Obediah Donnell "Obie" Jessie (December 28, 1936 – April 27, 2020)
was an American
R&B,
rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from Africa ...
and
jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...
singer
Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...
and
songwriter
A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music gen ...
. He recorded as Young Jessie in the 1950s and 1960s, and was known for his solo career, work with
The Flairs
The Flairs (or Flares) were an American doo-wop group known for their 1961 hit "Foot Stompin', Pt. 1." Based in Los Angeles, they went through several lineup changes during their existence. Their notable members included Richard Berry (writer of ...
and a brief stint in
The Coasters
The Coasters are an American rhythm and blues/rock and roll vocal group who had a string of hits in the late 1950s. Beginning with "Searchin'" and " Young Blood" in 1957, their most memorable songs were written by the songwriting and producing ...
. He later performed and recorded jazz as Obie Jessie.
Early life
Jessie's father was a cook but had no musical background. His mother, Malinda (
née
A birth name is the name of a person given upon birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name, or the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a birth certificate or birth re ...
Harris) was very musical, playing piano and other instruments; she had a brief musical career under the name Plunky Harris.
On his mother's side of the family, Jessie was also kin to the blues musician,
Blind Lemon Jefferson
Lemon Henry "Blind Lemon" Jefferson (September 24, 1893 – December 19, 1929)Some sources indicate Jefferson was born on October 26, 1894. was an American blues and gospel singer-songwriter and musician. He was one of the most popular blues sing ...
.
Early career
In 1946, he moved with his family to
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, where he began studying music, and formed a vocal group, The Debonaires, which also included
Richard Berry.
The group recorded Jessie's song, "I Had A Love", in 1953, and the single was released under the name of The Hollywood Blue Jays. They then renamed themselves as
The Flairs
The Flairs (or Flares) were an American doo-wop group known for their 1961 hit "Foot Stompin', Pt. 1." Based in Los Angeles, they went through several lineup changes during their existence. Their notable members included Richard Berry (writer of ...
, and won a recording contract with
Modern Records
Modern Records (Modern Music Records before 1947) was an American record company and label formed in 1945 in Los Angeles by the Bihari brothers. Modern's artists included Etta James, Joe Houston, Little Richard, Ike & Tina Turner and John Lee ...
.
However, in 1954, Jessie signed a solo contract with producers
Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller
Lyricist Jerome Leiber (April 25, 1933 – August 22, 2011) and composer Michael Stoller (born March 13, 1933) were American songwriting and record producing partners. They found success as the writers of such crossover hit songs as " Hound Dog" ( ...
, and began recording as "Young Jessie".
He said: "
he name
He or HE may refer to:
Language
* He (pronoun), an English pronoun
* He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ
* He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets
* He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
came about because I sounded like I was forty, like ancient for a boy of 17. I had this deep baritone voice and the
Biharis
The Biharis () is a demonym given to the inhabitants of the Indian state of Bihar. Bihari people can be separated into three main Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic groups, Bhojpuris, Maithils and Magadhis. They are also further divided into a vari ...
wanted me to get close to the
rock 'n' roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...
market. I could have called myself Obie Jessie but I didn't want people to think I was old."
Recordings and performances
In 1955, he wrote and recorded the single "Mary Lou", later covered by
Ronnie Hawkins
Ronald Cornett Hawkins (January 10, 1935 – May 29, 2022) was an American singer-songwriter, long based in Canada, whose career spanned more than half a century.
His career began in Arkansas, United States, where he was born and raised. He ...
in 1959,
Steve Miller Band
The Steve Miller Band is an American rock music, rock band formed in 1966 in San Francisco, California. The band is led by Steve Miller (musician), Steve Miller on guitar and lead vocals. The group had a string of mid- to late-1970s hit singles t ...
in 1973,
Bob Seger
Robert Clark Seger ( ; born May 6, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and The Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s, break ...
in 1976,
Gene Clark
Harold Eugene Clark (November 17, 1944 – May 24, 1991) was an American singer-songwriter and founding member of the folk rock band the Byrds. He was the Byrds' principal songwriter between 1964 and early 1966, writing most of the band's best ...
in 1977,
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by wikt:nonconformity, nonconformity, Free improvisation, free-form improvisation, sound experimen ...
in 1983 and
The Oblivians
The Oblivians are an American garage punk trio that has existed since 1993. In the 1990s, their blues-infused brand of bravado, crudely recorded music made them one of the most popular and prominent bands within the underground garage rock scene ...
in 1997. In 1956, he released "Hit Git And Split",
co-written with
Buck Ram
Samuel "Buck" Ram (November 21, 1907 – January 1, 1991) was an American songwriter, and popular music producer and arranger. He was one of BMI's top five songwriters/air play in its first 50 years, alongside Paul Simon, Kris Kristofferson, Jimm ...
and recorded in
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
with guitarist
Mickey Baker
MacHouston "Mickey" Baker (October 15, 1925 – November 27, 2012) was an American guitarist, best known for his work as a studio musician and as part of the recording duo Mickey & Sylvia.
Early life
Baker was born in Louisville, Kentucky. His m ...
.
[ He also briefly recorded with ]The Coasters
The Coasters are an American rhythm and blues/rock and roll vocal group who had a string of hits in the late 1950s. Beginning with "Searchin'" and " Young Blood" in 1957, their most memorable songs were written by the songwriting and producing ...
in 1957, (including harmony vocals on "Searchin'" and "Young Blood"), and appeared on records by The Crescendos and Johnny Morisette, as well as being a writer for other artists' recordings, including The Chargers and Jimmy Norman. He released the single "Shuffle In the Gravel" / "Make Believe", again produced by Leiber and Stoller, on the Atco Atco or ATCO may refer to:
Businesses
* ATCO, a Canadian diversified company involved in manufacturing, utilities, energy and technologies
** ATCO Electric, a subsidiary of the above company
* Atco (British mower company), a mower manufacturing com ...
label in 1957.[
Jessie then moved on to record jazz for the ]Capitol
A capitol, named after the Capitoline Hill in Rome, is usually a legislative building where a legislature meets and makes laws for its respective political entity.
Specific capitols include:
* United States Capitol in Washington, D.C.
* Numerous ...
label, novelty records for Mercury
Mercury commonly refers to:
* Mercury (planet), the nearest planet to the Sun
* Mercury (element), a metallic chemical element with the symbol Hg
* Mercury (mythology), a Roman god
Mercury or The Mercury may also refer to:
Companies
* Merc ...
in the early 1960s, and soul ballads for the Vanessa label in 1963, but with little commercial success. He recorded some unreleased material for Jake Porter in the 1960s. He also did an album's worth of songs owned by Harvey Fuqua
Harvey Fuqua (July 27, 1929 – July 6, 2010) was an American rhythm and blues singer, songwriter, record producer, and record label executive.
Fuqua founded the seminal R&B/doo-wop group the Moonglows in the 1950s. He is notable as one of th ...
in the 1970s that never got released. In 1972, he recorded a single as Obe Jessie & The Seeds Of Freedom for Stone Dogg Records.
He also formed a jazz group, the Obie Jessie Combo, which played club dates, and in 1976 became musical director for Esther Phillips
Esther Phillips (born Esther Mae Jones; December 23, 1935 – August 7, 1984) was an American singer, best known for her R&B vocals.Santelli, Robert (2001). ''The Big Book of Blues: A Biographical Encyclopedia''. Penguin Books. p. 376. . She ...
. In 1982, he toured in Europe and recorded jazz in Germany, and in 1983 performed at an "R & B Jamboree" in London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, where he reportedly "astonished the audience with a charismatic performance."[
He also performed with ]Leon Hughes
Leon Hughes, Sr. (born Leon Hughes, May 6, 1930 in Dallas, Texas, and raised in Los Angeles County, California) is an American rhythm and blues singer. He is the last surviving original member of The Coasters.
Biography
Leon Hughes is an origi ...
' group of The Coasters
The Coasters are an American rhythm and blues/rock and roll vocal group who had a string of hits in the late 1950s. Beginning with "Searchin'" and " Young Blood" in 1957, their most memorable songs were written by the songwriting and producing ...
. As "Obie Jessie", he later released several jazz albums, including ''What Happened To Jr.'' (1995), ''Here's To Life'' (2002), and ''New Atmosphere'' (2009).[ He also recorded with Atlanta-based saxophonist Bob Miles, and performed on the song "People The Time Has Come" with lyrics by Nadim Sulaiman Ali.]
Personal life
His younger brother DeWayne Jessie
DeWayne Jessie (a.k.a. "Otis Day"; born September 21, 1951) is an American character actor best known for his portrayal of Otis Day in ''National Lampoon's Animal House''. In the movie, the songs "Shama Lama Ding Dong" and " Shout" were sung by ...
became an actor
An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...
, and became well known as Otis Day in the film, ''National Lampoon's Animal House
''National Lampoon's Animal House'' is a 1978 American comedy film directed by John Landis and written by Harold Ramis, Douglas Kenney and Chris Miller. It stars John Belushi, Peter Riegert, Tim Matheson, John Vernon, Verna Bloom, Thomas Hulc ...
''. Two of Young Jessie's four children sang in a group called Wizdom in the 1980s.
Obie Jessie died on April 27, 2020, aged 83.[ "R.I.P. Obie "Young" Jessie, 1936-2020"](_blank)
''The Perlich Post'', April 29, 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2020
Discography
Singles
*"I Smell A Rat" / "Lonesome Desert" (Modern) (January 1954)
*"Mary Lou" / "Don't Think I Will" (Modern #961) (June 1955)
*"Nothing Seems Right" / "Do You Love Me" (Modern #963) (November 1955)
*"Hot Dog (Modern)" (unreleased) (1956) (recorded this before Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
)
*"Hit Git And Split" / "It Don't Happen No More" (Modern #1002) (September 1956)
*"Oochie Coochie" / "Here Comes Henry" (Modern #1010) (December 1956)
*"Shuffle In The Gravel" / "Make Believe" (Atco #6101, 1957)
*"Shuffle In The Gravel" / "Make Believe" (UK London HLE #8544, 1958)
*"Margie" / "That's Enough For Me" (Atlantic #2003) (1958)
*"Shuffle In The Gravel" / "Make Believe" (Atco #6101) (1958)
*"Lulu Belle" / "The Wrong Door" (Capitol #4318) (1959)
*"Teacher, Gimme Back" / "My Country Cousin" (Mercury #71895) (1961)
*"Be Bop Country Boy" / "Big Chief" (Mercury #71985) (1962)
*"I’m A Lovin' Man" / "Too Fine For Cryin'2" (Mercury #72104) (1963)
*"Mary Lou" / "You Were Meant For Me" (Mercury #72146) (1963)
*"Make Me Feel A Little Good" / "Brown Eyes" (Vanessa) (1963)
*"Young Jessie’s Bossanova Part 1" / "Part 2" (Bit #7464) (1964)
*"Who's The Blame" / "Beautiful Day My Brother" (Stone Dogg #801) (1972) (released as Obe Jessie & The Seeds Of Freedom)
Albums
*''Chuck Jackson And Young Jessie'' (Crown) (1963)
*''R & B Jamboree'' (Ace) (1983)
*''Hit Git And Split'' (Ace) (1985)
*''Shuffle In The Gravel'' (Mr. R&B #1004) (1987) (released in Sweden)
*''Shufflin And Jivin'' (Ace) (1987)
*''I’m Gone'' (Ace) (1995)
As Obie Jessie
*''What Happened To Jr.'' (Solar #72597) (1995)
*''Here’s To Life'' (Jazz Family #101) (2002)
*''New Atmosphere'' (Jazz Family ) (2009)
References
External links
Young Jessie
on Myspace
Young Jessie discography
The Coasters Web Site
* Allmusic - Young Jessie* Allmusic - Obie Jessie* as Young Jessie
* as Obie Jessie
discography at 45cat.com
discography at 45cat.com as 'Young Jesse'
discography at 45cat.com as 'Young Jessee'
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jessie, Young
1936 births
2020 deaths
Musicians from Dallas
American rhythm and blues singers
The Coasters members
Modern Records artists
Mercury Records artists
Capitol Records artists
The Flairs members
20th-century African-American male singers
21st-century African-American male singers