Young Jessie is one of the unheralded greats of the R&B, Rock & Roll and Soul eras. Beginning his career as a young teenager in LA vocal group the Flairs (with schoolmate Richard Berry, later of 'Louie Louie' infamy), he then signed on with Modern records and cut several high quality R&B sides through the mid-1950s. Never quite achieving the level of fame and fortune of some of his immediate peers, the closest Young Jessie got to a hit was 1956's 'Mary Lou', which sold well regionally and was later on covered by the likes of Bob Seger and the Steve Miller band. Meanwhile, Young Jessie busied himself recording demos with Leiber & Stoller for one of their regular artists, Elvis Presley. Flitting between labels at the end of the 50s and into the 60s, his own output remained consistently of a very high quality, and always in step with the changing times - from doo wop in his beginnings through Blues, R&B, Rock & Roll and into Soul. Throughout all of that, Young Jessie always considered himself a Jazz singer first and foremost, and this influence underpins all of his vocal performances.

TRACKLIST :

A1. I Smell A Rat

A2. Lonesome Desert

A3. Oochie Coochie

A4. Don't Happen No More

A5. Mary Lou (Modern)

A6. Lula Belle

A7. Hit, Git And Split

B1. Big Chief (King Of Love)

B2. The Wrong Door

B3. Teacher Gimmie Back

B4. Brown Eyes (Come On Home)

B5 You Were Meant to me

B6. Make Me Feel A Little Good

B7. Mary Lou (Mercury)