Terry Jacks facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Terry Jacks
Jacks in 1974
Background information
Birth name	Terrence Ross Jacks
Born	(1944-03-29) March 29, 1944 (age 81) Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Genres	Rock pop soft rock country
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Years active	1962–present
Labels	Columbia Goldfish London Bell A&M
Associated acts	The Poppy Family

Terry Jacks is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and music producer. He is famous for his 1974 hit song "Seasons in the Sun". This song was an English version of an older song by a Belgian artist named Jacques Brel. Terry Jacks is also known for working to protect the environment. He has focused on pollution from factories in Howe Sound.

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Terry Jacks was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, on March 29, 1944. He was the oldest of five brothers. His father owned an architecture business. Terry even studied architecture in university before he became a musician.

In the early 1960s, when Terry was a teenager, his family moved to Vancouver. He started playing the guitar. When he was 18, he formed a band called The Chessmen with guitarist Guy Sobell. This group had four songs that reached the top ten in Vancouver between 1964 and 1966.

The Chessmen even performed live at a "Back to School" event in 1965. Fans would call a radio station's "Request Line" to ask for the B-side of The Chessmen's songs. To their surprise, the radio station played their requests, making their songs popular on both sides!

After The Chessmen, Terry and Susan Pesklevits formed a new band called The Poppy Family. Terry and Susan later got married. Their band also included Craig McCaw and Satwant Singh. The Poppy Family had several hit songs in Canada and around the world. Their biggest hit was "Which Way You Goin' Billy?" This song reached number one in Canada. It also went to number two on the Billboard charts in the U.S. Terry Jacks wrote and produced this song. He won an award for his production in 1970.

"Seasons in the Sun" and Other Hits

The famous song "Seasons in the Sun" was first meant for the Beach Boys. Terry Jacks was going to produce their recording of it. But the group decided not to release it. So, in late 1973, Terry Jacks decided to record the song himself. He released it on his own record label, Goldfish Records.

"Seasons in the Sun" became a huge international hit. It was the biggest-selling international song by a Canadian artist at that time. It sold 14 million copies worldwide. Terry Jacks won two Juno Awards for the song. It is still one of the best-selling Canadian songs ever.

The song was based on an older song called "Le moribond" by Belgian singer Jacques Brel. Terry Jacks changed some of the lyrics for his version. His changes, along with some earlier changes by Rod McKuen, made the song sound very different from the original. In many countries, including the U.S. and the UK, Terry's song reached number one on the music charts.

Terry Jacks also released other songs. One was "If You Go Away", which was another song based on a Jacques Brel tune. It was popular in the UK and Germany. He also covered "Rock 'N' Roll (I Gave You the Best Years of My Life)". Both songs were more successful in Canada but also appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S.

Terry Jacks wrote and recorded many other songs. He also produced music for other artists. He worked with bands like Chilliwack and singers like Nana Mouskouri. He even produced a punk rock version of his song "Where Evil Grows" for the band DOA.

Music in the 1980s and 2010s

Terry Jacks did not enjoy some parts of the music business, like touring and promoting songs. So, he stopped recording music in the mid-1970s. However, he continued to produce music for others.

In 1983, Terry Jacks decided to start recording again. He released an album called Pulse and a single called "You Fooled Me." He later said this album was like a "rehearsal." In 1987, he released another album called Just Like That. During this time, he also focused a lot on his environmental work.

In 2011, Terry Jacks worked with Al Jardine from the Beach Boys. They wrote a song called "Don't Fight the Sea". Al Jardine recorded it with other Beach Boys members. A special record of the song was sold to help victims of the 2011 tsunami in Japan.

In 2015, Terry Jacks released a double CD album called "Starfish on the Beach." It included 40 of his favorite songs from the past 40 years. The album also came with a booklet that had photos and stories from his music career.

Film Work

Terry Jacks has also worked on documentary films and videos. These films often focus on environmental topics. Some of his works include The Faceless Ones and The Tragedy of Clearcutting. His video production The Faceless Ones won an Environmental Gold Award.

In 1981, Terry Jacks was involved in making a TV movie version of "Seasons in the Sun." He produced the movie, wrote its music, and even starred in it.

Protecting the Environment

Terry Jacks is a strong environmental activist. In 1985, he started a group called Environmental Watch. This group worked to fight pollution from pulp mills in Howe Sound.

He even took legal action against the British Columbia Environment Ministry in 1988. He did this because they allowed a pulp mill to pollute. The lawsuit ended in 1990 after the ministry charged the company with 19 pollution violations. In 1989, he led a group of boats past several pulp mills to protest their pollution.

Terry Jacks continued to fight against pulp mill pollution in the 1990s. He worked hard to pass two federal laws. These laws limited logging on the coast and restricted fishing by non-Canadian fishermen. His environmental work has earned him several awards. In 1997, he received a lifetime achievement award for his efforts. He also won the Eugene Rogers Environmental Award.

Personal Life

Terry Jacks and Susan Jacks divorced in 1973. Later, in the 1970s, Terry married his manager, Margaret Zittier. They had one daughter together before they divorced in 2001. In 2008, Terry Jacks married his third wife, Diane Soza.

Discography

Studio Albums

• Seasons in the Sun (1974)
• Y' Don't Fight the Sea (1975)
• Pulse (1983)
• Just Like That (1987)

Compilation Albums

• Into the Past...Terry Jacks Greatest Hits (1982)
• Singles A's and B's (2004)
• Starfish on the Beach (2015)

Extended Plays

• Epocas De Sol (1974)

Singles

See also

In Spanish: Terry Jacks para niños

• List of 1970s one-hit wonders in the United States
• List of musicians from Canada