Joe Jackson

Born David Ian Jackson on August 11, 1954, in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire, England, Joe Jackson spent his early childhood in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, and was raised in Paulsgrove, Portsmouth. He began learning violin at age 11, transitioning to piano a couple of years later, and performed in bars from the age of 16. At 18, he received a scholarship to study musical composition at London’s Royal Academy of Music. During his early career, he played in groups like Edward Bear, later renamed Arms and Legs, before legally changing his first name to Joe at 20 due to a resemblance to the British television character Joe 90. He also performed on the cabaret circuit to fund recording a demo.

In 1978, Jackson signed with A&M Records, leading to the formation of the Joe Jackson Band. Their debut album, “Look Sharp!”, released in 1979, was critically acclaimed and included the single “Is She Really Going Out with Him?” which charted in multiple countries. The band followed up with “I’m the Man” in 1979, which featured his highest-charting UK single “It’s Different for Girls.” After releasing “Beat Crazy” in 1980 and touring extensively, the original band disbanded, with drummer David Houghton leaving due to touring fatigue. Jackson then explored different musical styles, releasing “Jumpin’ Jive,” an album of swing and blues covers, in 1981.

Jackson achieved significant commercial success with his 1982 album “Night and Day,” which reached the Top 10 in both the UK and US and featured hit singles “Steppin’ Out” and “Breaking Us in Two.” He continued to evolve his sound, incorporating pop, jazz, and salsa influences, as seen in his 1984 album “Body and Soul.” The mid-to-late 1980s saw albums like “Big World” (1986), recorded live, and the instrumental “Will Power” (1987), which leaned into classical and jazz. In the late 1990s, Jackson moved further into classical music, signing with Sony Classical in 1997 and earning a Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album in 2001 for “Symphony No. 1.” He periodically reunited with his original band members for albums such as 2004’s “Volume 4” and continued to release new music, including “Rain” (2008), “Fast Forward” (2015), “Fool” (2019), and “What a Racket!” (2023).