Eric Jackson, Dean of Boston Jazz Radio, Dies at 72
WGBH says the host, who studied at BU, "inspired audiences in Boston and across the world with his unmatched knowledge of Jazz and the history of African American music"
Jazz radio legend Eric Jackson got his start after applying to WTBU while a freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences. Photo courtesy of Meredith Nierman/GBH News
Eric Jackson, Dean of Boston Jazz Radio, Dies at 72
WGBH says the host, who studied at BU, “inspired audiences in Boston and across the world with his unmatched knowledge of Jazz and the history of African American music”
Eric Jackson, known as the “dean of Boston Jazz Radio,” built a loyal and devoted following of listeners who were as passionate about jazz music (and much more) as he was over his decades-long career. Jackson, who studied in the College of Arts & Sciences in the late 1960s, died over the weekend, at age 72.
A statement from WGBH says: “Eric was known widely as the ‘Dean of Boston Jazz Radio.’ For more than 50 years, he inspired audiences in Boston and across the world with his unmatched knowledge of Jazz and the history of African American music. Eric first joined GBH as a regular host in 1977, quickly emerging as one of public broadcasting’s most popular and knowledgeable on-air personalities. He shared his knowledge and his love of music with all of us, inspiring future generations of musicians, broadcasters and music lovers. Thank you, Eric, for sharing the joy you found in music with us.”
In a 2012 BU Today profile, Jackson, who was born in Providence, said he came to BU planning to become a psychiatrist. But that changed as he fell in love with music. While at the University, he started some side radio gigs, including a jazz program at WBUR, and when he left BU, he started working at Harvard’s WHRB in the early 1970s before eventually hosting a Sunday afternoon jazz program at WILD.
Following is a short excerpt from BU Today’s profile:
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Social media lit up on Monday with tributes to Jackson as word spread:
Read our full profile of Jackson here.
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