- Genre: Rock & Alternative
Tony Jackson's high tenor is featured on many British recording sessions. He cracked the UK's 10 hit with "Honey, Honey" in 1974 as the other half of Sweet Dreams, a duo consisting of Tony and Polly Brown. In 1975 he launched an unsuccessful solo career on GTO and Pye Records. Born March 17, 1944 in Barbados, Jackson first displayed his tenor in church when he was nine years old. In school, he formed the Opals, a six-man vocal group that remade American songs: Gene Chandler's "Duke Of Earl," the Jarmel's "A Little Bit Of Soap," and the Drifter's "Under The Broadwalk." After high school he played drums with the Telstars before leaving for London, England in 1965. He joined the reggae band Skatalites in 1966 - a foreign music to Jackson, ska, calypso, and pop reigned in Barbados. He stayed with them for five years and two 45 releases "Please Let Me Hide," and "Guns Of Navarone," a minor hit. His next group, Gulliver's People had a residency gig at Tiffanys, the security of steady pay suited Jackson until producer Ron Roker paired him with Polly Brown to form Sweet Dreams. The duo cut six singles and one album with Brown the focal point, and Jackson the forgotten half. Sweet Dreams ended when Polly quit to solo for GTO Records. GTO also signed Jackson, whose "As If By Magic" flopped; a Pye release "Sayonara" did nothing. The highlight of his solo career was singing the title track of a Sophia Loren movie Cassandra Crossing. With both careers faltering, Roker revised Sweet Dreams a second time, but it was too late and the reunion was short. ~ Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide