biography
| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1941–67)
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| biography:
| Soul singer, born in Dawson, Georgia, USA. As a high-school student in Macon, GA, he was so impressed by the success of the local luminary, Little Richard, that he decided to become a full-time performer. His early work, including ‘Shout Bamalama’ (1960), was heavily influenced by Richard's frantic style. An appearance at the Monterey pop festival in 1967 secured his popularity, but he died in a plane crash in December of that year. The posthumously released ballad ‘Dock of the Bay’ became his first Number 1 US hit early in 1968. Several of his songs, including ‘I've Been Loving You Too Long’ (1965), ‘Try a Little Tenderness’, and ‘Mr Pitiful’ (1965), are now regarded as classics of their style. |
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