Chuck jackson live

[MIKEW-UK]

As Chuck is getting some well deserved attention on the Motown forum, I thought this video of Chuck singing live at 78 years of age deserved an airing.... mighty impressive! Sounding and looking great and bang up to date.

[snakepit]

well done.

saw him at Northampton......brilliant performance.

[Luciano]

What an Unsung Legend. Still in amazing voice and great performance. Still don't understand how Smokey and Berry didn't do more for his career at Motown. Thanks for sharing.

[arr&bee]

Wow,the legend is still doing it and sounds the same as he did fifty years ago.

[soulwally]

As Chuck is getting some well deserved attention on the Motown forum, I thought this video of Chuck singing live at 78 years of age deserved an airing.... mighty impressive! Sounding and looking great and bang up to date.

Love Chuck... and he always looked great

[luke]

Have always loved Chuck Jackson. This is great! Thanks

[smallworld]

Still don't understand how Smokey and Berry didn't do more for his career at Motown. Thanks for sharing.

Wasn't that par for the course when an established act joined Motown? Perhaps an established act would be more likely to make a stink about royalities if one of their songs actually became a hit...

[smallworld]

I've only really explored Chuck Jackson's music in the past year. He's an exceptionally fine talent and it's heartening to hear him sound so great in the clip. It would be wonderful if he could make an album or two [[or three) in his twilight years, like Solomon Burke, Howard Tate etc.

It perplexes me that Burt Bacharach gave away tunes to outside male acts when he had Chuck Jackson right there in the Scepter/Wand family. As an established act, Jackson could probably have promoted "Always Something There..." or "Kentucky Bluebird" better than newcomer Lou Johnson, who was on a smaller label to boot [[not to suggest that I would rather Johnson's versions didn't exist - I love them). Was there some bad blood between Bacharach and Jackson amidst the rise of Dionne?

Come to think of it, it would be wonderful if Chuck and Burt could come together to make an album. Have Chuck sing some underappreciated gems like "I Took My Strength From You" or "God Give Me Strength".

[jsmith]

I've seen Chuck perform a few times in the UK over the last 20 years. Every time he has put on a near perfect show. Many love his uptempo cuts [[Chains Of Love, etc) but it's always "Any Day Now" that gets me.

[snakepit]

My favourite is :
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=t8iAJVKBWH8

[snakepit]

When I saw him, it was around the time of his UK Motown anthology CD issue.
He performed a few of his Northern Soul biggies, some Wand hits...but he sang a few tracks from the Motown vaults off the CD.
I doubt if had ever heard them after the day they were recorded...but he had obviously learned the lyrics...word perfect.
That struck me as the work of a professional.

[snakepit]

This beauty should have been Motown 45...I think that Motown consistently made bad choices for his singles...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=j0pQIg_VNrA

[marv2]

He is another of our amazing legends. He sounds great.

[McMotown]

MIKEW-UK, nice clip. I've only just been introduced to his non Motown tracks and loving them all.

[snakepit]

McMotown
How about this beauty...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMzlDpcKMis

[reese]

I've only really explored Chuck Jackson's music in the past year. He's an exceptionally fine talent and it's heartening to hear him sound so great in the clip. It would be wonderful if he could make an album or two [[or three) in his twilight years, like Solomon Burke, Howard Tate etc.

It perplexes me that Burt Bacharach gave away tunes to outside male acts when he had Chuck Jackson right there in the Scepter/Wand family. As an established act, Jackson could probably have promoted "Always Something There..." or "Kentucky Bluebird" better than newcomer Lou Johnson, who was on a smaller label to boot [[not to suggest that I would rather Johnson's versions didn't exist - I love them). Was there some bad blood between Bacharach and Jackson amidst the rise of Dionne?

Come to think of it, it would be wonderful if Chuck and Burt could come together to make an album. Have Chuck sing some underappreciated gems like "I Took My Strength From You" or "God Give Me Strength".

Never heard of any bad blood between Burt and Chuck. But after reading the book SCEPTER WAND FOREVER, it seems as if Burt always had a strained relationship with Scepter's owner, Florence Greenberg.

[TomatoTom123]

When I saw him, it was around the time of his UK Motown anthology CD issue.
He performed a few of his Northern Soul biggies, some Wand hits...but he sang a few tracks from the Motown vaults off the CD.
I doubt if had ever heard them after the day they were recorded...but he had obviously learned the lyrics...word perfect.
That struck me as the work of a professional.

Wow, snakepit, that is truly wonderful. Actually learning the lyrics to songs that hadn't seen the light of day for over 40 years... amazing!

It's fascinating how artists lay down vocals to tracks and, when they go unreleased, forget the songs ever existed. It must be so weird hearing yourself singing a 45-year old unreleased track from the Motown vaults and thinking "I have never heard this song before"...

[snakepit]

Tom
Quite common for more obscure NS artists to be told that records they made 50 years ago are popular on the NS scene. Not unusual to hear them say they didn't even know the track got a release.
They were probably paid a few dollars to record a few tracks....that became NS anthems .

[TomatoTom123]

Yes indeed. So fascinating. It is great to know that the music is appreciated though, even if the artists themselves didn't know it!

[snakepit]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zjEVLoCNaTw

Another Wand classic

[snakepit]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XRlYz5KDeAA

Wand gem

[McMotown]

McMotown
How about this beauty...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZMzlDpcKMis

snakepit I'm well aware of Chucks Motown stuff, but never looked into all these wonderful tracks outside Motown thanks for the initiation.

[TomatoTom123]

This beauty should have been Motown 45...I think that Motown consistently made bad choices for his singles...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=j0pQIg_VNrA

Always loved that one, snakepit! I agree that Motown made some poor single choices; Chuck's fiesty and dynamic rendition of "Lonely, Lonely Man Am I" is IMO the best version of the song out there and should have definitely been a single. Love "What Am I Gonna Do Without You?" [[only ever a B-Side I believe) and "Too See The Sun Again", which screams hit but only ever came out an album track on Chuck's debut Motown LP.

[snakepit]

Tom, McMotown

Are you familiar with his big NS tracks "Chains of love" and " Good things come to those who wait"....?

[snakepit]

You guys should get his "Good Things" CD on Ace/Kent...most of his classic Wand.
Amazon has it...with a few other titles as well, including a cheapie called Super Hits...

[TomatoTom123]

Tom, McMotown

Are you familiar with his big NS tracks "Chains of love" and " Good things come to those who wait"....?

Hey snakepit, I'm familiar with and I love "Chains Of Love" but never heard "Good Things" before... I'll check it out!

[snakepit]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OAhjgrQwGzY

[snakepit]

Alternate version...OK but NOT Chuck!!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=c9f9YkDMRlI

[McMotown]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OAhjgrQwGzY

snakepit came across good things come to those who wait. Started to listen to Chains of Love. Really getting into Chuck's stuff and will have to add the ACE CD to my wish list.

[Luciano]

Still has that powerful voice. Love how Chuck Jackson does the opening a bit different.

[TomatoTom123]

"Too See The Sun Again"

This should, of course, be "To See The Sun Again" but I can no longer edit my original post so I'm stuck with this unusually annoying spelling mistake!!!

[TomatoTom123]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OAhjgrQwGzY

Very nice, snakepit. It'll grow on me too. The girls in the background sound like The Andantes at times!

[jsmith]

Chuck & Smokey became close friends as early as 1962, when they toured on a review show together. It was Smokey who had Motown sign Chuck . . . pity he didn't have the time to oversee Chuck's recordings / releases for them ....
Attachment 12939

[TomatoTom123]

Chuck & Smokey became close friends as early as 1962, when they toured on a review show together. It was Smokey who had Motown sign Chuck . . . pity he didn't have the time to oversee Chuck's recordings / releases for them ....
Attachment 12939

Interesting, thanks jsmith. Smokey did produce a couple of cuts on Chuck, including excellent renditions of "Who You Gonna Run To?" and "No More Water In The Well" and, written specifically for Chuck, "Have You Heard About The Fool?"...

[jsmith]

Chuck was also close with the 4 Tops members .... a show @ the Howard in DC ...
Attachment 12950

[jsmith]

More recent than the above shows ... Chuck performed @ the Prestatyn Soul Weekender [[Nth Wales) a few years back ... I was a member of the team that put this event on ..... so got to spend quite a bit of time with all the live acts, including Chuck ...

[Luciano]

More recent than the above shows ... Chuck performed @ the Prestatyn Soul Weekender [[Nth Wales) a few years back ... I was a member of the team that put this event on ..... so got to spend quite a bit of time with all the live acts, including Chuck ...

Thanks! That's awesome JSmith can you tell us what Chuck Jackson was like?

[jsmith]

Chuck was / is a real gentleman. He does however know his own worth [[as a performer), so can be quite hard to deal with over contracts.
. . . At UK soul weekenders [[3 day events in venues that have accomodation, food / booze outlets, performace rooms AND at which US soul singers are brought over to perform for the assembled fans), the crowd expect access to the artists. Many times the acts actually stay on site & so eat their meals with the fans. We like to chat with them, get autographs, photos & to watch their sound-checks, rehearsals.
TO CHUCK, this was very strange. He always wants to put on a top class show & when over here, he's having to play with the assembled British backing musicians / backing singers. So, he's ironing out the rough spots in the rehearsals/ sound checks AND DOESN'T want any fans watching this process. So when the fans keep trying to get into the room where he's going thru his paces, he gets quite concerned & asks that they be excluded.
He can't seem to grasp that we really like to see everything about the act's performances, the unbalanced sound run-thru, the bedding in with the rest of the on-stage team, the musicians, etc.
So, unlike many US soul acts, he's not happy having the fans see the early run-thru's [[with warts & all).

[jsmith]

My photos of Chuck are on an old hard-drive which, when I have the time, I'll pull out & post some pics BUT ... Chuck was on at the Prestatyn Weekender. At another such event, we had the Masqueraders on [[+ a few other acts that year) .. they were staying in tiny apartments almost next to the one my wife & I had been allocated. So we would drop in to chat with them, see if they needed anything, etc. On my 1st visit, they had set up a keyboard in one of the rooms & were starting to go thru their songs. I walked in & asked if they could run thru a request from me ... I know when they play Memphis gigs, they mainly do covers, so I guess they were expecting me to ask for an Elvis or Stax song.
I broke out in my rendition of "I Ain't Got To Love Nobody Else" [[their Bell Records 45 cut from 1968). They couldn't believe it & from that moment on we were great friends. They were one member short for their UK visit, so I kept joking with them that I'd have to stand-in for the missing member. They did two different performances; one featuring their uptempo Northern Soul cuts and one doing some of their ballads & 70's songs. When it came time to perform "I Ain't Got To Love Nobody Else" on the 2nd show, Tex dragged me up on stage to sing with them [[my voice is actually awful) ...
My wife with the group after my attempt to sing their song in their room ...
Attachment 12974

[jsmith]

Some old Prestatyn Weekender flyers ....
Attachment 12977

[snakepit]

I saw Chuck and Masqueraders at Northampton
Pat Lewis and Barbara Mercer as well.
Great show

[TomatoTom123]

Been listening a lot lately to Chuck, in particular, his 1980 album I Wanna Give You Some Love. Well, I must say, it is fantastic! The title track is just grooooovy brilliance, "Let's Get Together" is smooth and delightful, "Waiting In Vain" is funky Modern Soul excellence, "No Tricks" is fantastically funky with a wonderful wind section, "The Way You Hold Me" is a nice mid-tempo groover...

I can't believe the album hasn't been released on CD yet!

[Luciano]

Chuck was / is a real gentleman. He does however know his own worth [[as a performer), so can be quite hard to deal with over contracts.
. . . At UK soul weekenders [[3 day events in venues that have accomodation, food / booze outlets, performace rooms AND at which US soul singers are brought over to perform for the assembled fans), the crowd expect access to the artists. Many times the acts actually stay on site & so eat their meals with the fans. We like to chat with them, get autographs, photos & to watch their sound-checks, rehearsals.
TO CHUCK, this was very strange. He always wants to put on a top class show & when over here, he's having to play with the assembled British backing musicians / backing singers. So, he's ironing out the rough spots in the rehearsals/ sound checks AND DOESN'T want any fans watching this process. So when the fans keep trying to get into the room where he's going thru his paces, he gets quite concerned & asks that they be excluded.
He can't seem to grasp that we really like to see everything about the act's performances, the unbalanced sound run-thru, the bedding in with the rest of the on-stage team, the musicians, etc.
So, unlike many US soul acts, he's not happy having the fans see the early run-thru's [[with warts & all).

Thanks so much for sharing this story. I definitely understand both sides. Thanks again for telling some of the behind the scenes of Chuck Jackson.

[TomatoTom123]

Chuck was / is a real gentleman. He does however know his own worth [[as a performer), so can be quite hard to deal with over contracts.
. . . At UK soul weekenders [[3 day events in venues that have accomodation, food / booze outlets, performace rooms AND at which US soul singers are brought over to perform for the assembled fans), the crowd expect access to the artists. Many times the acts actually stay on site & so eat their meals with the fans. We like to chat with them, get autographs, photos & to watch their sound-checks, rehearsals.
TO CHUCK, this was very strange. He always wants to put on a top class show & when over here, he's having to play with the assembled British backing musicians / backing singers. So, he's ironing out the rough spots in the rehearsals/ sound checks AND DOESN'T want any fans watching this process. So when the fans keep trying to get into the room where he's going thru his paces, he gets quite concerned & asks that they be excluded.
He can't seem to grasp that we really like to see everything about the act's performances, the unbalanced sound run-thru, the bedding in with the rest of the on-stage team, the musicians, etc.
So, unlike many US soul acts, he's not happy having the fans see the early run-thru's [[with warts & all).

Yes, as Luciano says, thanks a lot for sharing, jsmith. It's great to get an insight into Chuck and his singing!

[snakepit]

received my two-fer on Chuck today.

"Any day now/ Encore" albums plus 4 bonus...28 tracks from early Wand catalogue.
Wonderful stuff, all for about £5