George Jackson

Songwriter George Jackson supplied material to a range of artists, among them Clarence Carter’s gold-certified “Too Weak to Fight,” Wilson Pickett’s “A Man and a Half,” Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock and Roll” and “Trying to Live My Life Without You,” Z.Z. Hill’s “Down Home Blues,” and the Osmonds’ million-selling “One Bad Apple” together with “Double Lovin’.” He also cut several Southern soul singles of his own, two of which reached the charts: “That’s How Much You Mean to Me” and “Aretha, Sing One for Me.”

Born in Greenville, Mississippi, in 1936, Jackson first attracted notice in 1963 when he approached Ike Turner after a local concert and was signed to Turner’s Prann imprint. One resulting track, “Nobody Wants to Cha Cha With Me,” was laid down at Cosimo Matassa’s New Orleans facility. Later travels took Jackson to Memphis, where Stax declined his demos yet he encountered Louis Williams; the pair formed the Ovations and, recording for Goldwax, scored an R&B hit in 1965 when “It’s So Wonderful to Be in Love” climbed to number 22. While on the Goldwax roster Jackson also wrote for label-mates James Carr and Spencer Wiggins. After the Ovations disbanded he secured a solo contract with Decca under the name Bart Jackson, issuing “Wonderful Dream” in 1968.

On producer Billy Sherrill’s advice Jackson relocated to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and joined the staff at Rick Hall’s Fame Recording Studio, where he composed successes for Clarence Carter and Candi Staton. When MGM act the Osmonds visited the studio Jackson offered a number he had originally intended for the Jackson 5; “One Bad Apple” topped the pop listings for five weeks beginning in early 1971. The song’s performance earned him the opportunity to record his own singles for MGM. In the mid-1980s he moved to Malaco Records as a staff writer and supplied material to Johnny Taylor, Bobby Bland, Latimore, Denise LaSalle, and Z.Z. Hill. Jackson’s own album Heart to Heart Collect appeared on Hep Me Records in 1991.