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Anthony Jackson

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Anthony Jackson (23 June 1952 to 19 October 2025) was an American bassist, born in New York. He played piano first and began on guitar in his teens. When he switched to bass guitar, James Jamerson and Jack Casady impressed him most. He studied with Jerry Fisher, Lawrence Lucie and Pat Martino. As a studio musician he played in Billy Paul's band and at Philadelphia International Records. Paul's 1972 hit Me and Mrs. Jones was his first number 1. His bass on For the Love of Money by The O'Jays is also part of his early work.

Music and breakthrough

He played in more than thirty countries and did more than three thousand studio sessions for more than five hundred albums. He became known above all as the man who developed the modern six-string bass guitar, which he himself called the contrabass guitar. In 1974 he approached builders with his idea of a bass tuned in fourths, BEADGC. Carl Thompson built the first one in 1975. Jackson felt that the bass guitar, as the lowest member of the guitar family, should have had six strings from the start. From 1982 he played almost only this bass, and the company Fodera released a signature model in 1984. His own albums include Europa Jazz in 1981, Casa Loco in 1983 and Interspirit in 2010.

Influence

Jackson died at the age of 73 on Staten Island, after developing Parkinson's disease. He showed how the bass could grow from an accompanying instrument into a full solo voice.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to For the Love of Money by The O'Jays and notice the bass, which carries the song. Try to hear how that line determines the groove of the whole piece.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

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Categories: Artists