Randy Jackson 1956 –

Musician, record producer

Worked as Touring Musician

Moved to Los Angeles

Became American Idol Judge

Continued to Produce

Selected discography

Sources

A talented and versatile bass player, Randy Jackson is also a prolific performer and record producer. After more than twenty years in the music business as a session player and record company executive, Jackson moved into the public spotlight in 2002 when he became one of the three judges on hit television talent show, American Idol.

Jackson was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1956. He was the youngest of three children born to Herman Jackson, who worked at the local Exxon plant as a foreman, and his wife, Julia. In high school, Jackson was an accomplished athlete, but his first love was music. Inspired by hearing a local R&B band rehearsing in his neighborhood, he learned how to play the bass guitar; his brother, Herman, became a drummer. “I was so enthralled,” Jackson told People magazine in a 2003 interview. “I thought, ‘Wow, I wanna be one of those guys.’” As a teenager, he would sneak out in the evenings to hear live music and perform in local clubs.

Jackson attended Southern University in Baton Rouge, studying music. He took some time off in his senior year in order to acquire more practical experience, playing in jazz drummer Billy Cobham’s band and appearing on two of Cobham’s records. After graduating from Southern in 1979, Jackson embarked on a full-time career in music. A talented keyboardist as well as a bass player, equally at home in jazz, pop or rock, he soon found ongoing work as a session musician (as well as a nickname Randy “The Emperor” Jackson) in studios on both coasts of the United States.

After some early recording work with Jean-Luc Ponty, Bobby McFerrin, and a number of jazz fusion artists, Jackson played bass in a pickup band that included Carlos Santana and members of the Grateful Dead, playing at free concerts and benefits in and around San Francisco. He was hired by the rock group Journey to play bass on their 1983 album Frontiers and, after Jackson performed on Raised on Radio, Journey invited him to tour with them to promote the album. Although the band then went on a prolonged hiatus, Jackson maintained his friendship with front man Steve Perry, and helped him assemble a band for his 1994 solo album, For the Love of Strange Medicine, and subsequent tour.

At a Glance …

Born in 1956, in Baton Rouge, LA; married Elizabeth Jackson, (divorced 1990); married Erika Riker, 1995; children: (first marriage) Taylor, (second marriage) Zoe, Jordan. Education: Southern University, BA, music, 1979.

Career: Played bass and keyboards on over 1000 albums, 1980–; toured with Journey, 1980s; Columbia Records, vice president of A&R, 1990s; MCA Records, senior vice president of A&R, 1990s; UCLA, teacher of recording industry classes, 1990s; Fox TV’s American Idol judge, 2002–; continues to produce, perform and manage artists.

Addresses: Home —Tarzana, CA. Publicist —Brit Reece, PMK/HBH, 8500 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 700, Los Angeles, CA 90211.

Jackson later referred to the 1980s as a “bold, wild, crazy” period of his life, according to US Magazine. He became a sought-after performer, easily recognizable because of his distinctive, six-inch-high flat-top hairdo. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, his reputation as a stellar player won Jackson some high-profile touring and studio gigs with a diverse range of artists, including Madonna, Tracy Chapman, Kenny G, Aretha Franklin, Cher, Elton John, and Michael Bolton. He played bass on Bruce Springsteen’s Lucky Town and Human Touch albums, both released in 1992. He also played keyboard and bass on Whitney Houston’s first two albums, and performed on Celine Dion’s first English-language album, Unison. Touring with Bob Dylan, Jackson was the bass player on two Dylan albums, Down in the Groove, and Under the Red Sky.

Jackson’s musical ambitions extended beyond working as a sideman. Writing songs as well as performing, he grew “really tired of being the session guy,” he told People magazine. In the early 1990s he moved permanently to Los Angeles to find more creative opportunities.

Jackson became vice president of A&R at Columbia Records, a position he held for eight years. At Columbia, Jackson produced and co-produced a number of albums, including Eddie Money’s Right Here, Trisha Covington’s Slow Down, and Flesh and Bone by Richard Marx. He also worked on a number of soundtracks and compilations, including First Wives’ Club and The Truth About Cats & Dogs. He subsequently spent four years at MCA Records as senior vice president of A&R, producing Rahsaan Patterson’s Love in Stereo, Gladys Knight’s At Last, and Jesse Powell’s 2001 album, JP.

At Columbia Records, he had met and worked with Mariah Carey, who asked him to write and produce two songs, “Fireworks” and “I Know,” for her 2001 film, Glitter. He also co-wrote two songs on Carey’s 2003 album, CharmBracelet, “My Saving Grace” and “Irresistible.”

In early 2002, Jackson’s agent suggested he meet the production team behind a new reality TV show, American Idol. Developed by former Spice Girls manager and powerhouse producer Simon Fuller, American Idol was based on the popular British sensation, Pop Idol. The format was a televised singing contest, in which young singers competed for a recording contract, their performances assessed each week by a panel of judges. The show’s twist was the involvement of the general public, who voted in record numbers by telephone to keep favorite contestants. Pop Idol had made a star of several of its young performers, as well as one of the judges, sharp-tongued record producer Simon Cowell.

After more than a decade in Los Angeles, Jackson was a respected industry veteran, whose credits included over a thousand gold and platinum albums. His first reaction to the concept of American Idol was not positive. “TV’s corny, cheesy, whatever,” he told LA radio DJ JoJo Wright, in an interview posted on the deejay’s website. Despite his years of experience in the music business, Jackson had spent little time in front of the camera—aside from a 1992 bass guitar instruction video, Randy Jackson: Mastering the Groove, and a guest appearance in the 1990 television special, Mother Goose Rock n’ Rhyme. “I’ve been behind the scenes with all these artists,” he said in a Newsweek on-line interview. “I’ve seen celebrity up close, but I’ve never really lived it.”

Believing the music business to be in a creative slump, Jackson had strong feelings about the increased emphasis on looks over talent, as well as concerns about the longevity of many new artists. But watching tapes of the original British version of the show persuaded Jackson to change his mind, joining Simon Cowell and singer Paula Abdul on the American Idol judging panel. “I’m doing the same thing I do as an A&R person,” Jackson was quoted as saying in an interview with the Miami Herald. “You know what you’re looking for, what makes a star.”

American Idol’s star search attracted tens of thousands of aspiring singers in seven cities. In Los Angeles alone, an estimated 11,000 people registered for the second season’s auditions, only two of whom made it through to the show’s final 12, according to a special American Idol edition of People magazine. Although the judges were not asked to hear all the contestants, Jackson found the grueling audition process exhausting and at times dispiriting, despairing of the delusions of many of the hopefuls. “This is a hard, tough, tough business,” he told Newsweek, “I think karaoke has done the record industry a huge disservice.”

American Idol proved a massive hit for the Fox network, swiftly graduating, said US magazine, “from guilty pleasure to outright pop culture obsession.” The first season attracted an average of 12.7 million viewers, while the second season averaged 21.7 million, with more than 38 million viewers tuning in for the finale, according to The New York Times. Because of the public appetite for the show, it was expanded from 25 to 38 episodes in its second season. The series spawned a movie, concert tours, compilation albums, an interactive video game, associated merchandise and a spin-off series called American Juniors, while Newsweek reported on foreign versions of the show in more than a dozen countries. The album by first season winner Kelly Clarkson, debuted at number one on the Billboard charts in April of 2003. By the end of the second season, Jackson felt confident enough about the integrity of the judging process and public vote to laud the show’s contribution. “This gives me hope for music,” he told Newsweek. “It could be the start of a music business where it’s based on talent, like it was in the ‘60s and ‘70s.”

American Idol propelled Jackson firmly into the public consciousness. Although he never became a media darling like the acerbic, controversial Cowell, Jackson became a household name. Some commentators poked gentle fun at Jackson’s way of speaking: Newsweek suggested that the most notable change in season two was that “Randy, Randy, Randy has stopped saying names in triplicate and adopted a new verbaltic—Dawg.” Described by Newsweek as “the least high maintenance of the three judges,” Jackson was praised for his amiable, laid back approach to American Idol. Simon Cowell was quoted in People magazine as saying: “Randy is the only person on this show … who has remained totally and utterly unaffected by it.”

Jackson, who has taught A&R classes at UCLA, continued to work as a music producer throughout his commitments to American Idol. He recently produced vocals on a duet between Mariah Carey and Justin Timberlake, and made a personal appearance in the music video for Carey’s song “Bringin’ on the Heartbreak.” Describing bass playing as “therapy”, Jackson still chose to play at occasional studio sessions, including Kelly Clarkson’s debut, Thankful.

Jackson manages his own artists, including former child star and singer Nikka Costa, and singer-songwriter Van Hunt, with whom he co-produced Dionne Farris’ 1997 hit song “Hopeless.” In addition to his television appearances as a judge on American Idol, Jackson was a presenter at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards and, in the same year, made a guest appearance on the Wayne Brady Show. He also appeared on British television in 2003, on alternative variety show Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.

Randy Jackson has been married twice. He divorced his first wife, singer-songwriter Elizabeth Jackson, in 1990, and married former ballet dancer, Erika Riker, in 1995. He has one daughter, Taylor, from his first marriage, and two children, Zoe and Jordan, from his second. In interviews, he is eager to correct the impression that he is related to either musical superstar Michael Jackson (who has a brother named Randy) or actor Samuel L. Jackson. He lives in Tarzana, a suburb of Los Angeles.

As musician

Jean-Luc Ponty, Civilized Evil, 1980.

Jean-Luc Ponty, Mystical Adventures, 1982.

Bobby McFerrin, Bobby McFerrin, 1982.

Jean-Luc Ponty, Individual Choice, 1983.

Journey, Frontiers, 1983.

Whitney Houston, Whitney Houston, 1985.

Aretha Franklin, Who’s Zoomin’ Who?, 1985.

Eddie Money, Can’t Hold Back, 1986.

Journey, Raised on Radio, 1986.

Aretha Franklin, Aretha, 1986.

Kenny G, Duotones, 1986.

Whitney Houston, Whitney, 1987.

Michael Bolton, Hunger, 1987.

Bob Dylan, Down in the Groove, 1988.

Madonna, Like a Prayer, 1989.

Bob Dylan, Under the Red Sky, 1990.

Celine Dion, Unison, 1990.

Elton John, To Be Continued, 1990.

Michael Bolton, Time, Love & Tenderness, 1991.

Cher, Love Hurts, 1991.

Michael Bolton, Timeless: The Classics, 1992.

Mariah Carey, MTV Unplugged, 1992.

Bruce Springsteen, Human Touch, 1992.

Bruce Springsteen, Lucky Town, 1992.

Tracy Chapman, Matters of the Heart, 1992.

Mariah Carey, Merry Christmas, 1994.

Aretha Franklin, Greatest Hits 1980-1994, 1994.

Kenny G, Miracles: The Holiday Album, 1994.

Dionne Farris, Wild Seed—Wild Flower, 1995.

Bon Jovi, These Days, 1995.

Tracy Chapman, Collection, 2001.

Various Artists, American Idol: Greatest Moments, 2002.

Kelly Clarkson, Thankful, 2003.

As producer

Trisha Covington, (with Marc Nelson, Kyle West) Slow Down, 1995.

Truth About Cats & Dogs soundtrack, 1996.

First Wives Club soundtrack, 1996.

Rahsaan Patterson, (co-producer) Love in Stereo, 1999.

As producer and musician

Eddie Money, Right Here, 1991.

Richard Marx, Flesh & Bone, 1997.

Gladys Knight, At Last, 2000.

Jesse Powell, JP, 2001.

Periodicals

Newsweek, May 5, 2003, p. 71; May 26, 2003, pp. 52-58.

New York Times, May 23, 2003, Section C, p.1.

People Extra, May 2003, pp. 16, 24, 79.

People Weekly, March 24, 2003, p. 67.

TV Guide, May 17-23, 2003, pp. 24-27, 47.

US, April 14, 2003, p. 71; May 5, 2003, pp. 40-45.

On-line

“Encyclopedia of Record Producers, Randy Jackson,” Mohave Music, www.mojavemusic.com (June 10, 2003).

“Fox Mulls How to Exploit The Mojo of ‘American Idol,’” New York Times, www.nytimes.com (June 6, 2003).

“‘Idol’ Dreams,” Miami Herald, www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/entertainment/3537040.htm (June 6, 2003).

“‘Idol’ Maker, Newsweek web exclusive,” MSNBC Stacks, http://stacks.msnbc.com/news/864019.asp (April 28, 2003).

“Interview,” Music Life Online, www.musicislifeonline.com/randyjacksoninterview.1.htm (April 28, 2003).

“Mariah Carey’s film Glitter,” DivaMc.de, www.divamc.de/pages/movies/glittersongs.html (June 6, 2003).

“New ‘Idol’ sings for Fox in solid Tuesday victory,” Hollywood Reporter, www.hollywoodreporter.com/hollywoodreporter/television (June 6, 2003).

“Randy Jackson,” Happygrrls, www.happygrrls.com/arts/americanidol2.html (July 11, 2003).

“Randy Jackson,” Internet Movie Database, www.imdb.com (June 6, 2003).

“Randy Jackson,” The Journey Tribute Page, www.jrnydv.com/Sections/Band/jackson.htm (June6, 2003).

“Randy Jackson—Biography,” Fox, www.fox.com/idol/judges/ind/randy/randy.htm (June 6, 2003).

“Randy Jackson In-Studio Interview,” JoJo Wright Official Website, www.jojowright.com/world_of_jojo/RandyJacksonlnterview.htm. (June 6, 2003).

“Randy Jackson worked on Mariah Carey’s 2003 album CharmBracelet,” Mariah Carey Organization, www.mariahc.nu/info/discography/charmbracelet.shtml (June 6, 2003).

“Randy ‘The Emperor’ Jackson,” All Music Guide, www.allmusic.com (July 11, 2003.)

“Recent Filmography,” MSN Entertainment, www.entertainment.msn.com/celebs/celeb.aspx? c=54179 (June 6, 2003).

“To The Point with Gary Jackson,” Network, www.thenetworkmag.com/issues/025/urban/urban.htm (June 6, 2003).

—Paula J.K. Morris