Eric Jackson Obituary, Death – Eric Jackson, who was known as the “dean of Boston Jazz Radio,” developed a faithful and dedicated following of listeners over the course of his decades-long career. These listeners shared the same enthusiasm for jazz music (as well as many other things) as he did. Jackson was known as the “dean of Boston Jazz Radio.” Jackson, who had been a student at the College of Arts and Sciences in the late 1960s and had died away over the weekend at the age of 72, was a student at that institution. According to a statement released by WGBH, Eric was widely acknowledged to be the “Dean of Boston Jazz Radio.” Eric was an innovator in the realm of jazz radio at an early stage.
Over the course of more than half a century, he has amazed audiences in Boston and all over the world with his unrivaled mastery of jazz and the history of music from African American culture. He has performed in a variety of settings, including jazz clubs, concert halls, and festivals. Eric made his first appearance at GBH in 1977 as a regular presenter, and almost immediately thereafter, he established himself as one of the on-air personalities in public broadcasting who was both the most well-liked and knowledgeable. His debut year was 1977. He shared with each and every one of us not only his knowledge but also his enthusiasm for music, therefore setting an illustrative precedent for future generations of artists, broadcasters, and music fans. We are thankful to you, Eric, for giving us the opportunity to experience the joy that you found in music and sharing it with us.
In an article that was written about him and published in BU Today in 2012, Jackson, who was born in Providence, said that he attended Boston University with the goal of eventually becoming a psychiatrist. All of that, however, shifted as he gained an interest in music and love for it. While he was still a student at the university, he started working on many radio projects in his spare time. One of these projects was hosting a jazz program on WBUR. Shortly after beginning his career at Harvard’s WHRB in the early 1970s, he went on to become the host of a jazz show broadcast on WILD’s airwaves every Sunday afternoon. He had graduated from Boston University (BU) and started working there soon after.