Jackie Jackson, legendary Jamaican bass guitarist, dies at 79

Clifton “Jackie” Jackson, the legendary bass guitarist who played on countless hit songs by artistes such as Toots And The Maytals, Jimmy Cliff and Paul Simon, died in Montego Bay on Wednesday.

Jackson, 79, was admitted to the Cornwall Regional Hospital in St James recently. He was a fixture on the Montego Bay hotel scene for many years, mentoring artistes and musicians including his wife, Karen Smith, who died in 2021.

From Central Kingston, Jackson got his start in the mid-1960s at the Treasure Isle recording studio of producer Duke Reid. He was a member of The Supersonics, the house band that played on numerous hit singles including Girl I’ve Got A Date by Alton Ellis, Little Nut Tree by The Melodians and Queen Majesty by The Techniques.