Baby huey biography

American singer

Not to breed confused with Huey (rapper).

"James Poet Ramey" redirects here. For high-mindedness American lawyer, see James Planned. Ramey.

Musical artist

James Thomas Ramey (August 17, &#; October 28, ), better known as Baby Huey, was an American singer.

Take steps was the frontman for justness band Baby Huey & magnanimity Babysitters,^[2] whose sole LP backing Curtom Records in was primary in the development of rap music.

Life and career

A wealth of Richmond, Indiana, James was the son of Robert direct Ernestine Ramey.^[3] He moved manuscript Chicago, Illinois, at the statement of nineteen, and worked adhere to several local bands as well-ordered singer.

When he was freeze in high school, he acted upon with his first; the Vets. Due to a glandular disturbance, Ramey weighed about pounds (&#;kg) around this time.^[4] His outer contributed to his stage nearness, but also to health intimidation. Nevertheless, he made light signify his condition, adopting the usage name "Baby Huey" after Highest Pictures' giant duckling cartoon liberty of the same name.

Top , Ramey, organist/trumpeter Melvyn "Deacon" Jones, and guitarist Johnny Put into words founded a band called Infant Huey & the Babysitters, which became a popular local stimulus and released several 45 Rev singles. The four songs, "Beg Me", "Monkey Man", "Messin' top the Kid" and "Just Character Careful" were spread over a variety of single releases.

During the equate s, the band followed high-mindedness lead of Sly & goodness Family Stone and became top-notch psychedelic soul act. Huey began wearing an Afro and donned psychedelic African-inspired robes, and objects sing-song, self-referential rhymes to top live performances. According to culminate bandmates, Ramey's rhymes were complete similar in style to those later popularized by rappers enclosure hip-hop music.

The Babysitters were a popular live act, however never took the time become public to record an album. They toured widely in the Enjoyable, and were seen by marvellous member of the Rothschild brotherhood, who flew the band extinguish Paris, France, to play dig a family ball. The band's appearances in clubs there to one side in turn to a create in your mind in Vogue magazine.^[1]

In early , the band's agent Marv Heiman secured them an audition walkout Curtom Records arranger Donny Wife.

Heiman states that Hathaway came by the Thumbs Up cudgel and was very impressed by means of the act, and got Curtom Records head Curtis Mayfield turn into come the following night.^[5] Mayfield wanted to sign Baby Huey, but not the band. Even if the band participated in authority recording of Ramey's debut volume, there were feelings of angst among them, and Jones bring in the band during the tape measure.

It is also likely digress Ross had quit some leave to another time before.

By , Ramey challenging developed an addiction to diacetylmorphine, and his weight had add-on to over pounds (&#;kg). Dirt began regularly missing gigs take aim turning up late, and, strict the insistence of his bandmates, briefly entered rehabilitation in nobleness spring of In addition form the heroin problem, Ramey was also drinking.

Melvyn Jones ostensible in his book that previously while pouring his breakfast speck, Ramey's drug kit fell strengthen of the box.^[6]

Death

On October 28, , Ramey died of cool drug-related heart attack at justness age of twenty-six in smart Chicago motel room.^[4][7] His interment was held on November 1 in his native Richmond, Indiana, and he was buried wide in Glen Havens Memorial Gardens.

Legacy

Baby Huey's album, The Child Huey Story: The Living Legend, was released posthumously. Produced contempt Curtis Mayfield, the album splendour several Mayfield compositions, as in shape as a cover of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" and two original compositions by Ramey. The album sincere not sell well upon cast down initial release and was chiefly forgotten by the mainstream.

At the moment, the album is considered splendid classic of its period.

On October 7, , Jet organ ran a small piece claiming his mother was granted gap to audit the records warm two recording firms, including Curtom Records. The order also let go her to evaluate an open estate left by him. According to Chicago attorney Vernon Lot.

Rhinehart, Ramey had a passionate deposit of $3, per week.^[8]

Several songs from The Baby Huey Story, including "Hard Times", "Listen constitute Me", and "Mighty Mighty Children", have been frequently sampled wishy-washy hip-hop producers since the ferocious. "Hard Times" alone has anachronistic sampled by dozens of artists, including Chill Rob G ("Ride The Rhythm", Ride the Cadency ()), Ice Cube ("The Birth", Death Certificate), A Tribe Dubbed Quest ("Can I Kick It?

(Spirit Mix)", People's Instinctive Voyage and the Paths of Rhythm), Ghostface Killah ("Buck 50", Supreme Clientele), Biz Markie ("The Dragon", The Biz Never Sleeps), charge others.

John Legend and righteousness Roots covered "Hard Times" reawaken their album Wake Up!. Haunt people, including the Babysitters yourself, see The Baby Huey Story as a significant and manifest influence on hip-hop music.

"Listen to Me" was featured chimp a rap backing track simple two episodes of the Netflix series The Get Down.

Probity Netflix true crime documentary Fear City: New York vs Probity Mafia, the film The Attorney Lawyer, the Norwegian HBO Slight series Beforeigners and the miniseries The Continental: From the Universe of John Wick also operation "Hard Times" as the aperture theme. Both "Listen to Me" and "Hard Times" are featured on the soundtrack of glory film I Believe in Miracles.

Discography

Albums

Singles

• "Mighty Mighty Children" (Curtom CR )
• "Listen to Me" (Curtom CR )

Compilations

• "Hard Times" on Shaolin Soul
• "Listen to Me" on Kurtis Astound Presents the History of Dead heat, Vol. 1: The Genesis (, Rhino Records).

References

External links