Screamin' Jay Hawkins
Famed chiefly for his powerful, shouting vocal delivery and wildly theatrical performances of songs such as "I Put a Spell on You", he sometimes used macabre props onstage, making him an early pioneer of shock rock.Other influences included Mario Lanza, Enrico Caruso, Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Brown, Amos Milburn, Wynonie Harris, Nellie Lutcher, Roy Brown, Jimmy Witherspoon, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Roy Milton, Elmore James, Lightnin' Hopkins and H-Bomb Ferguson.[11] Three months after World War II ended, he dropped out of East Technical High School and joined the US Army with a forged birth certificate (aged 16)."[18] The entire band was intoxicated during a recording session where "Hawkins screamed, grunted, and gurgled his way through the tune with utter drunken abandon."[18] The resulting performance was no ballad but instead a "raw, guttural track" that became his greatest commercial success and reportedly surpassed a million copies in sales,[19][20] although it failed to make the Billboard pop or R&B charts.[11] Soon after the release of "I Put a Spell on You", radio disc jockey Alan Freed offered Hawkins $300 to emerge from a coffin onstage."[24] "I Put a Spell On You" became a classic, covered by a variety of artists such as Creedence Clearwater Revival, Nina Simone, Alan Price, The Animals, Them with Van Morrison, Arthur Brown, Bryan Ferry, Buddy Guy, Carlos Santana, Tim Curry, Leon Russell, Joe Cocker, Nick Cave, Marilyn Manson, Mica Paris, David Gilmour, Jeff Beck, Joss Stone, Diamanda Galas, and Annie Lennox.Hawkins also had acting roles in Álex de la Iglesia's Perdita Durango and Bill Duke's adaptation of Chester Himes' A Rage in Harlem.In the documentary notable artists such as Jim Jarmusch, Bo Diddley, Eric Burdon, Frank Ash, Arthur Brown and Michael Ochs talked about Screamin' Jay Hawkins' early life, personality and career, and about his incredible talent.He returned to New York after purchasing a home in Hawaii and establishing his own publishing company, sustained by the royalties from covers of "I Put a Spell On You".[10] This exposure in turn influenced rock acts such as Alice Cooper, Tom Waits, the Cramps, Screaming Lord Sutch, Black Sabbath, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Arthur Brown, Led Zeppelin, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, and Glenn Danzig.[44] In the 2020 retrospective documentary mini series Red Dwarf: The First Three Million Years, Hawkins is identified as a key influence on Danny John-Jules' character Cat.
Cleveland, OhioNeuilly-sur-Seinerhythm and bluesrock and rollshock rockPhilipsI Put a Spell on YoumacabreIndependent Spirit Award for Best Supporting MaleMystery TrainClevelandPaul RobesonMario LanzaEnrico CarusoLionel HamptonDizzy GillespieCharles BrownAmos MilburnWynonie HarrisNellie LutcherRoy BrownJimmy WitherspoonEddie "Cleanhead" VinsonRoy MiltonElmore JamesLightnin' HopkinsH-Bomb FergusonWorld War IIEast Technical High SchoolUS ArmyFort BlissYale UniversityUniversity of Cincinnati ConservatoryKorean WarTiny GrimesOKeh RecordsleopardThe Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and RollBillboardR&B chartsAlan FreedvoodooVincent PriceCreedence Clearwater RevivalNina SimoneAlan PriceThe AnimalsVan MorrisonArthur BrownBryan FerryBuddy GuyCarlos SantanaTim CurryLeon RussellJoe CockerNick CaveMarilyn MansonMica ParisDavid GilmourJeff BeckJoss StoneDiamanda GalasAnnie LennoxThe SimpsonsI'm Spelling as Fast as I Cantoilet humorOrange Colored SkyMau MauAlexandria, VirginiaAmerican Hot WaxJim JarmuschStranger Than ParadiseÁlex de la IglesiaPerdita DurangoBill DukeChester Himesthe FuzztonesIrving PlazaTom WaitsHeartattack and VineLevi'sJohn BrimUK singles chartDread ZeppelinIt's Not UnusualJah Paul JoJungle BoogieDisco Infernothe ClashHumbugBatmobileSalonicaBo DiddleyEric BurdonMichael OchsaneurysmFats DominoRolling StonesAlice Cooperthe CrampsScreaming Lord SutchBlack SabbathLed ZeppelinRob ZombieGlenn DanzigVox.comRed DwarfDanny John-Jules52e Rue EstMonkberry Moon DelightMister Rock and RollTwo Moon JunctionA Rage in HarlemPeut-êtreGadzooks! It's All HappeningThank Your Lucky StarsThe Merv Griffin ShowThe Arsenio Hall ShowSunday NightCutting EdgeThe Los Angeles TimesThe Austin ChronicleFeral HouseChicago Review PressBiography.comWhitburn, Joel