Despite having a million-selling single, "Hold What You've Got," which spent 11 weeks on Billboard's Top 100, and releasing 30 successful singles before 1965 on, Joe Tex will likely best be remembered as a songwriter who penned "Baby You're Right," which James Brown covered to great success in 1962.... that and a lifelong feud with Brown that culminated in Brown shooting at but not hitting Tex in a nightclub.
Tex's own singing spent quite a bit of time on the airwaves. Hits such as "A Woman Can Change a Man," "Skinny Legs and All," "Men Are Getting Scarce," and "The Love You Save (May Be Your Own)" were among the barrage of 45s he released in 1965 (7 releases), 1966 (6 releases), and 1967 (5 releases). His last big hit was 1972's "I Gotcha," which reached #2 on the charts and eventually earned him a gold record for 2 million in sales. He converted to Islam in 1966.
Harold "Chuck" Willis is known to many through his music -- but few fans know his name. Willis saw fame early in his career with "It's Too Late, She's Gone," which has been covered by Derek & the Dominoes, Jerry Garcia Band, Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly and the Crickets, and more. In addition to that, his "C.C. Rider" was not only a hit for him but has been covered by Elvis Presley among others. He is known as "The King of Stroll" for his performance of that dance, which resulted from an easygoing sound that led to an easygoing dance step. Pretty nice impact for what was a very brief career. Willis died during surgery in 1958 at the age of 30.
Tex's own singing spent quite a bit of time on the airwaves. Hits such as "A Woman Can Change a Man," "Skinny Legs and All," "Men Are Getting Scarce," and "The Love You Save (May Be Your Own)" were among the barrage of 45s he released in 1965 (7 releases), 1966 (6 releases), and 1967 (5 releases). His last big hit was 1972's "I Gotcha," which reached #2 on the charts and eventually earned him a gold record for 2 million in sales. He converted to Islam in 1966.
Harold "Chuck" Willis is known to many through his music -- but few fans know his name. Willis saw fame early in his career with "It's Too Late, She's Gone," which has been covered by Derek & the Dominoes, Jerry Garcia Band, Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly and the Crickets, and more. In addition to that, his "C.C. Rider" was not only a hit for him but has been covered by Elvis Presley among others. He is known as "The King of Stroll" for his performance of that dance, which resulted from an easygoing sound that led to an easygoing dance step. Pretty nice impact for what was a very brief career. Willis died during surgery in 1958 at the age of 30.
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