Aaron C. Jackson was born in1954 to his loving parents, Earl C. Jackson, a Columbus Police Sergeant, and Alma M. Jackson (nee Saunders), employed by the Western Electric Corporation. As a life-long resident of the Greater Hilltop area, he grew up knowing that his family was the First Black Family allowed to live on Whitethorne Avenue.

Aaron attended Highland Elementary, Hilltonia Junior High, and West High School. At West, he focused on instrumental music. He played in the Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, and Stage Band. He participated in the West High School ‘Billion Dollar Marching Band’ and traveled to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl parade, after just missing the Band’s trip to the Rose Bowl Parade in 1969. Upon graduation in 1972, he attended The Ohio State University, majoring in Music Education.

Aaron was very involved with the musical groups at OSU. He played in the Gray, Scarlet, and OSU Concert Bands; the Brass Choir; the Military Band; and the OSU Chorus. He was one of six West graduates to make the OSU Marching Band. As a Tuba player, he was selected to “Dot The I” in Script OHIO in 1975 and 1976.

During the summer of 1976, Aaron started helping a student and friend of his in the School of Music, who wanted to be in the Ohio State University Marching Band. She was a piano major and did not play a brass instrument. Aaron suggested that she sign-out an Alto horn and he would teach her to play it, as well as how to march with it. He told her that she would have to work hard, but making the band would be possible. They met a couple of evenings a week that summer, on the levee overlooking the river next to the band practice field. Following the music lesson, they went to the practice field for marching drills.

It started with just her, then another student joined, then another and soon, there was more than he could handle. Aaron contacted some of his West High band mates, who were also part of the OSUMB, requesting their help. They did, and according to Aaron, there were more than fifty aspiring band members showing up for the marching instruction. They would march drills while playing Buckeye Battle Cry. This drew attention to Dr. Woods (who was then an Assistant Director) when he arrived at the band room one evening. He asked Aaron what was happening. Aaron explained. When tryouts came around, many of them made the marching band. Thus, the tradition of “Summer Sessions” was born. Aaron continued with the help sessions for a couple of years, including the summer of 1978 after he graduated. The tradition continued each summer and over time it has evolved into today’s, “Summer Sessions.”

After he was awarded his Bachelor of Music Education Degree in 1978, he began his teaching career at Lancaster Fisher Catholic. The following year, he returned to Columbus Public Schools as a band director/substitute at Roosevelt Junior High and as a Band Director at Crestview Junior High, each carrying one-year stints. Following this, Aaron was the Band Director at East High School for eight years and twenty-five years at Briggs High School. He was also the Music and Theatre Coordinator for Columbus Public Schools for a year. Aaron retired in 2013 after thirty-seven years in education.

Aaron remains active in education and is currently the Musical Director and Conductor of the Reynoldsburg Community Band. He is also active as a music performer: a Tubist, a Guitarist, and a Banjoist. He is also a long-time Board member of the Central Ohio Hot Jazz Society. This society promotes and supports the Music that came to be post Dixieland and pre-Big Band. Aaron is responsible for Educational Outreach. In addition, Aaron was a three-time Chairperson of the Greater Hilltop Area Commission, which is an adjunct of city council.

Aaron is the proud recipient of the 2023 Script Ohio Award, which honors an individual who has been a former member of The Ohio State University Marching Band or a Director/Assistant Director. He received this award at the Skull Session during the TBDBITL Reunion game on September 9, 2023.

Aaron loves making music and making others happy through music. As a music educator, he worked to instill a love for music in young people and used that platform to encourage life-long music making in them.

Aaron is the proud father of two beautiful daughters and the grandfather of five.