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Catching Up with Soul Icon Millie Jackson
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Millie Jackson, an R&B icon of the 1970s, had soulful grooves, lush arrangements and a velvet voice. She also had a lusty way of putting her point across.
Her albums were spiced with foul language and risque subject matter... and they were also funky and hilarious, a guilty pleasure for countless fans.
Jackson, 62, says she cultivated her sexy image in part to distinguish herself from Gladys Knight. She sounds remarkably like Knight, especially when singing ballads.
"I think it's a Georgia thing -- us both being these Southern peaches," Jackson says with a laugh. "I just started cursing because [Knight] was too much of a lady to do that... It's all Gladys' fault! She's sending me straight to hell!"
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Jackson's first hit song, a 1973 cover of "(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to be Right," caused a furor. In the middle of the song, Jackson starts talking about being the "other woman" in a relationship, and loving it. The protests put her on the path to stardom, but they also created a niche Jackson has found hard to escape.
But she says she has no regrets. She still makes music and sometimes goes on the road.
"I've grown accustomed to me," she says. "I like me. I don't have problems with me." And she thinks sharing the same off-limits shelf with Redd Foxx and Richard Pryor puts her in pretty good company.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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