Born in 1936 in Greenville, MS, Jackson started recording for Ike Turner's Prann label in 1963 after introducing himself to Turner when the entertainer played a concert in Greenville. The single "Nobody Wants to Cha Cha With Me" was recorded at Cosimo Matassa's New Orleans studio. After traveling to Memphis, Jackson was turned down by Stax Records, but while there he met Louis Williams and they started a vocal group called the Ovations. Recording for Goldwax Records, their single "It's So Wonderful to Be in Love" made it to number 22 on the R&B chart in 1965. While with Goldwax, Jackson wrote for label-mates James Carr and Spencer Wiggens. The Ovations broke up and Jackson got a solo deal with Decca Records under the pseudonym Bart Jackson, releasing "Wonderful Dream" in 1968.

At the suggestion of producer Billy Sherrill, Jackson journeyed to Muscle Shoals, AL, to work at producer Rick Hall's Fame Recording Studio, where he became a staff songwriter and wrote hits for Clarence Carter and Candi Staton. MGM Records act the Osmonds visited the hit factory and Jackson submitted a song he had originally written for the Jackson 5. "One Bad Apple" hit number one on the pop charts in early 1971, and stayed there for five weeks. Because of the success, Jackson was allowed to record some singles for MGM. During the mid-'80s, Jackson joined Malaco Records as a staff songwriter penning hits for Johnny Taylor, Bobby Bland, Latimore, Denise LaSalle, and Z.Z. Hill. Jackson's own album Heart to Heart Collect was released by Hep Me Records in 1991.