Rollee McGill facts for kids

Rollee N. McGill (born December 29, 1931 – died October 11, 2000) was an American singer and saxophone player. He was known for his R&B music. In 1955, he had a popular song called "There Goes That Train." He also played the saxophone solo on a famous song called "Get a Job" by the Silhouettes in 1957. That song became a number one hit in the U.S.

Rollee McGill's Life and Music

Early Life and Musical Start

Rollee McGill was born in Kingstree, South Carolina. When he was young, he sang in a gospel group called the Carolina Quartet Boys. In the early 1950s, he moved to Philadelphia. There, he went to music school and started his own band, the Rhythm Rockers.

His First Big Song

In 1955, Rollee McGill and his band released their first song, "There Goes That Train." It was put out by a small record company called Piney. Soon, a bigger company, Mercury Records, helped share the song across the country. It became a hit, reaching number 10 on the Billboard R&B chart. Another artist, Snooks Eaglin, later sang his own version of the song.

Rollee McGill recorded more songs in 1955 in Los Angeles. He worked with guitarist Chuck Norris and pianist Ernie Freeman. He also recorded in New York City in early 1956. However, his later songs released by Mercury Records were not as popular.

Playing for "Get a Job"

Rollee McGill went back to Philadelphia. He recorded music by himself and also played for other artists. He worked with local record companies like Kaiser and Junior, run by Kae Williams. In October 1957, he played the saxophone solo on the song "Get a Job." This song was first released by Junior Records. Then, it was shared with Ember Records, and it became a number one pop hit!

Interestingly, Rollee McGill could not read music notes. Richard Lewis, one of the singers from the band, said that Rollee "just winged it," meaning he played the solo by ear.

Later Years and Legacy

Rollee McGill kept recording songs as a singer through the late 1950s and early 1960s. However, he did not have any more big hits. In 1977, he released his last song, "People Are Talking." It was credited to Rollee McGill and his Whippoorwills.

From 1964 until he passed away, Rollee McGill worked as a machinist. But he also continued to perform his music in Philadelphia during the 1980s. In 1999, a company called Bear Family Records released a CD with 30 of his songs. It was called Rhythm' Rockin' Blues.

Rollee McGill passed away in Philadelphia in 2000. He was 68 years old.