J. Blackfoot
Encyclopedia
J. Blackfoot was an American
soul
singer, who was a member of The Soul Children
in the late 1960s and 1970s, and subsequently had a moderately successful solo career. His biggest hit was "Taxi", which reached the charts in both the US and UK in 1984.
, moving to Memphis, Tennessee
with his family as a child. Generally known as "J." or "Jay", he acquired the nickname "Blackfoot" as a child, for his habit of walking barefoot on the tarred sidewalks. In 1965, after spending some time in Tennessee State Penitentiary in Nashville, he recorded a single under his own name for the small Sur-Speed label, before returning to Memphis, where he was heard singing in a street corner group by David Porter
of Stax Records
. After the plane crash that claimed the lives of Otis Redding
and four members of The Bar-Kays, he joined the reconstituted group as lead singer, and performed with them for several months but did not record.
In 1968, after Sam & Dave
had moved from Stax to Atlantic Records
, Porter and his songwriting
and production
partner Isaac Hayes
decided to put together a new vocal group of two men and two women. They recruited Blackfoot, together with Norman West, Anita Louis, and Shelbra Bennett, to form The Soul Children. Between 1968 and 1978, The Soul Children had 15 hits on the R&B chart, including three that crossed over to the Billboard
Hot 100, and recorded seven albums.
The Soul Children disbanded in 1979. Blackfoot worked with bands in the Memphis area, and recorded solo for the local Prime Cut label. In 1983, he began working again with writer and producer Homer Banks
, with whom he had recorded with The Soul Children, and recorded "Taxi", a song originally written for Johnnie Taylor
but not recorded by him. Blackfoot's record rose to no. 4 on the R&B chart and no. 90 on the pop chart, also reaching no. 48 in the UK. He recorded several albums, and had several more R&B hits on Banks' Sound Town label before moving to the Edge label formed by Al Bell
in 1986. In 1987, he had another significant hit, "Tear Jerker", a duet with Ann Hines, reaching no. 28 on the R&B chart. He later moved to the Basix label, continuing to release albums into the new millennium.
In 2007, Blackfoot and West reformed the Soul Children, with Hines and fourth member Cassandra Graham.
On November 30, 2011, Blackfoot died of a heart attack
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
singer, who was a member of The Soul Children
The Soul Children
The Soul Children was an American vocal group who recorded soul music for Stax Records in the late 1960s and early 1970s. They had three top ten hits on the Billboard R&B chart – "The Sweeter He Is" , "Hearsay" , and "I'll Be The Other Woman" – all of which crossed over to the Hot...
in the late 1960s and 1970s, and subsequently had a moderately successful solo career. His biggest hit was "Taxi", which reached the charts in both the US and UK in 1984.
Biography
John Colbert was born in Greenville, MississippiGreenville, Mississippi
Greenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
, moving to Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
with his family as a child. Generally known as "J." or "Jay", he acquired the nickname "Blackfoot" as a child, for his habit of walking barefoot on the tarred sidewalks. In 1965, after spending some time in Tennessee State Penitentiary in Nashville, he recorded a single under his own name for the small Sur-Speed label, before returning to Memphis, where he was heard singing in a street corner group by David Porter
David Porter (musician)
David Porter is an American soul musician. Porter is best known as the songwriting and production partner of Isaac Hayes at Stax Records during the 1960s...
of Stax Records
Stax Records
Stax Records is an American record label, originally based in Memphis, Tennessee.Founded in 1957 as Satellite Records, the name Stax Records was adopted in 1961. The label was a major factor in the creation of the Southern soul and Memphis soul music styles, also releasing gospel, funk, jazz, and...
. After the plane crash that claimed the lives of Otis Redding
Otis Redding
Otis Ray Redding, Jr. was an American soul singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger and talent scout. He is considered one of the major figures in soul and R&B...
and four members of The Bar-Kays, he joined the reconstituted group as lead singer, and performed with them for several months but did not record.
In 1968, after Sam & Dave
Sam & Dave
Sam & Dave were an American soul and rhythm and blues duo who performed together from 1961 through 1981. The tenor voice was Samuel David Moore , and the baritone/tenor voice was Dave Prater .Sam & Dave are members of...
had moved from Stax to Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
, Porter and his songwriting
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and production
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
partner Isaac Hayes
Isaac Hayes
Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr. was an American songwriter, musician, singer and actor. Hayes was one of the creative influences behind the southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwriter and as a record producer, teaming with his partner David Porter during the...
decided to put together a new vocal group of two men and two women. They recruited Blackfoot, together with Norman West, Anita Louis, and Shelbra Bennett, to form The Soul Children. Between 1968 and 1978, The Soul Children had 15 hits on the R&B chart, including three that crossed over to the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100, and recorded seven albums.
The Soul Children disbanded in 1979. Blackfoot worked with bands in the Memphis area, and recorded solo for the local Prime Cut label. In 1983, he began working again with writer and producer Homer Banks
Homer Banks
Homer Banks was an African-American songwriter, singer and record producer, best known for his songs for Stax Records in the 1960s and 1970s...
, with whom he had recorded with The Soul Children, and recorded "Taxi", a song originally written for Johnnie Taylor
Johnnie Taylor
Johnnie Harrison Taylor was an American vocalist in a wide variety of genres, from rhythm and blues, soul, blues and gospel to pop, doo-wop and disco.-Early years:...
but not recorded by him. Blackfoot's record rose to no. 4 on the R&B chart and no. 90 on the pop chart, also reaching no. 48 in the UK. He recorded several albums, and had several more R&B hits on Banks' Sound Town label before moving to the Edge label formed by Al Bell
Al Bell
Al Bell is an American record producer, songwriter, and record executive. Bell is best known as one of the key figures behind and a co-owner of Memphis, Tennessee-based Stax Records during the latter half of the label's nineteen-year existence...
in 1986. In 1987, he had another significant hit, "Tear Jerker", a duet with Ann Hines, reaching no. 28 on the R&B chart. He later moved to the Basix label, continuing to release albums into the new millennium.
In 2007, Blackfoot and West reformed the Soul Children, with Hines and fourth member Cassandra Graham.
On November 30, 2011, Blackfoot died of a heart attack
Albums
- City Slicker (Sound Town, 1983)
- Physical Attraction (Sound Town, 1984)
- U-Turn (Edge, 1987)
- Loveaholic (Basix, 1991)
- Room Service (Basix, 1993)
- Reality (Basix, 1995)
- This Christmas (Basix, 1997)
- Stealing Love (Basix, 1997)
- Having An Affair (Basix, 1999)
- At His Best (Basix, 1999)
- Same Place Same Time (Basix, 2001)
- It Ain't Over Til It's Over (JEA Music, 2006)
- Woof Woof Meow (JEA Music, 2009)
- Soles Of My Shoes (Locobop, 2009)
Chart singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Pop Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
US R&B Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
||
| 1983 | "Taxi" | 90 | 4 | 48 |
| 1984 | "I Stood On The Sidewalk And Cried" | - | 63 | - |
| 1985 | "Don't You Feel It Like I Feel It" | - | 62 | - |
| "Hiding Place" | - | 77 | - | |
| 1986 | "U-Turn" | - | 33 | - |
| 1987 | "Bad Weather" | - | 78 | - |
| "Tear Jerker" J. Blackfoot featuring Ann Hines |
- | 28 | - | |
| "Respect Yourself" | - | 58 | - | |