Music-making master and USC Thornton professor Paul Jackson, Jr. was raised in a neighborhood that is the envy of any well-taught, well-studied musician.
Within a few blocks radius in Athens Park of South Los Angeles, Jackson grew up next to a plethora of artists including Gerald Albright and Etta James.
It is unsurprising, then, how his natural inclination leaned toward music. He began studying and playing music in adolescence, ultimately deciding at 15 years old to pursue a full-fledged career dedicated to the sonic phenomenon. This commitment has resulted in an esteemed and Grammy-riddled career as an arranger, composer, guitarist, and producer.
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“My upbringing was directly responsible for my career in music,” said Jackson. “Music is about relationships. Everything is about relationships.”
Similar to many other job climates, who you know (and who knows you) easily counts for over half of any artists’ opportunities. Luckily for Jackson, he was both well-known and talented.
These two gifts coalesced to create an abundance of kismet experiences leading to collaborations with Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Whitney Houston, Patti LaBelle, The Temptations, Phil Collins, Luther Vandross, and more recently, Daft Punk, Zendaya, and The Weeknd.
A full-time professor at USC’s Thornton School of Music, Jackson divides his time between creating music away from USC and disseminating its intricacies to his students. Some of his pupils have blossomed to become the musical director for Demi Lovato, opening act for Imagine Dragons on tour, and a playback engineer for Lucky Daye.
A crucial aspect of Jackson’s life experience when teaching others is his perspective of the music industry. He’s been able to maintain an active role as a creator while watching the industry evolve from the label-led world in the 1970s and 1980s to the modern-day environment that benefits an independent artist.
“Streaming is not a bad thing; the bad thing is that artists don’t get paid what they deserve. The great thing is the only other way someone would hear your music 50 years ago is if [you] made a major deal and got it to the record store. Nowadays, you have social media, and one person can make and release an entire record from their house,” he explained.
Since easy access to music creation is inevitably followed by an oversaturated market, Jackson emphasizes the need for focus and hard work to his students so that they will have the luxury of standing out and saying no to jobs that they don’t want.
“Work hard to be in a position to tell people ‘no thank you,’ and make sure you are always studying. If you stop learning, your career is over,” he advised.
Dealing closely with upcoming musicians, Jackson also highlighted the importance of humility and faith in the pursuit of your career.
“You don’t know how your blessing is gonna start. It may happen by singing on a cruise ship or by playing at church,” he noted.
“There isn’t only one way it can start. Stay ready so you ain’t got to get ready!”
Stay aligned with Mr. Jackson on Instagram @pauljacksonjr
