A little bit about me
Songwriter. Producer. Vocalist.
Welcome, and thanks so much for visiting my website -- I’m Jackie. Since I have had the privilege to write with some great artists and producers, I’d like to first tell you a little about myself and offer some insight into my creative process.
I was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and later moved right outside of Dallas, where I now live. My family could be described as a typical Cajun brood. But then again, to an outsider, there is nothing typical about Cajuns. Family, music, and food are among the most important elements of the Creole culture — and to me. My roots have influenced my songwriting in many important ways, and I hope the music I write is an inspiration to future generations, as well.
When I was a young girl I would always stay up late at night with my grandma’s old radio. I would quietly turn it on in the middle of the night and listen happily in the dark. There was mostly static, except for a couple of stations — a classic country station and a classic R&B station out of New Orleans. Those are my first memories of trying to learn to understand the pain or joy expressed by the artists as they sang. I distinctly remember hearing Al Green’s “For the Good Times” for the first time late one night and feeling tears well up in my eyes. I was only about eight years old, so I don’t think I really knew exactly what the words meant, but I could feel what he meant by the way he sang it. Even at that age, I knew the content of that song connected to something inside of me. Whether it was Hank Williams and Johnny Cash, Nas and The Living Legends, or The Supremes and Al Green, I felt a God-given connection to the art of poetry through song. That is where songwriting started for me.
Inspirations
When it comes to what inspires me, I don’t even know where to begin. There are just too many emotions, songs, and artists to list. But I’ve always been inspired by songs that “move” people. The energy between the listener and the song has always intrigued me, and it is what drives me to write songs that are content-dense and have a purpose that affects the listener. Although I write for many artists and write different styles (from rock to country), some of my favorite songwriters (and/or artists) are:
* Classic R&B: Al Green, Billie Holiday, The Ronettes, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Michael Jackson
* Rock: Metallica, Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, Led Zeppelin, Pantera, The Beatles, Judas Priest, Slipknot, The Doors
* Country: Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Elvis, Loretta Lynn, Garth Brooks, (King) George Strait
* Rap/Hip-Hop: Nas, N.W.A, Living Legends, Eminem, Dilated Peoples, Snoop, Drake, Common
My Style
To me, emotions and words have always been one and the same — a living, breathing illumination of ones’ soul. I tend to write a lot of songs dealing with life’s natural dramas. I do beat myself up from time to time for not writing more ‘pop (y), happy songs, but I just have a better grasp to write on the realities of life. My biggest strength is to be able to connect with an artist’s vision – organize it, connect to the emotion, and give the listener something to remember. Not necessarily a hook, but content and melody that the listener will think about long after the song has stopped. I guess you could say that my gift as a songwriter is based on my keen perspective on the way people communicate their feelings, and I have learned how to capture that in words and melodies.
Producers Worked With
* Matt Squire (Ariana Grande, One Direction, Good Charlotte, Panic! at the Disco)
* Dave Fortman (Slipknot, Evanescence, Godsmack)
* Jazze Pha (OutKast, Nelly, T.I. Ciara, Ludacris)
* Baby Face Productions ( Aretha Franklin, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Beyoncé, Michael Jackson, Michael Bolton, Paula Abdul, Eric Clapton, Whitney Houston, Fall Out Boy, Céline Dion)
Reference
* Member: ASCAP
* Member: Dallas Songwriter Association
* President: Platinum Jack Entertainment (management company)
* Songwriter: Rock Album of the Year 2014 - IMEA AWARDS (band: Drayter)
* Winner - Best Pop/Rock Album 2015 - Academia Awards
* Finalist: Song of the Year, 2017 - Dallas Songwriting Association
Want to know more? Just ask!
- Jackie
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