Results for "Screamin Jay Hawkins"

Screamin Jay Hawkins

Born: July 18, 1929

Screamin' Jay Hawkins was a blues/soul singer known for his over- the-top theatricality and the hit "I Put a Spell on You." Born on July 18, 1929, in Cleveland, Ohio, "Screamin'" Jay Hawkins was a piano prodigy and boxer who worked with Fats Domino and Tiny Grimes. Hawkins had a hit in 1956 with his bombastic take on "I Put a Spell on You." His career became known for its wild stage antics, with the singer wearing bones and rising out of coffins. After later appearances in film, he died on February 12, 2000 in France. One of rock and roll's original madmen, Hawkins was as famous for his music as he was for his stage antics. He spent the first year and a half of his life in an orphanage before being adopted. His mother reportedly gave him up because she already had too many children to care for. Hawkins' interest in music emerged at an early age. He taught himself to play piano and could read music by the age of 6. While in his teens, Hawkins took up boxing. He had some success in the ring, winning a Golden Gloves championship in 1943. Still, Hawkins maintained an interest in music with a love for opera. "Something I wanted to do but never did is sing opera," he said. "That goes back to my respect for Paul Robeson and Mario Lanza, but when I got into the music business, opera didn't get into the charts; they were just putting rhythm and blues out." In 1944, Hawkins put a music career on hold and left school to join the U.S. Army to fight in World War II. As part of his service, Hawkins entertained the troops. When he returned, he continued to box for a time before pursuing music full time.