Artist page

Percy Mayfield was a notable US R&B vocalist and composer, born on August 12, 1920, in Minden, Louisiana, and passing away on August 11, 1984, in Los Angeles, California. He is perhaps best known for writing the classic song "Hit the Road, Jack," although he was also a prominent performer for the Specialty label during the early 1950s, delivering slow blues ballads with a smoky voice reminiscent of Charles Brown. His most significant hit was the 1950 song "Please Send Me Someone to Love," which has become an R&B standard covered by many artists. Mayfield's career faced challenges after a severe car accident in 1952 that left his face scarred, potentially impacting his performance opportunities. In 1961, Ray Charles turned "Hit The Road, Jack" into a major hit, leading to Mayfield being hired as a songwriter for Charles's Tangerine Records. After spending a decade primarily in the background, Mayfield experienced a resurgence in his career, releasing several albums from the late 1960s to early 1970s on Tangerine and RCA, where his smoky baritone voice was often accompanied by top jazz session players of the era.

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