kids encyclopedia robot

Baby Huey (singer) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Baby Huey
Album cover james ramey.jpg
James Ramey pictured on the cover of his posthumous album, The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend
Background information
Birth name James Thomas Ramey
Born (1944-08-17)August 17, 1944
Richmond, Indiana, United States
Origin Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died October 28, 1970(1970-10-28) (aged 26)
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Genres Funk, R&B, soul, rock
Occupations Singer
Years active 1963–1970
Labels Curtom
Associated acts The Vets, Baby Huey & the Babysitters, Melvyn "Deacon" Jones, Johnny Ross

James Thomas Ramey (born August 17, 1944 – died October 28, 1970) was an American rock and soul singer. He was famous as Baby Huey. He led the band Baby Huey & the Babysitters. Their only album, released in 1971, helped shape hip hop music.

Early Life and Career

James Ramey was born in Richmond, Indiana. When he was 19, he moved to Chicago, Illinois. There, he sang with different local bands. His first band, "the Vets," was formed when he was still in high school.

James had a health condition that made him weigh about 350 pounds (160 kg). His large size made him stand out on stage. He even used it to his advantage, calling himself "Baby Huey." This name came from a big duckling cartoon character.

In 1963, James Ramey, along with Melvyn "Deacon" Jones (who played organ and trumpet) and Johnny Ross (guitarist), started the band Baby Huey & the Babysitters. They became very popular in their area. They released several songs on small records called 45 RPM singles. These songs included "Beg Me," "Monkey Man," "Messin' with the Kid," and "Just Being Careful."

In the late 1960s, the band changed their style. They were inspired by Sly and the Family Stone and started playing psychedelic soul. Baby Huey began wearing an Afro hairstyle and colorful African-inspired robes. He also added rhyming parts to his live shows. His bandmates said his rhymes sounded a lot like what rappers would later do in hip-hop music.

The Babysitters were a great live band, but they never recorded a full album. They toured all over the United States. A member of the Rothschild family saw them perform and flew the band to Paris, France. They played at a family party there. Their shows in Paris clubs even led to a feature in Vogue magazine.

In early 1969, the band's agent, Marv Heiman, set up an audition with Curtom Records arranger Donny Hathaway. Hathaway was very impressed by Baby Huey's performance. He then convinced Curtis Mayfield, the head of Curtom Records, to come see them. Mayfield wanted to sign Baby Huey, but not the whole band. Even though the band helped record Baby Huey's first album, there was some tension. Jones left the band during the recording, and Ross likely left before that.

Death and Legacy

On October 28, 1970, James Ramey died from a heart attack. He was 26 years old. He passed away in a Chicago motel room. His funeral was held on November 1 in his hometown of Richmond, Indiana. He was buried there in Glen Havens Memorial Gardens.

Album cover james ramey
The album cover for The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend

Baby Huey's album, The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend, was released after he died. Curtis Mayfield produced the album. It included some of Mayfield's songs, a cover of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come," and two songs written by Baby Huey himself. The album did not sell well at first and was mostly forgotten. However, today, many people consider it a classic album from that time.

On October 7, 1971, Jet magazine reported that Baby Huey's mother was allowed to check the financial records of two music companies, including Curtom Records. This order also let her find out about his estate (money and property) that was left behind. According to a lawyer, James Ramey was earning $3,500 per week.

Many songs from The Baby Huey Story, like "Hard Times," "Listen to Me," and "Mighty Mighty Children," have been used by hip hop producers since the 1980s. This is called "sampling." "Hard Times" has been sampled by many artists. These include Chill Rob G, Ice Cube, A Tribe Called Quest, Ghostface Killah, and Biz Markie. John Legend and The Roots also covered "Hard Times" for their 2010 album Wake Up!. Many people, including the Babysitters band members, believe The Baby Huey Story greatly influenced hip-hop music.

"Listen to Me" was used as a rap background track in two episodes of the 2016 Netflix show The Get Down. The 2020 Netflix true-crime documentary Fear City: New York vs The Mafia, the 2011 film The Lincoln Lawyer, and the 2019 Swedish HBO Max series, Beforeigners, all use "Hard Times" as their opening theme song.

The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend is the only album available by Baby Huey. Some of his earlier singles, like "Beg Me," "Monkey Man," "Messin' with the Kid," and "Just Being Careful," are not on this album. "Listen to Me" and "Hard Times" are featured on the soundtrack of the film I Believe in Miracles.

Discography

Albums

  • The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend (1971)

Singles

  • "Mighty Mighty Children" (Curtom CR 1969)
  • "Listen to Me" (Curtom CR 1962)

Compilations

  • "Hard Times" on Shaolin Soul
  • "Listen to Me" on Kurtis Blow Presents the History of Rap, Vol. 1: The Genesis (1997, Rhino Records).

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Baby Huey (cantante) para niños

kids search engine
Baby Huey (singer) Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.