Freddie Jackson’s new single, “Love & Satisfaction,” has been heating up the Web over the past two weeks. Old and new fans of the veteran R&B crooner are raving about his latest recording, and Jackson spoke to rolling out about his approach to crafting new music. He reveals that he doesn’t walk into the studio with lofty ambitions and he’s at peace with just making music that he enjoys.
“I don’t go into make a record anticipating that it will be the greatest thing I’ve ever done. It will never, ever be like it was [the first time],” Jackson explains. “I don’t try to [top] this industry–I just give this industry the best that I’ve got.”
“I’m grateful that I’ve gotten 30 years out of this. I don’t let this business beat me up. I don’t go there. I’ve done what I was supposed to do,” he adds. “Right now, I’m just really having fun. If something happens, I’ll accept it–but I know what it’s like to have a No. 1 record. I know what it’s like to sell a million copies of a record. I’ve done all of that before.”
Much has been made about the current wave of white artists overtaking urban music–as well as the supposed decline of traditional R&B. But Jackson believes that R&B is alive and well–it’s just being sold in a different package.
“There’s an audience for R&B. They want to say that R&B is dead, but you’ve got so many other people coming along,” he says. “They’re giving them R&B awards, but I can’t get one.”
Jackson also acknowledges the fact that veteran R&B singers have been doing sold-out shows for years.
“I think the reason why these [veteran singers] artists work is because there is a hunger for that music,” states Jackson. “I never tried to change anything. I always have melodies and I always have stories in my songs. There’s a pulse in R&B and other people have grabbed a hold of it.”
The singer also reflected on some of his former contemporaries who have died young, leaving a sort of void in the world of urban contemporary music. In particular, Jackson shared warm memories of his friendship with fellow New Jersey native Whitney Houston.
“Whitney Houston and I started in this industry together,” he says. “We used to laugh and tell each other, ‘I got a number one this week, you get one next week.'”
“There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t miss Whitney,” Jackson adds. “She and I were very close; I went to all the parties at her home. Our friendship will never die. Luther, Gerald and Whitney–I miss all of them greatly.”
