As a little boy growing up in Papua New Guinea, I remember my dad hustling the whole family to watch a gospel concert at the Port Moresby stadium. I clearly remember everyone being very excited while I was bewildered; clearly missing the whole point. Besides, I was not musically talented like my other siblings so I had little interest in what was at stake. But I tagged along simply because it was always exciting to leave the confines of our house.
The experience of the next 6 hours was a life changing moment. Years that followed saw me following with keen interest, the Heritage Singers who sang so beautifully that evening. Like many other children in the crowd that day, we were all dazzled by the tall, dark American tenor who had a surreal falsetto and who carried himself with so much energy. He was Monty Jackson! Years later I still wonder whatever happened to Monty Jackson?
Thanks to the power of the Internet, today I found this youtube video. It seems Monty has lost a step or two but the smile is still flashy as I remember it. But watching the video brought back many memories of when this gentlemen sang his way into our homes in the 1980’s and 1990’s.
Years have passed and there are many like me who have asked “what happened to Monty Jackson and the Heritage Singers”? The Heritage Singers have gone on to newer heights but Monty unlike many former singers seemed to have faded into the background. Heritage Singers reunion have come and gone, but there has never been another sighting of Monty with the Heritage Singers.
The last I heard about Monty Jackson was when he toured Australia with the Jackson Family, the group he formed after Heritage Singers comprising of his brothers and sisters. There were quite a number of great songs like Make Us One, This Time and my favorite Just as you are. Make Us One was featured in a star-studded CD compilation in partnership with Universal Music Enterprises by John Redmon. This compilation was nominated in 2009 for the Independent Music Awards for Best Gospel Album. The album was called John Redmon & Friends: Faith, Love & Unity, Vol 1.
His inspirational solo project Through Your Eyes was played in many homes in the Solomon Islands with many of his songs being sung in churches and concerts, inspiring many who came to listen. His time with Reunion quartet is fondly remembered by many and was the source of inspiration for many aspiring next wannabe “monty jacksons”.
In the 80’s and much of the 90’s Monty Jackson was the face of the Heritage Singers. He was the person we (at least those of us in the South Pacific) paid good money to go and watch. He was the reason we bought the tapes, the cassettes and eventually the CD’s and DVD’s.
Perhaps good ol’ Max Mace will never feature Monty Jackson again, maybe there is a good reason why he may never appear with the Heritage Singers ever again. But this much I know, without that charismatic old soul, the Heritage Singers would have been just another Kings Herald, another Endless Praise – great singers and groups who toured the South Pacific but never really left such a gigantic impression like that left by Monty Jackson and the Heritage Singers all those years ago.
I deliberately left the best piece of information for last. For fans like me, Monty Jackson has moved on from his days with Heritage Singers and has a flashy new website with more information. Go here http://www.montyjacksonmusic.com – hope soon we may now find answers the question “What happened?” I am definitely buying a copy of this awesome CD – Prayers, Promises,Praises! I am sure I will find inspiration like I always have from Monty Jackson music.
I also remembered Monty from the 80’s. In 2012 I bought a cd that was totally different, nonetheless, still a nice cd. God bless u Monty. Continue to sing for Jesus till He comes.
You all can find Monty here:
http://www.montyjacksonmusic.com/master-page-copy1#!__master-page-copy1
there is just no one like him, i watched a certain video of heritage singers, i was a kid at that time, today am in my 30s but the songs he san are still fresh in my mind! GOD BLESS HIM!
Im happy i wasnt the oly one wondering about monty, i have searched on internet but i found many with the same name. Thanks for info. I watched a video of heritage singers in Papua when i was a kid but i have never forgotten him, he was a great singer!
@Lynffer, I now have the CD! its contemporary gospel very different from Through your eyes but still its Monty Jackson!
Wow! I thought I was the only one silently thinking where Monty Jackson has gone to, like Christy I even thought he had passed away! Thanks for this update and website…me by no miss for checkim na!
this guy was the favorite of the islanders, especially the melanesian country which heritage toured. Unfortunately, they did not travel to Vanuatu during Monty’s time with the heritage singers… Everybody in Vanuatu who watched heritage singers on vhs video cassettes loved this guy and many teens and kids who have watched him on cassettes have become gospel musicians or have come to love gospel music through his inspirations with the heritage singers. I wish we could have him back with the heritage singers for just one more tour to Vanuatu. Thanks for showing us his website. I will try every best to get his latest album.
Thank you Monty for your Music. God Bless your Ministry
Thank you sooooooooo much for this. Like you, he was my favorite (and will always be my favorite) Heritage Singer! I grew up to a life of music because of him. Thanks for the link to the website.
I’ve never known of Monty Jackson, but I bumped into his 1984 singing of “More than Beautiful” on Facebook moment’s ago and I am an instant fan of his. The website provided for Monty did not work unfortunately. I appreciate this writing very much. Thank you.
Does anybody here still have the concert video or audio?i have been trying to find a few songs for a while now.
@Christy, @Cris and @Supergover…like all of you, I have wondered where on earth he went and this is the first real evidence and clue on what Monty Jackson is doing now. I cannot stress how important the songs he penned and sung have made such an impact on me. Being not musically talented, I tend to pay a lot of attention to the words, rythmn and tunes more then anything else. It is how Monty blended all that with his personality that left the biggest impression in my life. I have seen Tim Caldwell, Tim Davis, Scott Reed among others perform with the Heritage Singers but I cannot get away from the thought that something is missing. Monty Jackson! thanks for leaving your comments on this story.
Lynnold
I was also at the Port Moresby Heritage Singers concert in the mid 80s and Monty was a superstar. I still recall on the old VHS tape Monty talking about how he loved coming to PNG because he felt like these were his people. They looked at him as one of their own. He was right, for a few years Heritage Singers were blasting everywhere and the geri-curl hairstyle was popular.
To date I’ve never seen anyone with that same stand-out “annointing” amongst a group. Sadly, I don’t think I ever will.
i totally agree with your thoughts that without Monty Jackson when the Heritage Singers toured the South Pacific..they wouldnt have had such an impact.
your questions are the same questions that i have.. i would really want to know..
i meet Monty 3 times.. the first time was when he came to our school in melbourne with the Reunion Quartet.and then the two times that the Jackson Family toured australia.. it was a great experience…
i hope we can get more answers..
Thanks for this! My mum and I always worried that maybe he had passed away because he seemed to completely drop off the radar. So glad to hear he’s doing well!