King Floyd
| King Floyd | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | King Floyd III |
| Born |
February 13, 1945 New Orleans, Louisiana, United States |
| Died | March 6, 2006 (aged 61) |
| Genres | Soul |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 1970-2000 |
| Labels | Malaco, Atlantic, Chess, TK |
King Floyd (February 13, 1945 – March 6, 2006) was a New Orleans soul singer and songwriter, best known for his Top 10 hit from 1970, "Groove Me".
King Floyd III was born in New Orleans in 1945. His musical career started as a singer at the Sho-Bar on Bourbon Street. Following a stint in the army, Floyd went to California, where he joined up with record producer Harold Battiste. His debut album, A Man In Love, featuring songs co-written with Dr. John, failed to make an impact on the charts. Floyd returned to New Orleans in 1969 and worked for the Post Office.
In 1970, Wardell Quezergue, an arranger of R&B scores, persuaded Floyd to record "Groove Me" with Malaco Records in Jackson, Mississippi. Jean Knight recorded her hit, "Mr. Big Stuff," in the same sessions.
At first, "Groove Me" was a B-side to another Floyd song, "What Our Love Needs." New Orleans radio DJs started playing "Groove Me" and the song became a local hit. Atlantic Records picked up national distribution of "Groove Me," which topped the United States R&B chart and reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and went to #41 in Britain. This disc sold over one million copies, and received a gold disc awarded by the R.I.A.A. in December 1970. Floyd quit his job at the post office to perform a U.S. tour. His follow-up single, "Baby Let Me Kiss You" climbed up to number 29 on the Billboard Top 40 charts in 1971.
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