Pervis Jackson (May 17, 1938 – August 18, 2008)
was an American
R&B singer, noted as the
bass
Bass or Basses may refer to:
Fish
* Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species
Wood
* Bass or basswood, the wood of the tilia americana tree
Music
* Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in th ...
singer for
The Spinners, and was one of the group's original members as well as their spokesman.
He was a member of the Spinners from its formation in 1954 until his death in August 2008.
The Spinners
The Spinners was formed circa 1954 at
Lincoln High School in Ferndale, Michigan, just north of the Detroit border. The group had their first record deal when they signed with Tri-Phi Records in early 1961. His deep timbred voice and calm swagger garnered him a reputation around town and the industry.
The Spinners are known for recording the songs
It's a Shame and a disco cover of
The Four Seasons 1966 song
Working My Way Back to You
"Working My Way Back to You" is a song made popular by the Four Seasons in 1966 and the Spinners in 1979.
Written by Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell, the song was originally recorded by The Four Seasons in 1966, reaching No. 9 on the U.S. ''Bi ...
. Jackson was perhaps best known for his line of "12:45" from the group's
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
charting
Top 10 hit "
Games People Play", released in 1975.
He was posthumously inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and the ...
in 2023 as a member of the Spinners.
Personal life and death
Jackson was born in
New Orleans
New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
, Louisiana, but moved with his family at a very young age to the city of Detroit.
Jackson was still a part of The Spinners up to his death from brain and liver cancer at the age of 70, in Detroit, Michigan, on August 18, 2008.
References
External links
The Spinners official siteJackson's section of "Games People Play"
via YouTube
*
*
1938 births
2008 deaths
Musicians from New Orleans
The Spinners (American group) members
Motown artists
Deaths from cancer in Michigan
20th-century African-American male singers
20th-century American male singers
20th-century American singers
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