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| Al Jackson Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Name | Al Jackson Jr. |
| Birth date | March 27, 1935 |
| Birth place | Memphis, Tennessee, United States |
| Death date | October 1, 1975 |
| Death place | Memphis, Tennessee, United States |
| Occupation | Drummer, songwriter, producer |
| Years active | 1959–1975 |
| Associated acts | Booker T. & the M.G.'s, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Wilson Pickett |
Al Jackson Jr. was an American drummer, songwriter, and producer best known as a founding member of Booker T. & the M.G.'s, the house band for Stax Records in Memphis. Renowned for a steady "pocket" feel, tight backbeat, and tasteful restraint, he shaped the sound of 1960s and 1970s rhythm and blues, soul, and early funk. Jackson's collaborations with artists across Stax and beyond left a durable imprint on recordings by Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Wilson Pickett, and many others.
Al Jackson Jr. was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and grew up in a musical milieu that included nearby Beale Street, Tennessee State University-era performers, and regional radio stations such as WDIA (AM). He began playing drums in local church settings alongside musicians influenced by Gospel music, and later worked with family members involved in Memphis session work. As a teenager he absorbed rhythms circulating in Memphis clubs where artists like B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, and Johnny Cash performed, and he learned by playing gigs with regional R&B acts that passed through southern touring circuits.
Jackson co-founded Booker T. & the M.G.'s with keyboardist Booker T. Jones, bassist Lewis Steinberg (later Duck Dunn), and guitarist Steve Cropper. The group emerged as the instrumental backbone of Stax Records and became known for hits such as "Green Onions." As the M.G.'s he recorded and toured with labels and artists associated with Memphis soul, collaborating on sessions for Volt Records, Atlantic Records, and for stars like Sam & Dave and Eddie Floyd. The band's work supported live appearances at venues such as The Apollo Theater and on television programs that showcased soul and R&B acts. Jackson's drum parts powered M.G.'s studio work and live performances, contributing to chart successes and the group's influence on contemporaries including The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, and Eric Clapton.
As the primary drummer for Stax's house band, Jackson played on countless sessions for artists including Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Ike & Tina Turner, Carla Thomas, William Bell, Isaac Hayes, and Johnnie Taylor. He also worked with non-Stax artists when touring and in studio dates, linking him to sessions credited to Atlantic Records releases and to touring arrangements with acts like Percy Sledge. In addition to drumming, Jackson co-wrote and co-produced material—partnering with Cropper and others—on records that blended R&B, soul, and early funk aesthetics. His production credits intersect with sessions involving arrangers and producers connected to Stax Records's successful in-house system, and his reputation led to sideman work with artists such as Al Green and later crossover projects involving rock musicians influenced by southern soul.
Jackson's style emphasized a locked, metronomic "pocket" that supported horn charts and vocal phrasing, often using brushes and light snare accents to create a spacious groove. His approach informed drummers across genres: soul practitioners like Bernard Purdie and Clyde Stubblefield, rock drummers including Charlie Watts and Ringo Starr, and funk innovators such as Clyde Stubblefield and Jabo Starks. Producers and arrangers—among them Jim Stewart (record producer), Al Bell, and Isaac Hayes—relied on Jackson's consistent timing to craft extended grooves and dramatic build-ups. Jackson's patterns on tracks by Otis Redding and Sam & Dave were sampled and emulated in later hip hop and neo-soul recordings, influencing producers connected to labels like Motown Records and later hip hop collectives drawing on classic soul breaks.
Jackson maintained ties to the Memphis community, marrying and raising a family while balancing touring and studio commitments. He managed dual roles as a bandmate in Booker T. & the M.G.'s and as a first-call session musician at Stax, which required frequent collaboration with colleagues such as Steve Cropper, Donald "Duck" Dunn, and Booker T. Jones. Outside of the studio Jackson was known to socialize within circles that included figures from the Memphis music scene, visiting clubs where artists like Al Green and Bobby Womack performed, and engaging with local producers and promoters associated with integrated and crossover booking during the 1960s and 1970s.
Jackson was shot and killed in Memphis in 1975, a death that shocked the music community and prompted responses from peers across soul, R&B, and rock. His death coincided with changes at Stax Records and a broader shift in the recording industry, but his drumming continued to be celebrated by musicians, critics, and historians. Booker T. & the M.G.'s influence endured through reissues, tribute recordings, and the work of artists who cited Jackson's grooves—such as Steve Gadd, Bernard "Pretty" Purdie, and later session drummers in pop, R&B, and hip hop. Jackson's contributions are commemorated in museum exhibits about Memphis music, in histories of Stax Records and southern soul, and in the continuing study of rhythm section technique by drummers and scholars tracing the development of modern popular music.
Category:1935 births Category:1975 deaths Category:American drummers Category:People from Memphis, Tennessee Category:Booker T. & the M.G.'s members