Deacon J and COMMUNION

Dennis Jackson's love affair with music began at an early age. Born into a musical family, he sang "The Birthday of a King" at a church Christmas program with his mother when he was eight. His mother, Judith, was an accomplished singer; his grandmother, Luvinia, a talented pianist; and his grandfather, Arthur, played violin and standup bass. His father, Henry, though not a part of his life, was a gifted church organist. Early memories of musicians gathering for rehearsals in the living room of their Morgan Park home was a foundation of what was to come.  A Grundig Majestic console played everything from Shirley Bassey to The Temptations to The Beatles, creating a full-bodied music palette that influences his writing to this day.

In his twenties, having sung in various choirs and ensembles, he bagan to dabble with songwriting, but it would be many years later that his musical and lyrical ideas would be fully expressed. Through trial and error, he developed his own style of "Gospel Pop" that focused on the message rather than the popular sound of the day. He describes his musical ministry as "Spreading the Good News through fresh, original Gospel sounds", with the hope that God's glory will be realized and acknowledged through his songs.

His approach to music involves writing songs that are all unique and do not follow a particular pattern, with catchy melodies, interesting chord progressions and compelling lyrics. His goal is to inspire people of all backgrounds and languages; not just the traditional gospel audience. He believes that, "If the Bible is 'The Greatest Story Ever Told', then 'The Greatest Music Ever Heard' can only be Gospel Music."