Freddie Scott facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Freddie Scott
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Freddie Scott c. 1966
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| Background information | |
| Born | April 24, 1933 Providence, Rhode Island, United States |
| Died | June 4, 2007 (aged 74) Jamaica, New York, US |
| Genres | Soul, R&B |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter |
| Years active | 1956–2003 |
| Labels | J&S, Joy, Colpix, Columbia, Shout, Elephant V, Probe, Vanguard, Pickwick International, Mainstream |
Freddie Scott (born April 24, 1933 – died June 4, 2007) was a talented American singer and songwriter. He was known for his soulful voice and popular songs. His biggest hits included "Hey, Girl" in 1963, which reached the top ten on the US pop charts. Another major hit was "Are You Lonely for Me" in 1967, which became a number one song on the R&B charts.
Contents
Freddie Scott's Early Life and Music Career
Freddie Scott was born in Providence, Rhode Island. From a young age, he loved to sing. When he was just 12 years old, he toured England with his grandmother's gospel music group, Sally Jones & the Gospel Keyes.
He first studied medicine at the University of Rhode Island and then at Paine College. However, his passion for music was strong. He started singing again with a group called the Swanee Quintet Juniors. This led him to decide to become a full-time musician instead of a doctor.
Starting His Professional Music Journey
In 1956, Freddie began recording as a professional singer in New York City. His first solo song was "Running Home" with the J&S label. He also showed his talent as a songwriter. He wrote a top 10 R&B hit called "I'll Be Spinning" for the duo Johnnie & Joe. Another one of his songs, "Baby I'm Sorry," was recorded by the famous singer Ricky Nelson for his first album in 1957.
Freddie served in the U.S. Military for a time. Even then, he continued to record music for smaller record labels. After leaving the military, he focused more on songwriting. He joined Aldon Music, a publishing company in the famous Brill Building. There, he made many of his own song demos and even worked as a record producer. He also kept releasing his own songs, like "Baby, You're a Long Time Dead" in 1961.
Big Hits and Challenges
In 1962, Freddie worked with well-known songwriters Gerry Goffin and Carole King. They had written a song called "Hey, Girl." Freddie recorded a demo version of it. When another singer couldn't make it to a recording session, Freddie got the chance to record "Hey, Girl" himself. When the Colpix label finally released it, the song became a huge success. It reached number 10 on both the pop and R&B music charts.
He followed up this hit with his own version of Ray Charles' song "I Got a Woman," which also became popular. After Colpix Records closed down, Freddie moved to Columbia. However, his songs didn't have as much success there.
In 1965, he joined the Shout label. There, he recorded "Are You Lonely for Me," a song written by Bert Berns. It's said that Freddie recorded the song over 100 times to get it just right! All that hard work paid off. The song stayed at the top of the R&B charts for four weeks and also reached number 39 on the pop chart.
Later Career and Legacy
Freddie continued to have R&B hits, including "(You) Got What I Need." This song was written and produced by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. He also recorded a version of Van Morrison's "He Ain't Give You None." However, his career was affected when Bert Berns, who had helped him with "Are You Lonely for Me," suddenly passed away in 1967.
For the next two years, Freddie didn't have a record deal. He eventually signed with smaller labels like Elephant V and Probe Records. In 1970, he had his last R&B hit with a version of Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released."
Freddie also worked with his songwriting partner Helen Miller. He wrote jingles for advertisements and even had small acting roles in movies, like Stiletto. He continued to record music for various labels and performed concerts.
Later in his life, Freddie Scott performed on the "oldies circuit," singing his classic songs. In 2001, he released a new album called Brand New Man. He also sang "Brown Eyed Girl" on a tribute album for Van Morrison in 2003. Freddie Scott passed away in New York City in 2007 at the age of 74.
His 1968 song "(You) Got What I Need" was later used by other artists. Parts of it were "sampled" in the 1989 hit song "Just a Friend" by Biz Markie. It was also sampled in "Save Me Dear" by Ghostface Killah in 2004. This shows how his music continued to influence others.
Albums
- Everything I Have Is Yours (1964)
- Freddie Scott Sings and Sings and Sings (1964)
- Are You Lonely For Me? (1967)
- I Shall Be Released (1970)
- Brand New Man (2001)
