Ivory Joe Hunter
| Ivory Joe Hunter | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Background information | |
| Also known as | The Baron of the Boogie The Happiest Man Alive |
| Born |
October 10, 1914 Kirbyville, Texas, United States |
| Died | November 8, 1974 (aged 60) Memphis, Tennessee, United States |
| Genres | R&B, blues, boogie-woogie, country |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1933–1974 |
Ivory Joe Hunter (October 10, 1914 – November 8, 1974) was an American rhythm and blues singer, songwriter, and pianist. After a series of hits on the US R&B chart starting in the mid-1940s, he became more widely known for his hit recording, "Since I Met You Baby" (1956). He was billed as The Baron of the Boogie, and also known as The Happiest Man Alive. His musical output ranged from R&B to blues, boogie-woogie, and country, and Hunter made a name in all of those genres. Uniquely, he was honored at the Monterey Jazz Festival and the Grand Ole Opry.
Hunter was born in Kirbyville, Texas, United States. Ivory Joe Hunter was his birthname, not a nickname nor a stage name. As a youngster, Hunter developed an early interest in music from his father, Dave Hunter, who played guitar, and his gospel-singing mother. He was a talented pianist by the age of 13, and as a teenager, Hunter made his first recording for Alan Lomax and the Library of Congress in 1933. Hunter was also the uncle of Tower of Power's original lead vocalist, Rick Stevens.
In the early 1940s, Hunter had his own radio show in Beaumont, Texas, on KFDM, where he eventually became program manager, and in 1942 he moved to Los Angeles, joining Johnny Moore's Three Blazers in the mid-1940s. When he wrote and recorded his first song, "Blues At Sunrise", with the Three Blazers for his own label, Ivory Records, it became a nationwide hit on the R&B chart in 1945.
...
Wikipedia