Freddie Jackson, the Grammy-nominated R&B singer known for chart-topping hits like “Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake)” and “You Are My Lady,” has died. He was 69.

Jackson died on Monday, Oct. 5, just three days after his birthday, according to a statement shared to his Instagram account on Tuesday, Oct. 6. No cause of death was given.

“It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that we share the passing of our beloved Freddie Jackson, who went home to rest last night.🕊️,” the post read. “Freddie was more than a legendary voice. He was a kind, generous soul who loved his fans, his family, his friends, and his music with everything he had. For decades he gave us the songs that became the soundtrack to our love stories, our celebrations, and our most treasured memories. That gift will live on forever.”

The statement continued, “To everyone who ever sang along, danced, or felt something when Freddie took the stage: thank you. You were family to him, and he carried your love with him always. Please keep his family, friends, and loved ones in your prayers during this difficult time. Details regarding arrangements and how to honor his legacy will be shared in the coming days.”

The statement was signed by “the Freddie Jackson family,” and concluded by saying Jackson’s legacy and voice “will live on forever.”

The singer announced in 2024 that he’d been diagnosed with kidney disease, and said in a video at the time that while his journey had “challenges,” he hoped to “face it with openness and resilience.” He also partnered with the National Kidney Foundation to raise awareness.

“It is important to me that I share this with you, not just as a part of my personal story, but as a way to make a positive difference,” he said.  “As I take this step, I’m turning my personal experience into a platform for greater understanding and advocacy. With your help, we can work towards better awareness and improved outcomes for everyone with kidney disease.”

Jackson was best known for dominating the R&B charts in the 1980s; 10 of his songs were No. 1 hits, including “Rock Me Tonight,” which spent six weeks atop the charts in 1985. He also notched seven crossover hits on the Billboard Hot 100, and was nominated for two Grammys in 1986: Best New Artist and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, for “You Are My Lady.”

The star was born and raised in Harlem, and grew up watching stars like James Brown and Aretha Franklin perform at the famed Apollo Theater. He cut his teeth singing gospel music at the White Rock Baptist Church, where he met future collaborator Paul Laurence.

“I grew up in Harlem, eating collard greens and fried chicken,” Jackson told the Los Angeles Times in 1988. “That’s not learned soul, it’s not acquired in some singing school or from copying what you hear on records. I live soul. That’s what you hear in my music or in the music of any Black singer.”

He played the New York club scene before briefly moving to the West Coast to front the band Mystic Merlin. But before long, he was back, and even sang backup for Melba Moore before releasing his debut album Rock Me Tonight in 1985.

“My heart is broken over the loss of a great singer and even a greater friend, Freddie Jackson,” Moore, 80, told PEOPLE in a statement. “When we worked together on songs such as our hit, ‘A Little Bit More’, his sense of humor had me laughing during the sessions. We had such a special relationship. I will forever miss my dear friend. Rest peacefully, Freddie.”

Jackson released a number of albums over the years, most recently in 2023. He also appeared on TV shows like The Golden Girls, and had a duet with Irene Cara on the soundtrack of the 1989 movie All Dogs Go to Heaven.

“I say that you have to stay true to who you are and what it is that you do, and where it falls it will fall,” he said in a 2009 interview. “There’s an old saying in my family that what comes from the heart will touch the heart and it will stay in the heart. And I think that that’s what my music has done.”

Studio portrait of actress Jasmine Guy and actor Kadeem Hardison, co-stars of A Different World television show. Aired: 1987-1993. (Photo by Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)

Jasmine Guy has a message for viewers focused on her appearance in Netflix’s new “A Different World” series.

The actress recently returned as Whitley Gilbert-Wayne, more than three decades after the original sitcom ended. The Netflix continuation premiered Sept. 24, exactly 39 years after the original series debuted on NBC.

Guy’s return brought plenty of nostalgia for longtime viewers. However, some social media users quickly shifted the conversation toward how the actress has aged.Several posts criticized Guy’s appearance and compared how she looks today with her younger years playing Whitley. Other viewers defended the 64-year-old actress and pushed back against the commentary. Guy has now joined the conversation herself.

“The internet can be brutal to women as we grow older,” Guy wrote in a social media post.

She added that society often encourages people to celebrate growing older while simultaneously criticizing visible signs of aging.

“Growing older brings change, and I won’t pretend every change is easy,” Guy continued.

Still, the actress made clear that getting older has not changed how she views beauty or enjoying life.

“But beauty, style, and joy don’t have an expiration date,” she wrote.

Guy concluded by encouraging people to judge themselves and others less. Instead, she urged followers to focus on love, memories and fully experiencing life.

Fans and colleagues rally around Guy

Guy’s response quickly received support from viewers and people connected to the new series. Showrunner Felicia Pride responded to Guy’s post with support. Cast members Kennedi Reece and Cornell Young IV also celebrated the veteran actress.

The online debate arrived as audiences became reacquainted with several familiar Hillman faces. Guy first began playing Whitley when “A Different World” premiered in 1987. She remained with the sitcom until its conclusion in 1993.

Whitley eventually became one of the show’s central characters. Her romance with Dwayne Wayne, played by Kadeem Hardison, became a defining storyline.

Guy and Hardison both reprise their roles in the Netflix series. The continuation follows their youngest daughter, Deborah Wayne, played by Maleah Joi Moon. Deborah enrolls at Hillman College hoping to establish an identity separate from her famous parents.

Whitley has also evolved considerably since viewers last saw her. In the new series, she has become a successful beauty entrepreneur behind Glitter by Gilbert. Dwayne, meanwhile, has returned to Hillman as the college’s provost.

Guy admits returning came with nerves

The attention surrounding Guy’s return comes after she admitted that reprising Whitley initially made her nervous. Guy recently said previous attempts to revisit “A Different World” had not worked out. That history made her cautious about returning again.

The production itself also looks different from the sitcom Guy helped make famous. The original used a multi-camera format and was filmed before a live audience. Netflix’s continuation uses a single-camera approach, creating a different experience for the returning performers.Guy is not the only original star returning to Hillman. Hardison, Cree Summer and Darryl M. Bell are among the familiar faces appearing alongside the younger cast. Glynn Turman also returns as Col. Bradford Taylor.Nearly four decades after audiences first met Whitley, Guy is embracing what naturally comes with that passage of time. Her response also shifts the conversation beyond whether a familiar television star resembles her younger self.