- 4/23/2025
The Temptations' Jawan M. Jackson Interview with Melody Fresh
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00:00Hey, it's 105.9 KISS FM, number one for Smooth, I'm being old school.
00:05I'm your girl, Melody Fresh, and I'm so excited because on today, I have a special guest in
00:10the studio.
00:11Now, y'all know there is so many concerts happening in the city of Detroit, but this
00:15week, Thursday, The Temptations, The Four Tops, will be at the Fox.
00:20I know a lot of people want tickets over the weekend right here from KISS, but I got a
00:25temp in the building right now.
00:27It's Temptation Tuesday, ladies and gentlemen.
00:29Do you understand what I'm saying?
00:30I got a Temptation up in here right now, and small world, we went to high school together.
00:36Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you, Jawan Jackson, our youngest Temptation.
00:43Welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome.
00:46So, I'm so excited to have you here.
00:48You're home.
00:49You're at home.
00:49I am home.
00:50I'm so excited to be home.
00:51This is our first time.
00:52Yes, and your first time performing in your own city.
00:55Yes.
00:56How exciting is that?
00:57It's nerve-wracking.
00:58I'm nervous, because Detroit don't play.
01:01You know what I'm saying?
01:02You've done Broadway, but you're nervous about Detroit.
01:04Is that what you're telling me?
01:04Absolutely.
01:05You always are nervous when you come back home, because everybody know you, so they're
01:07like, mm, let me see what you're about to do.
01:09Don't mess it up.
01:10You know what I'm saying?
01:11You can fake with them other folks, but you ain't about to fake over here.
01:15I totally understand.
01:17Well, welcome home.
01:18Oh, it's good to be here.
01:18I'm so excited.
01:19So, of course, we've been following each other on social media since the beginning
01:22of time, but people who are listening may not even realize, listen, we have real Motown
01:27blood in The Temptations right now.
01:29How did that even come about?
01:30How did you get here?
01:31You know, well, it came about from the Broadway show I was doing.
01:35So, I originated Melvin Franklin in Ain't Too Proud, Life and Times of Temptations, written
01:40by another Detroiter, Dominique Morseau.
01:42I didn't know that.
01:43Yeah.
01:44Learn me something on a Tuesday, all right.
01:45She wrote that show, and she wrote a whole bunch of other Broadway shows.
01:49She's doing Soul Train right now.
01:50Wow.
01:50But we'll get into that later.
01:52But anyways, I mean, I was in the show, and then the show closed, like shows do.
01:59But by that time, Otis and I had established a relationship.
02:03And we always would joke, and we're like, hey, if you need anybody to join the group,
02:06like, let us know, call us, you know, we're going to step in.
02:09I got the slide, I got the slide, though.
02:09You know, Otis was like, yeah, okay, okay.
02:13And then the time came.
02:16And I got that phone call.
02:17He was like, you know, well, our tour manager, Derek, he called me.
02:21He was like, yo, what are you doing?
02:22I'm like, nothing, trying to find work like everybody else.
02:23What's up?
02:24He was like, what do you think about, like, coming on tour with us?
02:27I said, as what?
02:28He said, as a temptation.
02:29I'm like, stop playing with me.
02:31Because I'm like, stop playing.
02:32Yeah, like, don't, don't, don't play.
02:34Don't even let, let my heart, don't let it, you know what I'm saying?
02:37He was like, I'm going to send you this tour schedule.
02:39And then if it works for your schedule, you know, let's, let's talk further.
02:43So then he sent me the tour schedule.
02:44I already knew I was going to say yes before he sent me the tour schedule.
02:46Right, you didn't have to send me nothing.
02:48My bag is packed, sir, come on.
02:49We'll play some matches, whatever.
02:51And then Otis called me.
02:52I was like, hey, nephew, like, I would love to have you if you can do it.
02:55And I was like, you know what?
02:56Like, I'll stop everything I'm doing for that year and I'll come on tour.
03:02Like, if, if, if that's what it'll take to have him, because he was worried about, like,
03:05he was like, I know you're a star, you know, you got shows and you're doing all this stuff.
03:08I was like, listen, none of that matters.
03:10None of that matters.
03:11I will commit to this.
03:13And from there, he was like, well, come on then.
03:16And I've been doing it.
03:16And I made, and, and what's so crazy is how God's assigned, God works is that everything
03:20that I had to do, um, that I had already prior committed to was around the tour schedule.
03:26So I literally can go on my dates, come off, do what I had to do for my commitments.
03:32And it like literally worked out.
03:35When it's, when it's for you, it's for you.
03:37That's it.
03:37There's nothing you can do to change that.
03:39Ain't nothing you can do to move that.
03:40Not one thing.
03:41Nothing.
03:42Well, that worked out.
03:42So you went from Broadway to touring with the temptations.
03:45How is that transition going?
03:47That transition has been, was much easier than I thought.
03:50You know, I was, I didn't know what to expect.
03:51It's my first time on like a major tour like this, but from going from eight shows a week
03:56to a show, an hour show, I'm like, this is a walking apart.
04:01You know, once I learned the choreography.
04:02Cause how many Broadway shows are you doing a week?
04:04You're doing eight shows a week and your only day off is Monday.
04:07If it's Monday, if it's not a holiday schedule.
04:08So, cause sometimes you can do every bit of 12 shows before you got a day off, you know?
04:14And so coming from that schedule and then doing this tour schedule, I was like, oh,
04:19this is a walking apart.
04:19I'll prefer this over anything.
04:21Anything.
04:21Absolutely.
04:23This tour is a very special tour.
04:24Can you tell me why it is so special to the group?
04:27Absolutely.
04:27It's, uh, going to be the launch of the 40 year, um, tour anniversary that the four tops
04:35and the temptations have started.
04:36Cause you know, it started back, um, when they did the duel at the Motown, um, reunion
04:42and, you know, now Detroit is going to experience the kickoff, you know, launch of this tour,
04:49which I'm excited about.
04:50And I'm so glad I get to be a part of it.
04:51Like, I wouldn't even have thought of four years ago.
04:54So, first of all, you know what I'm saying?
04:56So I'm four years shy of it.
04:58That's all right.
04:59I'm four years shy of it.
05:00So to, to be able to experience, you know, and be a part of history like that is, it's
05:05going to be great.
05:05And it's going to be, the room is going to have so much energy in it because of it.
05:09Heck yeah.
05:10So y'all get ready.
05:10Cause I'm showing up.
05:11I'm going to show up cause I'm home, but I'm also going to show up.
05:13And you better.
05:14We're going to be in the crowd like, uh-uh, uh-uh.
05:17Don't, don't, don't half step it.
05:19You better do the whole step.
05:20Listen, then you don't get no's.
05:21Okay.
05:22I may be young, but I got old souls.
05:24So we're good.
05:24Listen, and that is why we're here, which is hilarious because, you know, a lot of people
05:28don't realize, you know, how old exactly I am, but I've always been an old school R&B
05:34girl.
05:34So this is why, you know, I resonate so well with the people who listen and I love them
05:38for listening because it's always been my thing.
05:40It's always been a jam.
05:41You know what I'm saying?
05:42Like, we don't have, we didn't have a choice because our parents and our grandparents, that's
05:44all they had on, you know.
05:46That's what you listened to when you grew up.
05:47You wasn't, there wasn't no Boosie back then.
05:48You know what I mean?
05:49Well, Boosie Collins, but not, not, not.
05:51Not that Boosie, but, uh, you know, it wasn't, it wasn't like that.
05:55We had so much better music, dare I say, you know, back then, you know, I would think
05:59as we get older, we appreciate it more now that we hear the music, like, you know, cause
06:03it has substance and it still feel good.
06:05And you can, you know, they're playing music 40 years, 60 years old and it's still, you
06:09can, it still competes with music today.
06:11Y'all not playing Sexy Red 40 years from now.
06:13That's what, that's what y'all not doing.
06:14Listen, everybody got their, everybody got their art, everybody got their thing.
06:18So it can be for them, but it ain't for me.
06:20But it ain't, it ain't for me.
06:22That's all that matters.
06:22So how have you been getting recognized since you've been home?
06:24I know you've been home for a day or two.
06:25You know, it's so crazy.
06:26I have been getting recognized, but not from the Temptations.
06:28Everybody recognizes me from a White Castle commercial that's been playing.
06:33Of all the things.
06:34Cause Detroit is like White Castle.
06:35So, you know, I get recognized from White Castle or, um, from their child watching the Wiggles.
06:41Wow.
06:42Well, listen, shout out to the Wiggles.
06:44Yeah, shout out to the Wiggles.
06:45Shout out to, uh, those of us who are parents of toddlers, we are not okay.
06:48Okay.
06:49Listen.
06:49Pray for us, please.
06:50Pray for us.
06:51Pray for us, please.
06:52Cause I got the, I got a toddler now.
06:53Yes, you do.
06:54How old now?
06:55He is 18 months.
06:56Is that correct?
06:57Or should I say one years old?
06:59One and a half or 18?
07:00When do I stop saying months?
07:01Parents, parents know months.
07:03So parents and parents, I know where you at.
07:04Gotcha.
07:05Okay.
07:05Because one is a big one, two, under one.
07:09Those are big things.
07:10Different things happen month to month.
07:12So 18 months, this is right around the time.
07:16The hands, the gibberish.
07:19What are you trying to say?
07:20What is that?
07:21Well, my son knows sign language now.
07:22Thanks to, uh, Ms. Rachel.
07:24Ms. Rachel.
07:24Ms. Rachel, baby.
07:26Ms. Rachel, don't you be getting them together?
07:28My baby is, you know, doing sign language.
07:30He can count up to 50.
07:32He can count backwards.
07:33Like, he's very, very smart.
07:34I got one of the smartest one-year-olds in the world.
07:36Yes.
07:37Amen.
07:37I'm going to be that parent.
07:38Right.
07:39My child is doing, is playing pickleball backwards.
07:42Like, all right.
07:43How that work?
07:44But no, yes.
07:45That's beautiful.
07:45My son is a Ms. Rachel head, too.
07:47So trust me.
07:49He loves, as soon as she hit that screen, and them overalls, it's going down.
07:53It's going down.
07:54Every room stands still, and nobody matters.
07:56And that's cool.
07:57Yeah.
07:57Well, I know that y'all are here for some PR stuff, too.
07:59We got some streets, streets changing.
08:02Yeah, we got some streets.
08:03You know, they have given Otis a honorary street dedicated to him, you know, for his years
08:10of servitude.
08:12And so we're going to be out here celebrating the naming of one of Detroit's streets, prominent
08:17streets.
08:17So I'm excited about that, and I think that it's so deserving.
08:21Absolutely.
08:22Absolutely.
08:23The man has been in this game for over 60-plus years, and so.
08:26And still on stage.
08:27And still on stage.
08:28He's 81 years old.
08:29Still on stage.
08:30Wow.
08:30And, you know, he is still dancing.
08:32Like, he, sometimes I got to pull up.
08:34I'm like, oh, you're dancing harder than me, because I dance right next to him.
08:37So I'm like, he'll look at me and be like, where you at, Youngblood?
08:39Where you at, Youngblood?
08:41I'm like, all right, I'm going to turn it up.
08:42And by the time both our needs are going to be heard after this set, you know, but.
08:45Because you're trying to go hard.
08:47You're trying to show up.
08:47Yeah, we try to show up.
08:48But it's just such, you know, Barry Gordy used to say years ago, competition breeds champions.
08:54Yes.
08:54And that's what we all do on stage.
08:56We all push each other to be better.
08:59Because when we're all better, we, you know, as a group, as a collective, we're a group.
09:03We look good.
09:04We present well.
09:05And people still come.
09:06And that's why the Temptations still having, you know, our shows are still being sold out to this day.
09:11Everywhere I go in the world, I'm like, you know, people have shown out for the Temptations.
09:15So Detroit, come out and show out.
09:17Yes.
09:17Just like the rest of the world.
09:19Are there any tickets left?
09:20I mean, listen, it's limited.
09:21If it is.
09:22The floor is out.
09:22The balcony, you know, the middle section is out.
09:25I've seen a little bit on, you know, at the top.
09:26At the very top.
09:27Listen, as long as you're in the building, that don't matter.
09:29It don't matter.
09:29As long as you're in the building, I don't care.
09:30You're going to see us.
09:31You're going to see us.
09:32And you're going to jam.
09:33Oh, I'm so excited.
09:34Temptations, four tops, this Thursday night at the Fox.
09:38It's a show you do not want to miss.
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