Chuck Jackson – born July 22, 1937, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina – was a soul and R&B singer best known for such hits as “Any Day Now,” “I Don’t Want to Cry,” and “I Keep Forgettin’.” His musical career began when he moved to Latta, South Carolina and began singing with a gospel group. He relocated to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and joined interracial doo-wop group the Del Vikings shortly after they scored a hit with “Come Go With Me.” Chuck Jackson remained with the group from 1957 to 1959 before going solo. He was discovered by Luther Dixon when he opened for Jackie Wilson at the iconic Apollo Theater. Signed to Scepter Records’ sublabel, Wand Records, Chuck Jackson released several singles before scoring his first hit with 1961’s “I Don’t Want to Cry,” which reached Number 5 on the R&B Singles chart while also landing in the lower regions of the Top 40. In 1962, he scored his biggest hit with “Any Day Now,” one of the first successful singles from the songwriting team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David. The song reached Number 2 on the R&B chart and Number 23 on the Hot 100. Chuck Jackson’s prolific output also included albums such as I Don’t Want to Cry (1961), Any Day Now (1962), Encore! (1963), Chuck Jackson on Tour (1964), and Mr. Everything (1965). In 1965, he collaborated with Maxine Brown on the album Saying Something (they’d also release Hold On, We’re Coming in 1967). His last album for the Wand label, The Early Show, was a collaboration with Tammi Terrell. Signing with Motown Records, he released the albums Arrives! (1968), Goin' Back to Chuck Jackson (1969) and Teardrops Keeps Fallin' on My Head (1970), but the albums weren’t successful. After leaving Motown, he signed with ABC for the album Through All Times (1974) before moving on to several different labels and then temporarily halting his recording career in 1980. After his music went through a reappraisal in the 1980s – thanks to several compilations- he returned in 1992 with the album I’ll Take Care of You. That same year, he was honored with a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation. He was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in 2015. Chuck Jackson died on February 16, 2023, at the age of 85.
