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[0:14] Robert Bannon: Well, there's something I just have to say, Mr. Jackson, to take the words out of your mouth. I'm so excited to be able to talk to you. I saw you at the Apollo Theater when I was growing up in the late 90s. Woo! I'm a Jersey boy. I went to Showtime at the Apollo. You were sitting up in the balcony on the side, and we were all hailing and congratulating you.

[0:35] Freddie Jackson: Oh, good away. The incredible music that you've created, and we are so excited that you're coming out here to Detroit. How are you doing?

[0:41] Freddie Jackson: Loving Detroit, and I'm doing fine. God is good. You know, a few obstacles, but guess what? God is an amazing God. So I'm fighting the battle, but I'm gonna win this buddy.

[0:53] Robert Bannon: I was gonna say, you have been so brave and so honest to talk about what you've been going through, your health, and you've been sharing it. How are you feeling?

[1:00] Freddie Jackson: I'm feeling good. You know, like everybody else, they had their good and their bad days. So such is I. But on the uh on the up, good news I'm getting from everybody that I need to get it from. And so I'm moving forward. I got enough energy to try to come out and do my little thing for a little while and get back to do what I gotta do, you know. But uh listen, life is good to be lived.

[1:27] Robert Bannon: Amen. I hear that. Do you know? I'm sure you do know. Do you know that you have 10 number one R&B hits, 18 top 10 hits? You have and you created the ushered in the new R&B sound. Woo!

[1:47] Freddie Jackson: That's me. You know your history there, huh?

[1:50] Robert Bannon: I'm trying, I know. I mean, I can sing a little "Rock Me Tonight" for old time's sake.

[1:56] Freddie Jackson: Yeah, yes, you know it. So when you hit the stage, what do we expect? What can we hear from you in a concert?

[2:04] Freddie Jackson: Well, in this place where I'm in right now, I'm gonna give the best that Freddie's got to give you. I'm not uh 23 old Freddie. Okay, so we don't expect those 23 year rips, okay. I'll be singing all the melody, but um, I'll be singing the songs and uh and enjoying them and excited. It's been such a long time since I've been to Detroit that I have wonderful, wonderful friends in Detroit that will be coming to the show or show. And I have diehard fans, good or bad, they will accept me just as I accept I accept my fans. So um, it's a mutual thing. It's a love fest, and so I'm geared up and very excited about being there. October 25th at 8 o'clock, you can go to Ticketmaster, you can go to the Detroit Music Hall's website and you could get your tickets, and you're bringing a pretty impressive, fabulous, amazing friend with you on stage.

[3:04] Freddie Jackson: But of course, the incomparable Miss Regina Belle. My dear, we've been working together for I don't know how long. I mean, Regina Belle and I have done Broadway together. We did seven days on Broadway together. Uh prior to that, we were off and on on the road. Uh, we recently just came back from the Bahamas together. When someone calls to me about doing a show, they say, "Hey, who you are?" And I'm like, "Call Regina Belle." I love her, and plus, she puts down a mean prayer. So um, I enjoy, I call it my bell. That's my bell. And so I'm looking so forward to seeing her.

[3:47] Robert Bannon: Well, I don't know if you've seen the ticket sales, but there are not that many seats left. Like we have a couple weeks left to go. And when you look at the ticket sales, there are not a lot of seats left. The tickets are going. So if you're listening to our voice right now and you want to make that perfect special date night, bring your loved one. Downtown Detroit, you get some good food, you get a nice fancy grown drink, and then you come find your seat. You better get a ticket. It's gonna be sold out. We're gonna be there with our hearts all up in it. And so that's the most important part that we're putting our hearts into what we do. A lot of people go out and they just go through the motions. But I know Regina and I, we put our hearts into what we do.

[4:29] Freddie Jackson: You know, you talked about prayer and knowing about you. You grew up in Harlem. Speaking of the Apollo, you're a Harlem native, you're a son, uh esteemed son of the legendary people that have grown up in Harlem. How important you grew up in the church. So, how important is faith getting you through all these years in this business?

[4:46] Freddie Jackson: Faith, especially now, is my healer, it's what I depend on. It's what I it's like my engine, you know. Uh, without faith, what do you have? So um I keep that, and I'm very blessed to have a good group of people that keep me on track with my prayer and with my faith, uh, with my energy. Starting at five o'clock in the morning, each morning, I get calls and worship from people who are just so ultimately in my corner, and I am truly blessed. There is a God, and God is the ultimate doctor, and He is the healer. And so I don't give up on what God is doing. You have to be strong. You have to believe.

[5:48] Freddie Jackson: So I don't keep bothering God with what He knows that I need. I put it in His hands, and He slowly just shows me the results. And it's working. So I'm in the hands of the most powerful man that we can imagine.

[6:07] Robert Bannon: Well, amen to that. I feel that within my spirit and my soul. And I know that my family out here. Look, my in-laws are pastors. So we we are gonna be praying and showing love. And I may have to take them out for a little secular night out on the town.

[6:24] Freddie Jackson: Well, let them know that God will be in it. We're talking about a kind of another kind of love, but God is love in all things that you do.

[6:37] Robert Bannon: I get it. So come Saturday night, hang out with us, and then Sunday morning, get your little selves into church. Right, like I used to go out and party on Saturdays, and when I got in, my mother was said, had a good time. I was like, she's like, I was like, Yeah, she says, All right, we'll get ready, you're going to church. I always just I used to sleep on the choir stand, but you know, Freddie Jackson, you don't age, you don't age ever, ever.

[7:03] Freddie Jackson: You better say what you say it there. You don't age, he doesn't age everybody. He is like it is the truth. Is it true that you got started? We've had Miss Melba here on the show.

[7:15] Freddie Jackson: Yeah. She's actually popping in next week. She's got a new single, new book.

[7:18] Robert Bannon: Yes, she does. You started singing with her?

[7:22] Freddie Jackson: I think started singing backwell for Melba Moore. And uh she took me on the road, and then through her company, I got a deal with Capitol Records. And um it's been on and on and on. Our relationship is like fine as wine. I mean, Melba Freddie, I love her ultimately. She was she's my mentor. She's taught me such a lot of things in life spiritually as well, not just show business. And uh I'm good friends with her entire family, and the word love is not big enough.

[8:00] Robert Bannon: I oh I love that. Well, we're talking about Melba and Freddie. We would be remiss if you're listening to all the Freddie hits when you're coming to see the show. You gotta look make sure you listen to a little bit more.

[8:11] Freddie Jackson: Just a little bit more. Oh, they both can sing, and Melba and Freddie, she can hold a note like nobody's business.

[8:18] Robert Bannon: I can oh goodness. I used to sing back wow for her, and when she used to hit those notes, I used to say, Oh gosh, she's gonna kill herself. Uh with 19 number one top 10 hits and 10 number one hits, how do you pick the songs that you sing?

[8:28] Freddie Jackson: I sing as many as I can, especially right now, but um, I sing as many as I can. I mean, my god, I'll be singing till Jesus comes if I stick that's what I'm saying. You have all of the hits. Do you still do you still love to listen to new music? And do you still like listen to the radio? And and is is is R&B out here? And there's people that look I saw you get awarded Avery Wilson and all these people singing your music.

[9:06] Freddie Jackson: Oh, Avery is such a special artist. He's he uh performed uh at uh uh an award show, and they were honoring me, and he was one of the ex hey Avery and Tony Terry and uh Campbell. Yes, and they did such a fabulous job. And I mean, I was just thrilled to hear somebody singing my songs. You know, sometimes I want to tell myself to shut up, you know, and just allow other people to enjoy singing them, and that's an honor, you know.

[9:45] Freddie Jackson: That really is an honor, and to sing it is fine. I saw three of those gentlemen did it. I stood up, I gave them a standard ovation and thank them backstage. What an honor. I mean, nobody deserves it more. I mean it when I was I I vividly remember graduating high school going to see the taping and the way that New York City, music fans, the Apollo legend that you are, the flowers that you are owed and deserve for a life of work and music. There are little babies around here because of Freddie Jackson's music.

[10:18] Robert Bannon: You I've oh I've met a few. This is your taste, this is a tasty love baby. Yeah, don't put nice and slow on because you're gonna have a baby. I got do me again, babies, and I can use a little love right now, babies. You know, uh, I get uh Janae babies, Janae, and oh god, this baby was named after you I saw Janet. Say hello to your daddy. Listen, if you come to the concert, everybody enter at your own risk. You might just have nine months later, there might be another Freddie Jackson baby out here. It has happened.

[10:57] Freddie Jackson: When you hit the road, you've been with these people, your band and your crew have been with you. What's it like to be on the road with them? Oh, it's a family at this point. It's over 10 years. So um, a bunch of loyal musicians. Um, not just on the road but off the road. So I'm truly blessed um to have an organization that I have. So, as excited as I am about coming, they are at the airport now.

[11:32] Robert Bannon: Well, I'm excited. I'm gonna be there because I see you. I need to see you for Mr. Jackson. I can't wait to see you on stage singing the songs that we all love with your incredible voice, stage presence, swagger and style. You know, it's a grown, grown evening of music that is timeless.

[11:54] Freddie Jackson: Wow, how sweet you are, sir. Thank you. I'm looking forward. You say you have good memories of Detroit. I'm sure you've played here plenty, and I'm sure Detroit loves you.

[12:03] Freddie Jackson: Oh, the Poncha Train. I mean, uh my God, what's the best about uh the hotel with the um alligator? What what what restaurant is that? Oh, I'm gonna I'm gonna uh Aretha Franklin used to always put me in my band up in there where she threw a party, she threw a big party, and she had asked me to come as one of her guests. And um, she put me in this hotel, and upstairs was this hotel with gumbo and an alified alligator, and I picked out you would have thought I was an alligator. I was snapping at everybody.

[12:41] Robert Bannon: I was well, uh it might be the St. Regis, it might be. I'm gonna find out. I'm gonna find out the hotel. I know it's downtown. Yes, same. And I know that she loved a hotel. And I don't know that the theater that you're performing in has a jazz club in the basement named after her. Her spirit lives throughout the city.

[13:05] Freddie Jackson: Oh, she has theater, she has amphitheaters and all kinds of stuff. Oh, as well, as well as she should. Aretha Franklin, when you say Detroit, you say Aretha Franklin. And Aretha Franklin had no intentions of ever leaving.

[13:21] Freddie Jackson: No. Leaving Detroit. I mean, my goodness, she would never, she wouldn't even take a plane to go any place. She was like, I'm not going, I'm not catching no plane, Freddie. I get there by train, car, bus, but I'm not catching no, no, I'm not catching no party. Uh Aretha, there they were used to author uh offer Aretha millions of dollars to come to you. She's like, I ain't she and and her spirit and her energy will be in the room that night because I know how much she loved all the legends.

[13:55] Freddie Jackson: Oh, she I every time Aretha Franklin would come to New York City, she would call me and invite me to go out to dinner with a bunch of people. And I was so honored. The first time Aretha Franklin called me. I was in the bed and I was asleep. And she says, Freddie Jackson. S says, Yes. She says, This is the Queen. I said, Who? Queen Who? She said, Honey, there's only one queen. She says, Aretha. I said, who is this? She says, I thought it was a friend playing a joke. She says, it's Aretha Franklin. I said, Oh, Miss Franklin, oh my gosh. She says, Well, I'm calling you to invite you to the guest performing at my party. And uh, would you like that? I said, but of course.

[14:56] Freddie Jackson: And I was there with bells and oh my God. And I got into that suite, and it was the biggest bushel of flowers that I've ever seen in my life. And uh the party was just exquisite. Anything you want to put in your face, you had alligator and all. That's the guy. Alligator, everything in the whole. She didn't miss anything. A fountain of chocolate and champagne. Oh god, you just wanted for nothing. I remember that party so well.

[15:32] Robert Bannon: Do you still stay in the East Coast or you're near a New Yorker through and through?

[15:36] Freddie Jackson: I'm in your old next of the woods in New Jersey.

[15:40] Robert Bannon: That's my people in New Jersey out there. You see what I'm saying?

[15:48] Freddie Jackson: Portland, New Jersey, right here, right here, right here. Hey boy, yeah, I ain't in your voice. I don't care how long you've been there, you still got that jersey in you. Get my dog and my coffee and my dog and my coffee, and I'm going to take a walk. I can take a walk. Open the floor and my walk. I'm going to the store. They make fun of me out here because they said, What are you opening? I said, a drawer.

[16:14] Robert Bannon: A drawer. A what?

[16:16] Freddie Jackson: A drawer. It's a drawer.

[16:21] Robert Bannon: Oh, it's a drawer.

[16:23] Freddie Jackson: That's right. Well, we're gonna bring all our New York and our New Jersey. And I'm opening the refrigerator.

[16:31] Robert Bannon: Right.

[16:32] Freddie Jackson: Refrigerator. Not refrigerator.

[16:34] Robert Bannon: No, it's a refrigerator.

[16:37] Freddie Jackson: It's a refrigerator. If my dad calls, he'll say, Yellow.

[16:43] Robert Bannon: That's me.

[16:44] Freddie Jackson: That's what I'm talking about. Hello. Yellow. What's up? We'll be listening to you to get ready for the 25th. I'm excited for you to come to Detroit. If you need a place to crash, you want a Coney dog, you want a Faygo soda, just hit me up, Freddie Jackson.

[17:04] Freddie Jackson: My friends used to come to visit me when I lived in the Poconos. My friend, her name was Ross Dijudet. And she would not come to visit me without those barbecue potato chips. I don't I forgot the name of them. But they are they like so good. People used to use them as uh I I I skipped uh uh what's that uh mascara and stuff like that, you know, beyond the color. They so went and they were so rich in barbecue and cases of bago.

[17:39] Robert Bannon: Better made potato chips, and it that's when I used to drink. I drink liquor, so I drink a lot of Faygo in vodka.

[17:51] Freddie Jackson: Better made potato chip. Look, I got you some barbecue better made Detroit potato chips. The spicy one so that you can the mascarot yeah yeah yeah you messy yeah because when you get them it's just all the red all over your fingers and not to mention your teeth your teeth like the devil I'm so I was so honored and so grateful that you decided to chat with us.

[18:18] Robert Bannon: We're so excited we're honoring RB legends this week there's no one that's more of an RB legend than the incredible Freddie Jackson's so sweet of you thank you. His music is streaming wherever his music is heard so make sure you listen to all the hits the old stuff the new stuff the good stuff the everything stuff and um and and and your music is timeless what you've done and the contribution you've made to R and B and music as a whole will live forever.

[18:43] Freddie Jackson: Thank you ever so much and I'll be in Detroit to give you just a little bit more yes that's it I'm ready I was in the gym today singing you are my lady don't hurt yourself no I'll see you on the Saturday night. I'll be there.