Oscar McLollie facts for kids

Oscar McLollie (born Oscar Joseph Lollie, September 22, 1924 – July 4, 2008) was an American jump blues singer. He was known for his energetic songs and live performances.

Early Life and Career

Oscar McLollie was born in Kelly, Louisiana. When he was older, he joined the army during World War II. He sang in a vocal group called the Bullets. They performed for soldiers at USO shows. USO shows were special events to entertain military members.

After the war, Oscar McLollie moved to Los Angeles. There, he sang in local bands that played jump blues music. Jump blues is a fast and upbeat style of rhythm and blues. Soon, Mercury Records hired him. He worked for them for a short time. His job was to find new musical artists on the West Coast. He also recorded a song called "I'm Hurt" for Mercury.

Rising to Fame

After his time with Mercury Records, Oscar McLollie went back to performing. In 1953, he was asked to record a song called "The Honey Jump." This song was for a new record label called Class. "The Honey Jump" was a lively song with strong saxophone and piano sounds. It became very popular in the area. Other artists later recorded their own versions of the song.

His next song, "All That Oil in Texas," also did well locally. Oscar McLollie and his band, the Honey Jumpers, kept recording songs. Many of these songs were written by the owners of Class Records.

Hit Songs and Performances

Oscar McLollie and his band were very popular performers in live shows. In 1955, he recorded a song called "Convicted." The other side of the record had an upbeat song called "Roll Hot Rod, Roll." This song was promoted by a famous radio DJ named Alan Freed. "Roll Hot Rod, Roll" became McLollie's biggest hit. It also helped him get a spot on a TV show.

Later, he returned to the Class Records label. In 1958, he had his only national hit song. It was a duet with Jeanette Baker called "Hey Girl – Hey Boy." This song reached number 61 on the Billboard pop chart. Other famous artists also recorded this song.

Later Years

Oscar McLollie continued to perform in clubs in Los Angeles. He also spent some time in the Philippines. While there, he appeared in some low-budget movies.

A song called "Waiting for Your Call" was featured on B.B. King's last album. Oscar McLollie recorded this song under the name Oscar Lollie. B.B. King's album won a Grammy Award in 2009.

In the 1960s, Oscar McLollie married Anna Margaret McCabe. They had two daughters. The family moved to Chilliwack, British Columbia, in Canada. Oscar kept singing and touring widely. He later returned to California.

Oscar McLollie passed away in Oakland, California, in 2008.