Jimmy
Clanton (born September 2, 1938, Baton Rouge, Louisiana) is an American singer
who became known as the "swamp pop R&B teenage idol". His band
recorded a hit song "Just A Dream" which Clanton had written in 1958
for the Ace Records label. It reached number four on the Billboard chart and
sold a million copies. Clanton performed on Dick Clark's American Bandstand and
toured with popular artists like Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis and The Platters.
Jimmy
Clanton formed his first band, the Dixie Cats, in 1956 while he was attending
Baton Rouge High School. While still in high school, he joined forces with
rival band leader and pianist Dick Holler to form The Rockets. The band
regularly performed at local clubs and on "Teen Town Rally," a local
radio show. The group received a recording contract with Ace Records in 1957.
In the summer of 1958, Clanton wrote the song "Just A Dream" which
the band recorded. It became a big hit, reaching the number four spot on The
Billboard Charts. That same year, Clanton performed on Dick Clark's American
Bandstand, and by Christmas, "Just A Dream" had sold over a million
copies.
Riding
the wave of popular teen music in the 1950s and 60s, Clanton toured with
performers like Fats Domino, The Platters, and Jerry Lee Lewis. Between 1958
and 1962, he had several national hits such as "Go Jimmy Go,"
"Another Sleepless Night," written by Neil Sedaka and "Venus in
Blue Jeans." Clanton even continued to release hits after he was drafted
into the U.S. Army in 1961 and served for two years. Clanton also starred in
the rock n roll movie, "Go Johnny Go," produced by Allan Freed, the
noted rock n roll disk jockey. He later starred in another rock n roll movie
called "Teenage Millionaire."
Shortly
after Clanton's release from the military, the British Invasion of American
music took place. With the popularity of such bands as The Beatles and the
Rolling Stones, artists such as Clanton began to leave the music business. In
1970 Clanton became a disc jockey at WHEX in Columbia, Pennsylvania between
1972 and 1976 and performed in an "oldies" revue of his own. He had a
religious conversion in the 1980s.
In
the 1990's Clanton was still performing in popular oldies shows which hearkened
audiences back to a simpler time in America. Other noted performances have
included the 1995 Jazz Fest in New Orleans where Clanton performed with such
greats as Ray Charles, Chuck Berry, and Frankie "Sea Cruise" Ford and
a P.O.W. - M.I.A. benefit concert hosted by fellow teen idol Fabian.
On
April 14, 2007, at a "Legends of Louisiana Celebration &
Inductions" concert in Mandeville, Louisiana, Jimmy Clanton was inducted
into The Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. Also in December 2007, Clanton was voted
by fans worldwide as a member of the first class of inductees to the Hit Parade
Hall of Fame.
(Info
edited from mainly Wikipedia & Museum Of The Gulf Coast)
Here’s a clip of Jimmy Clanton singing Don't You Know. Taken from the 1959 movie Go Johnny Go.
1 comment:
Go here for the Best of Jimmy Clanton:
http://www29.zippyshare.com/v/95464058/file.html
1. Just A Dream
2. I Trusted You
3. That's You Baby
4. You Aim Please
5. A Letter To An Angel
6. A Part Of Me
7. Ship On A Stormy Sea
8. My Love Is Strong
9. My Own True Love
10. Little Boy In Love
11. Go, Jimmy, Go
12. Another Sleepless Night
13. I'm Gonna Try
14. Wait
15. Come Back
16. What Am I Gonna Do
17. Down The Aisle
18. Twist On Little Girl
19. I Just Wanna Make Love
20. Just A Moment
21. Venus In Blue Jeans
22. Highway Bound
23. What Am I Living For
24. Darkest Street In Town
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