Grammy-nominated R&B singer Freddie Jackson, known for ‘80s hits like ‘You Are My Lady,’ dies at 70

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Grammy-nominated R&B singer Freddie Jackson, known for his smooth ‘80s hits “Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake)” and “You Are My Lady,” has died. He was 70.

A statement shared by his family on his official Instagram account confirmed Jackson died Monday, three days after his 70th birthday. No cause of death was provided.

“Freddie was more than a legendary voice. He was a kind, generous soul who loved his fans, his family, his friends, and his music with everything he had. 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,” the statement read.

“To everyone who ever sang along, danced, or felt something when Freddie took the stage: thank you. You were family to him, and he carried your love with him always,” it continued.

Details regarding arrangements will be announced in the coming days.

Jackson was born and raised in Harlem, where he learned all about soul music and sang gospel at White Rock Baptist Church. He started his career in the New York club scene, eventually making his way out West with the band Mystic Merlin in the late ‘70s. He soon returned to New York and released his debut album, “Rock Me Tonight,” in 1985. His distinctive voice proved to be his superpower: the album, which was quickly certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, also led to his two career Grammy nominations. Those were for best new artist and best male R&B vocal performance for the single “You Are My Lady.”

“Rock Me Tonight” also created a new R&B superstar: Jackson became a mainstay of those Billboard charts and a fixture of contemporary urban radio play throughout the ’80s and early ‘90s.

His sophomore album, 1987’s “Just Like the First Time,” was also certified platinum.

In 2024, Jackson revealed he had been diagnosed with kidney disease in a video shared to his social media accounts.

“This journey has had its challenges but I’ve decided to face it with openness and resilience,” he said in the clip. “It’s important to me that I share this with you, not just as a part of my personal story, but as a way to make a positive difference.”

At the time, Jackson also revealed he had partnered with the National Kidney Foundation to raise awareness of the disease.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1 in 7 American adults has chronic kidney disease. As many as 9 in 10 don’t know they have it.

Chronic kidney disease is a condition where the kidneys are damaged and struggle to filter blood. As a result, excess waste and fluids remain and can lead to other health issues, such as heart disease.

Raymond Boyd/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

曾获格莱美奖提名的R&B歌手弗雷迪·杰克逊去世，享年70岁。他以80年代的热门歌曲《Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake)》和《You Are My Lady》而闻名。

杰克逊的家人在其官方Instagram账号上发布声明，证实他于周一去世，距离他70岁生日仅三天。声明中未提及死因。

“弗雷迪不仅仅是一位传奇歌手。他心地善良、慷慨大方，用尽全力热爱他的歌迷、家人、朋友和他的音乐。几十年来，他为我们创作的歌曲成为了我们爱情故事、庆祝活动和最珍贵回忆的背景音乐。这份礼物将永存，”声明中写道。

“致所有曾在弗雷迪登台时跟着他唱歌、跳舞或有所感触的人们：谢谢你们。你们就像他的家人一样，他永远铭记着你们的爱。”声明继续说道。

相关安排详情将于近日公布。

杰克逊出生于哈莱姆区，并在那里长大，从小就耳濡目染灵魂乐，并在白岩浸信会教堂演唱福音歌曲。他的音乐生涯始于纽约的俱乐部，最终在70年代末期随乐队“神秘梅林”（Mystic Merlin）前往西部发展。不久后，他回到纽约，并于1985年发行了首张专辑《今夜摇滚我》（Rock Me Tonight）。他独特的嗓音成为了他的制胜法宝：这张专辑迅速获得了美国唱片工业协会（RIAA）的白金认证，并为他赢得了两项格莱美奖提名，分别是最佳新人奖和凭借单曲《你是我的女士》（You Are My Lady）获得的最佳R&B男歌手奖。

《Rock Me Tonight》也造就了一位新的 R&B 超级巨星：杰克逊成为公告牌排行榜的常客，并在整个 80 年代和 90 年代初成为当代都市电台播放的常客。

他的第二张专辑，1987 年的《就像第一次一样》，也获得了白金唱片认证。

2024年，杰克逊在社交媒体账户上分享的一段视频中透露，他被诊断出患有肾病。

“这段旅程充满挑战，但我决定以开放和坚韧的心态去面对，”他在视频中说道。“对我来说，与你们分享这段经历非常重要，这不仅是我个人故事的一部分，也是希望能够带来积极的影响。”

当时，杰克逊还透露，他已与美国国家肾脏基金会合作，以提高人们对这种疾病的认识。

据美国疾病控制与预防中心统计，超过七分之一的美国成年人患有慢性肾病。其中高达十分之九的人并不知道自己患有此病。

慢性肾脏病是指肾脏受损，难以有效过滤血液的一种疾病。结果，过多的废物和液体滞留在体内，可能导致其他健康问题，例如心脏病。