Jesse Belvin

Jesse Belvin
Compilation CD cover
Background information
Birth name	Jesse Lorenzo Belvin
Born	(1932-12-15)December 15, 1932 San Antonio, Texas, United States
Died	February 6, 1960(1960-02-06) (aged 27) Hope, Arkansas, United States
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, piano
Years active	1950–60
Labels	Modern Records, Dot, RCA
Associated acts	Big Jay McNeely, The Hollywood Flames, The Shields
Notable instruments
Vocals, piano

Jesse Lorenzo Belvin (December 15, 1932 – February 6, 1960) was an American R&B singer, pianist and songwriter popular in the 1950s, whose success was cut short by his death in a car crash aged 27.

Belvin was born in San Antonio, Texas, and moved with his family to Los Angeles at the age of five.

In 1950 he joined saxophonist Big Jay McNeely's backing vocal quartet, Three Dots and a Dash, and featured prominently on their record releases. In 1952, he joined Specialty Records. Although his early solo records were unsuccessful, his fourth record, "Dream Girl", credited to Jesse & Marvin and featuring Marvin Phillips on saxophone, reached #2 on the R&B charts in 1953.

He was then drafted into the army but continued to write songs. His composition "Earth Angel", eventually co-credited to Belvin and Hollywood Flames singers Curtis Williams and Gaynel Hodge after a legal dispute, was recorded by the Penguins, and became one of the first R&B singles to cross over onto the pop charts, selling a million copies in 1954/55.

In 1956, he signed a contract with Modern Records, but also continued to sing for other labels under different names. His biggest hit was "Goodnight My Love" which reached #7 on the R&B chart. The piano on the session was reportedly played by 11-year-old Barry White. The song became the closing theme to Alan Freed's rock and roll radio shows.

Belvin’s other recordings for Modern were less successful, and in 1958 he recorded on Dot Records with a group, the Shields, who included lead singer Frankie Ervin and guitarist Johnny "Guitar" Watson. Their record, "You Cheated", reached #15 on the US pop chart and #11 on the R&B chart. He also recorded with Eugene Church as the Cliques on a less successful single, "The Girl in My Dreams", which was covered by the Four Lovers (two of whose members, including Frankie Valli, would later become The Four Seasons).