Randall Darius Jackson (born June 23, 1956 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana) is a Grammy Award-winning bassist; singer, record producer, music manager, A&R executive and Emmy Award-nominated television and radio personality, now best known as a judge on American Idol. Jackson was most recently featured in the seventh season of American Idol.
Jackson is the manager of Papertongues, a Charlotte, NC based band.
Jackson also hosts a radio top 40 countdown known as "Randy Jackson's Hit List", which is syndicated by Westwood One. Every week Jackson counts down his top 30 Urban AC and Mainstream AC hits, and gives behind-the-scenes information on American Idol with American Idol Underground.
The qualification round for America's Best Dance Crew, a new dance contest produced by Jackson, was broadcast live on MTV on 26 January as a teaser to the elimination dance off battles which premiered on 7 February. On March 11, 2008, Jackson released an album produced entirely by himself, titled Randy Jackson's Music Club, Vol. 1. The album was preceded with the single "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow", performed by fellow American Idol judge Paula Abdul.
Jackson had performed with the Rock band Journey on their 1986 album Raised on Radio.