[2] Future bandmates Steve Cropper and Donald "Duck" Dunn first heard Jackson playing in Mitchell's band at the Flamingo Room, and the all-white Manhattan Club.

During his tenure at Stax, he became one of the most influential drummers in the history of recorded music, providing an instantly recognizable backbeat behind the label's artists, including Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, Eddie Floyd, Sam & Dave, Otis Redding and blues guitarist Albert King (whose work Jackson also produced).

In the 1970s, he co-wrote and played on several hits by Al Green, including "Let's Stay Together" and "I'm Still in Love with You", at Hi, and he was also a session drummer for many artists, such as Elvis Presley, Bill Withers, Wilson Pickett, Leon Russell, Jerry Lee Lewis, Eric Clapton, Jean Knight, Aretha Franklin, Major Lance, Ann Peebles, Rod Stewart, Shirley Brown, Donny Hathaway and Herbie Mann.

[4] On September 30, 1975, Jackson was scheduled to fly from Memphis to Detroit, to produce a Major Lance session, when he supposedly heard a reminder on the radio about the Joe Frazier–Muhammad Ali fight that night.

Jackson called Detroit to delay the session, saying he was going to watch the "Thrilla in Manila" on the big screen at the Mid-South Coliseum.

He was in the process of filing for a divorce and intending to move to Atlanta, so that he could begin working with Stax singer and songwriter William Bell.

After robbing a bank in Florida, that person told the alleged triggerman to meet him at Al Jackson's house.

Tracked through Florida, to Memphis, and to Seattle, Washington, the suspected murderer, the boyfriend of Barbara Jackson's friend Denise LaSalle, was killed by a police officer on July 15, 1976, after an unrelated gunfight.

by Jim Payne, a grey pearl Rogers floor tom was used in the mix 'n' match kit at Stax.

's With Eric Clapton With Delaney & Bonnie With The Emotions With Eddie Floyd With Aretha Franklin With Alan Gerber With Al Green With Donny Hathaway With Albert King With Wilson Pickett With David Porter With Elvis Presley With Otis Redding With Leon Russell With The Soul Children With The Staple Singers With Mavis Staples With Rod Stewart With Carla Thomas With Bill Withers