The Motown group that turned Eddie Vedder into a singer: “I could relate”
Eddie Vedder is one of those names that is almost inseparable from the world of rock music.
As the lead singer and driving force behind Pearl Jam, Vedder quickly became a defining figure of the American rock scene during the 1990s, toeing the line between the sleaziness of grunge and the polished stylings of alternative rock.
Given his deep roots in the world of rock and roll, you would be forgiven for assuming that the Illinois-born singer-songwriter was raised on a healthy diet of hard rock, punk and anything involving distorted guitars and a right-on attitude. In actuality, though, young Vedder’s listening habits were much more soulful.
Born in the city of Evanston, Illinois, in 1964, Vedder had something of an unconventional upbringing. For instance, his mother and stepfather were foster parents, so Vedder grew up surrounded by kids from all walks of life. While this constant battle for parental attention might have influenced Vedder’s earliest flirts with rock and roll in the form of groups like The Who, the vast range of influences present in his own home meant that he was able to experience an incredible array of different music styles from a very young age.
Of course, growing up in Illinois, the influence of Chicago soul music and the hit factory of Motown over in Michigan were virtually unavoidable for Vedder. Particularly during the late 1960s, when Vedder was a kid, Motown dominated the American singles charts, introducing the world to countless groundbreaking stars including the likes of Stevie Wonder, The Jackson Five and Diana Ross to name only a few. It did not take long, therefore, for the Pearl Jam vocalist to take notice.
Seemingly, the soulful band of brothers, The Jackson Five, were a particular favourite for the singer during his youth. “I got started with the Jackson Five,” he told The Believer in 2004, “I grew up in a group home kind of thing, where we had like black brothers and Irish brothers, and there was a basement down there. That was the late sixties and early seventies; there were tons of Motown around. It was in Chicago. Sly and the Family Stone, and anything on a Motown label. And Stevie Wonder,” adding, “And then there was the Jackson Five, which I could relate to because they were kids”.
The popularity of The Jackson Five during the 1960s and early 1970s cannot be overstated; they were one of Motown’s defining groups during that era. Of course, the band also provided a springboard for the king of pop, Michael Jackson, to dominate the music industry for years to come. Admittedly, Vedder might not seem the most obvious disciple of the young soul singers or the pop superstar that they spawned, but his early appreciation for The Jackson Five is a good indicator of his broad range of influences.
After starting on the sweet sounds of Motown, Vedder eventually found his calling in rock music, which he was introduced to through the 1976 concert film The Last Waltz by The Band. As he explained, “There was Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Ron Wood, Muddy Waters, and Van Morrison. All these people just kind of got ingrained in my head as being just great”.
They say variety is the spice of life, and Eddie Vedder’s adolescent listening habits do seem to back that claim up. The Jackson Five managed to grab the songwriter’s attention before he was sucked into the abrasive world of rock and roll, in which he would go on to become a defining figure.
What did Eddie Vedder learn from The Jackson 5?
Eddie Vedder is one of the most unmistakable vocalists of the past 30 years. The frontman of Pearl Jam has a husky but assertive vocal style, and during the days of grunge’s zenith in the early 1990s, it was always a toss-up between him and his great friend, the late frontman of Soundgarden, Chris Cornell for the crown as Seattle’s best vocalist, but making the link between the Motown band and hius style is a tough one to make.
An intense and captivating performer, there’s no surprise that many subsequent vocalists have mentioned him as a key influence. Vedder, however, is perhaps one of the most unique singers of all time, so how can his voice align with the chirping brilliance of the band? It doesn’t. But it is a kind of melodic performance and undying devotion to the craft that would emanate throughout his career.
