Terry Jacks

Terry Jacks, born Terrence Ross Jacks on March 29, 1944, in Winnipeg, Canada, is a singer-songwriter and environmentalist. He began his musical journey as a teenager, learning the guitar and forming The Chessmen with Guy Sobell at age 18. The group achieved four Top 10 hits in Vancouver between 1964 and 1966. After The Chessmen disbanded, Terry Jacks formed The Poppy Family with Susan Pesklevits (whom he later married), Craig McCaw, and Satwant Singh. Their biggest hit was "Which Way You Goin' Billy?", which reached Number 1 in Canada and number 2 on the Billboard charts in the United States in 1970. In 1974, Terry Jacks released his solo album Seasons in the Sun, featuring the international hit single of the same name. The song, an adaptation of Jacques Brel's "Le Moribond," became one of the best-selling singles by a Canadian artist, with over 14 million copies sold worldwide. It earned him two Juno Awards and topped charts in several countries. This success was followed by other acclaimed albums such as 1975's Y' Don't Fight the Sea, Pulse (1983), and Just Like That (1987). Terry Jacks also produced notable songs for other artists, including Chilliwack's "Crazy Talk" and "There's Something I Like About That". In addition to his music career, Terry Jacks was involved in environmental activism and documentary filmmaking. His work included producing videos on environmental themes, such as The Faceless Ones, which won an Environmental Gold Award at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival. Gone Fishin' For Soul, his fifth full-length album, came out in 2025.