Maurice Jackson

Lucky Fellow

It looks like ex-Trends member Emmitt Garner Jr., is at it again along with Donny Hathaway and writers; 'Garner and Dickerson' and Charles Boyd to put together a little masterpiece " Lucky Fellow". Maurice Jackson (no relation to Chuck) was born in Chicago on 12th June 1944 and had struggled throughout the 1960's in the music world. This though was his best it didn't think so at first - listen to the heavenly angel like voices on the intro - other versions lack that and the eastern sounding clarinet that could be charming a snake from a basket - timeless.

Not only did it come out on four labels but with three artists the only one missing as yet is Curtis Mayfield but he arrives later along with Leroy Hutson.



Scepter Records (Pye UK) also put it out on the Independents album Chuck, Helen, Eric, Maurice in 1973. Though it's hard to tell it is a different recording (just no angels on this one) all songs on this album were written by Marvin Yancy and Chuck Jackson except Lucky Fellow. It looks like Maurice must have brought it with him to the sessions. I purchased the album when it was new and discovered recording #3 by Leroy Hutson in the late 80's, and it wasn't until Brian Goucher a guest on my Sunday Basement Soulshow that he played the Maurice Jackson cut I was surprised to find of an earlier original version.

It made great radio at the time, Brian was with The Consortium (twelve soul collectors/dj's) and they were all bringing in their prize catches to air on the show. The Chuck Jackson in this group by-the-way is the half-brother to Civil Rights activist Jesse Jackson, and not the Motown Chuck Jackson. The album is produced by Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancy.

When Yancy he was playing piano for Albertina Walker at Jackson's Black Expo '71 (see it at: Dailymotion.com/mickeynold (in gospel playlist)), the two hit it off and Jackson brought him back to the Butler's Workshop (a writers workshop set up by Jerry Butler). Jackson had been art director for the Playboy Magazine in Chicago but quit to join the Workshop (must be MAD all those naked women).