Baby Huey - Running

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I wanted to share this Artist to those that have never heard of him before. I think that he could have been one of the greats of soul music, and to me... he is.

I discovered his album while snooping around virgin mega one day, there was only one... and the name stood out right away; BABY HUEY (the duck) was my nickname at work... so you know I just had to get it!

I'm so glad that I did...
I hope you enjoy the song.

Music by: Baby Huey
Song: Running

Baby Huey (born James Ramey, January 1, 1944 - October 28, 1970) was an American rock and soul singer, born in Richmond, Indiana. He was the frontman for the band Baby Huey & The Babysitters, whose singular LP for Curtom Records in 1971 was influential in the development of hip hop music.

In 1969, the band's agent Marv Heiman secured them an audition with Curtom Records arranger Donny Hathaway. Hathaway was impressed by the act, and got Curtom Records head Curtis Mayfield to sign Baby Huey, but not the band. Although the band participated in the recording of Ramey's debut album, there were feelings of unease among them, and Ross and Jones quit the band during the recording sessions.

By 1970, Ramey had developed an addiction to heroin, and his weight had increased to over 400 pounds. He began regularly missing gigs or turning up late, and, at the insistence of his bandmates, briefly entered rehabilitation in the spring of 1970. James Ramey died of a heart attack on October 28, 1970, at the age of 26, and was found in his hotel bathroom by his manager. His funeral was held on November 1, in his native Richmond, Indiana.

Baby Huey & the Babysitters' album, The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend, was released after the death of their lead singer. Produced by Curtis Mayfield, the album featured several Mayfield compositions, as well as a cover of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" and two original compositions by Ramey. The album did not sell well upon its original release, and was largely forgotten by the mainstream. Today, the album is considered a classic of its period.

Several songs from The Baby Huey Story, including "Hard Times", "Listen to Me", and "Mighty Mighty Children", have been frequently sampled by hip hop producers since the 1980s. "Hard Times" alone has been sampled by dozens of artists, including Ice Cube ("The Birth", Death Certificate), A Tribe Called Quest ("Can I Kick It?", People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm), Ghostface Killah ("Buck 50", Supreme Clientele), and others. Many people, including the Babysitters themselves, see The Baby Huey Story as a significant and important influence on hip hop music.

After Ramey's death, The Babysitters briefly employed a young Chaka Khan as their lead singer before disbanding. The members went their separate ways to work as instrumentalists in other bands, although they regularly participate in projects involving their past work with Baby Huey & the Babysitters.

c(^_^)3*
chrispycrunchy86

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