, “A Little Bit More,” also topped the chart. He recorded the 1989 duet “Love Survives” with singer Irene Cara for the “All Dogs Go to Heaven” soundtrack. Michael Lloyd produced it.
Jackson released more than a dozen albums in all, among them “Time for Love” in 1992. He was a mainstay of the Billboard charts and a fixture of urban radio through the ’80s and early ’90s. His velvet baritone made “Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake)” and “You Are My Lady” fixtures of 1980s radio.
A Kidney Diagnosis Shared in 2024
Jackson told followers in September 2024 that he had been diagnosed with kidney disease. He shared the news in a video posted to his social media accounts.
“This journey has had its challenges but I’ve decided to face it with openness and resilience,” Jackson said in the clip. He added that he wanted to share the news as a way to do some good, and he announced the partnership with the National Kidney Foundation to raise awareness of the illness.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more than one in seven American adults has chronic kidney disease. As many as nine in 10 do not know they have it. The condition damages the kidneys’ ability to filter blood, which leads to excess waste and fluid buildup and other problems, such as heart disease.
The National Kidney Foundation, which Jackson partnered with in 2024, said it was “deeply saddened” to learn of his death.
“His battle with kidney disease touched many lives, and his courage will not be forgotten,” the foundation said in a social media statement.
Fort Worth and a Philadelphia Winery
Jackson never stopped working. He released his final album, “My First Love,” in 2023, and his live sets paired that material with hits audiences had carried for 40 years.
He headlined an 80s Night concert in Fort Worth, Texas, in April. He performed at a Philadelphia winery in June.