The pianist and singer whose emotive vocals defined a new sound in American music.
For his signature sound, start with "I Got Woman." For his range, try "Hard Times" from his top songs.
His 1955 recording "I Got Woman" topped R&B charts and established his approach. Songs like "Hit The Road Jack" and "Unchain My Heart" followed, with his piano work and emotive vocals defining what would become known as soul music. His 1962 album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music showed his range, blending country material with his soul style.
Born in Albany, Georgia in 1930, he lost his sight to glaucoma at age five but began playing piano soon after. By the mid-1950s he had developed a sound that blended gospel, blues, and jazz influences into something new. He battled heroin addiction for years while continuing to perform and record.
Keep it compact: a lyric you come back to, a live memory, or the part of the catalog you would point someone toward first.
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