Attribution: Polyester-queen at English Wikipedia
Millie Jackson was born 35 years go in a small town just outside of Augusta, Georgia. Her singing career began when, on a dare from friends, she got up on stage and sang “Stand By Me.” A club owner liked what he heard and hired Millie for the enormous sum of $20.
Things have changed for Millie today. She owns a $26,000 Mercedes and a Cadillac. Touring 50 weeks a year, Millie has nine albums out, four of them gold.
The National Association of Television and Radio Artists (NATRA) named Millie the Most Promising Vocalist of 1972, and “Cash-box” named her Best Female R & B Vocalist along with Aretha Franklin.
Critic Dennis Hunt of the L.A. Times said, “Millie Jackson is better than Midler and just about any other female entertainer you can name — Donna Summer. Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, Linda Ronstadt.”
We spoke to Millie Jackson.
Q – You have a new album out, “For Men Only” (Spring/ Polydor Records), what’s the album like?
A – I’m speaking to men more than women on this album. It’s along the same lines as the “Feeling Bitchy” album. I’m speaking more about women on this album.
Q – Have you ever been told to tone down your concert performances?
A – No. I’m not saying anything that’s bad. All I do is talk sex. The most I can do is overpopulate the country.
Q – You once said, “The public will tell you where you’re going for the next three or four years.” How does the public do that?
A – By buying or not buying your records. That’s it.
Q – Why don’t you have a manager?
A – I don’t need anybody to tell me what to do. Other people need managers, lazy people. I have an organization.
Q – Do you think being forced to attend church six days a week as a child had something to do with the way you are today?
A – That had nothing to do with it. That was only for a year when I was with my grandparents.
Q – How do you find your material?
A – Brad Shapiro, my co-producer, gives me the material. I find some songs, and pick whatever is best.
Q – What have you got against Disco?
A – Disco music is dead. The record companies are not accepting disco anymore. The Disco acts couldn’t work off their records. They couldn’t get bookings. People didn’t buy Disco records.
Q – What kind of music is “in” then?
A – Up tempo music — R & B, New Wave, Funk. There’s a difference between up tempo music and disco music.
Q – You manage yourself; did you ever manage anybody else?
A – I had the “Facts of Life” for a while, but I didn’t think I could do that successfully. They had two albums out on T.K. Records, and did “Looks
Like We Made It” before Manilow had the hit.
Q – Ever get tired of touring?
A – No. I got the ideal situation. I work three days a week and I’m home four days. I played in Syracuse two or three years ago in some country club.
Q – Would you like to try your hand at acting?
A – Not particularly. I like comedy. If I could get a good role as a comedian, but all the black comedians I know want to be singers.
