Bernard Jackson moved from Stamford, Connecticut, to New York to pursue a music career.
While in New York, his godfather suggested Jackson should contact his nephew David Townsend who had been a guitarist with The Isley Brothers.

The Isleys produced their band Sunrize with David and drummer / writer Everett Collins and long-time friend Tony Herbert (bass) from David's high school, Dwight Morrow High School in Englewood, N.J. David Townsend was formerly in a L.A. 70s band, and met David Conley. Conley, Townsend and Collins started writing back in New Jersey and began performing under the name Surface, featuring lead singer Karen Copeland. After a brief hiatus from recording, Townsend and Conley met Jackson, and they reformed "Surface" with Jackson as the frontman/bass guitarist.