Jerry Wayne "Count Jackson" LaCroix was

born in Alexandria, Louisiana, on October 10,

1943. In 1947, his family moved to Port Arthur, 

and later Groves. He attended Port Arthur and 

Groves schools, and graduated from

Port Neches-Groves High School in 1961. At

Lamar State College, he majored in music and

later transferred to the Berkeley School of

Music in Boston. LaCroix left Berkeley to

pursue a career as a musician.

 

A singer, saxophonist, and harmonica player,

he was a member of Blood, Sweat, and Tears,

White Trash, Rare Earth, and the Boogie

Kings. LaCroix first joined the Boogie Kings

at age 14 and toured with them extensively in

Europe, Australia, and the Philippines. He also

played with Edgar Winter from the time they

were both relatively young, contributing to the

albums White Trash and Roadwork.

 

LaCroix earned a gold record in 1972 for

Roadwork. He is credited with work on

nine albums for Epic and Mercury Records.