while attending miller high school, he played drums in addition to timpani and violin and also sang in the choir. at 16, he sang professionally in a local touring gospel quartet called the evangelist singers. he took up the vibraphone at 16 after hearing lionel hampton play the instrument in benny goodman's band. jackson was discovered by dizzy gillespie, who hired him for his sextet in 1945, then his larger ensembles. jackson quickly acquired experience working with the most important figures in jazz of the era, including woody herman, howard mcghee, thelonious monk, and charlie parker.