Producer: I'll release new Michael Jackson songs

Producer: I'll release new Michael Jackson songs

Jackson collaborator reveals plans to students
during music masterclass in Digbeth


Michael Jackson collaborator Fred Jerkins III revealed that
he plans to issue fresh material from the megastar while
visiting Midland music students.

The influential R & B producer Fred Jerkins III, who worked
with the troubled pop performer on his final 2001 album
Invincible, led a masterclass at Access to Music in Digbeth
on Thursday.

The co-writer of hits like You Rock My World, Jerkins made
a big impression as he was whisked in to the specialist pop
and rock college in Heath Mill Lane to answer questions
from youngsters who are hoping to make their way in the
music business.

And he said that he has plans to issue some unpublished
material by tragic Jackson, who died four years ago aged
50.

“We have a number of unreleased songs and all sorts of
video footage,” he said.

“There’s a project in the making right now that will include
all those songs.”

Jerkins also sought to dispel the ‘***** *****’ stereotype
saying that Jackson was a charming gentleman.

“I worked with him for two years exclusively – it’s the
biggest highlight of my career,” said Jerkins, who works
with his brother Rodney under the name Darkchild.

“He came to our studios in Pleasantville, New Jersey [the
city where Jerkins grew up] and we built a really strong
relationship and became really good friends.

“I remember him, just for fun, riding on a three-wheel bike
in the parking lot that belonged to someone with
disabilities.

“He was really relaxed. It’s things like that that you
wouldn’t expect from Michael Jackson.

“We were comfortable with him as a family and my son had
his fifth birthday at Neverland.”

Darkchild has also masterminded tracks for Beyonce, the
Spice Girls, Will Smith and Lionel Richie.

Jerkins also recalled ‘hanging out’ with Whitney Houston,
for whom he co-wrote tracks such as It’s Not Right (But It’s
Okay).

“She’s been to our church singing,” he said of the vocal
legend’s gospel roots, which included a stint at his pastor
father Fred’s Evangelical Fellowship Church in Pleasantville.

“It’s very difficult when you see people like Michael and
Whitney passing on because we had a close relationship
with both of them.”

Fred, who is about to work on tracks for Usher and Rihanna,
advised students to spend time honing their skills rather
than expecting the kind of instant, but fleeting, chart
domination enjoyed by winners of TV talent shows like The
X Factor.

“An event like this is to inspire and educate people, and let
them know what they can do,” he said.

“A lot of people pursue music and expect success to come
real fast, but you have to stay at it. Winners of these
talent shows need to sell records and to continue to sell for
lots of years, after gaining that sort of platform in the first
place.

“I come from an area where there was no music scene – it
wasn’t like living in New York or Los Angeles,” said Jerkins,
who plays piano, drums, bass and trumpet.

“When we broke into the music business it was just us.

“But so many people have broken in from there following in
our footsteps, and told us ‘if it wasn’t for you guys, we
wouldn’t have thought of making it’.”

Toby Smith, director of education at the college said: “This
is marvellous to have such a big name in the music industry
come to this region and support the music industry locally.”

For details about courses at the college, ranked as ‘good’ in
a recent Ofsted inspection, visit www.accesstomusic.co.uk




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