Linda Hayes
Linda Hayes (born Bertha Lulu Williams, December 10, 1923 – May 26, 1998)[1] was an American jazz and R&B singer.
Biography
She was born in Linden, New Jersey, the sister of The Platters' lead singer, Tony Williams. The family later moved to Hollywood, California. In the early 1950s she recorded two singles backed by the Red Callender Sextet,[2] with Callender on (bass), Maxwell Davis (tenor sax), Floyd Turnham (baritone sax), Chico Hamilton (drums) and Monroe Tucker (piano). The first, "Yes I Know" – an answer record to Willie Mabon's "I Don't Know"[3] – entered the Billboard R&B chart on February 7, 1953 and reached #2 (behind The 5 Royales' hit "Baby Don't Do It"), while the second single, "What's It to You" / "Atomic Baby" was recorded in spring 1953. She had a second hit in 1954, when "Take Me Back" reached #10 on the R&B chart.[3]
In late 1954 and early 1955 she recorded a series of singles for King Records with The Platters as backing. She was also backed by Big Jim Wynn's Band. In the mid-1950s she headed the billing of the Hollywood Records Revue, which also included Roy Brown, Johnny "Guitar" Watson and the Tommy Jones Orchestra. She later recorded in 1956 with the Earle Warren Orchestra, and in 1959 with the Ray Scott Band.
She died in 1998, in Atlanta, Georgia, aged 74.[1]
References
- 1 2 Eagle, Bob; LeBlanc, Eric S. (2013). Blues - A Regional Experience. Santa Barbara: Praeger Publishers. p. 265. ISBN 978-0313344237.
- ↑ 45 Discography for Hollywood Records
- 1 2 Whitburn, Joel (1996). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-1995. Record Research. p. 187.
- Linernotes by Clive Richardson from the CD Linda Hayes: Hollywood R&B from the Original Platters' "Dish" (2008) on Shout! Records