Jackie Ross
Jackie Ross is an American soul singer known for her 1960s hit "Selfish One." Born Jaculyn Bless Ross on January 30, 1946, in St. Louis, Missouri, she rose from gospel roots to Chicago soul prominence.
Ross began singing gospel at age three on her parents' radio show, as both were preachers. After her father's death in 1954, the family moved to Chicago, where family friend Sam Cooke signed her to his SAR Records at age 15.
Her 1962 SAR debut "Hard Times" preceded time in Syl Johnson's band. Signing with Chess Records in 1964, "Selfish One" hit #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #4 R&B, launching her career with the 1965 album Full Bloom.
Follow-ups like "I've Got the Skill" (#89 Hot 100), "Jerk and Twine" (#85 R&B), and "Take Me for a Little While" underperformed amid label disputes over royalties and promotion. Ross left Chess in 1967 after minimal earnings from her hit.
She recorded for Brunswick (1968-1969 singles like "Keep Your Chin Up"), Jerry Butler's Fountain, Mercury (1970), and others into the 1970s via manager Jimmy Vanleer's Golden Ear label. A 1980 comeback album A New Beginning blended soul and jazz, but an unreleased 1981 test pressing Cold Hearted Woman marked limited later success.
A New Beginning For Jackie Ross
A2 Can This Be Love (J. VanLeer, M. Fein)
A3 The People Some People Choose To Love (J. Weatherly)
A4 The People (Vamp) (J. VanLeer)
B1 I Who Have Nothing (Lieber-Stroller)
B2 Will You Love Me Tomorrow
B3 You Got Your Hooks In Me (B. Sigler)
B4 Only Time Has Changed (A. Peyton)
B5 The World Needs More People Like You
Label: Golden Ear Records – GE-2282
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1980
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Eighties Soul
A New Beginning For Jackie Ross is a modern soul and crossover R&B album that blends traditional soul with jazz, funk, and club influences. Produced by James Van Lear, it is known as a rare and sophisticated work in Ross's discography.
The album features a mature sound that some reviewers from Funk My Soul compare to Marlena Shaw in the late 1970s, with a clear influence from the Philly International sound of that era. It showcases Jackie Ross's depth of emotion and versatility with a mix of slow, stirring ballads and more upbeat, funky numbers.
The record was originally released on Golden Ear Records in 1980 and has since become a sought-after item for fans of both traditional soul and rare groove music. It has recently been reissued for the first time in analogue form by P-Vine Japan.
The album includes original tracks and covers of popular songs, expertly arranged by Ben Wright and Jimmy Van Leer.