Dick Jensen
| Dick Jensen | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Richard Hiram Jensen |
| Also known as | Dick Jensen Lance Curtis |
| Born |
April 9, 1942 Kalihi, Oahu, Hawaii |
| Died | June 21, 2006 (aged 64) Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Occupation(s) | Live performer |
| Years active | 1960–2001 |
| Labels |
Philadelphia International Bluewater Probe Epic |
Dick Jensen (April 9, 1942 – June 21, 2006), was a live musical performer of the Rhythm and Blues, Soul, and Gospel genres. His signature on-stage style incorporated strenuous dance moves similar to those of Jackie Wilson. He was born in Kalihi, Hawaii on the island of Oahu.
Jensen was a native Hawaiian athletic song stylist whose "white hot soul" electrified audiences. He was of Hawaiian, French, Danish, English and Irish descent.
A graduate of Farrington High School, he first used the stage name Lance Curtis. He was a main showroom caliber draw who filled rooms at the Outrigger Waikiki, the Oceania Floating Restaurant, Hilton Hawaiian Dome, Reef Towers Polynesian Palace and the Hula Hut.
By 1968, this one-time opening act for the Rolling Stones had become an international performer, signing with Don Costa Productions and began performing at the El Quid in Mexico City. He often divided his career between the islands and Las Vegas, Nevada. Jensen earned the sobriquet "The Giant" because of his tall stature, but he had a talent to match that nickname. His vocal stylings came deep from his Hawaiian soul, as he danced around the stage. Some have compared seeing his physicality on stage to watching the seemingly effortless glide of a professional ice skater. In 1970, he was appearing at the Century Plaza in New York City, in his debut of that city. In 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973, he appeared at the Copacabana in New York, aptly being compared to James Brown, the superstar most analogous to Jensen's onstage style.
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