FREDDIE SCOTT

Freddie Scott had a top ten pop hit in 1963 and a #1 Rhythm & Blues hit in 1967. As Bill Dahl wrote for the The Best of Freddie Scott CD, “[He was] blessed with sleek pipes that grew grittier as the [1960s] progressed.”

Scott was born in Providence, Rhode Island, on April 24, 1933. He sang with his grandmother’s vocal group, Sally Jones & The Gospel Keyes, who toured England when Scott was twelve. He attended medical school at the University of Rhode Island and later at Paine College in Augusta, Georgia, but gave it up to return to spiritual singing.

Scott had crossed over to secular music by 1956. He signed with J&S Records in New York City, but his debut single, “Running Home,” did little. Scott also became a songwriter, penning Johnnie & Joe’s top ten R&B hit, “I’ll Be Spinning.” Another of his songs, “Baby I’m Sorry,” was recorded by teen idol Ricky Nelson for his 1957 debut LP.

Scott was conscripted into the military, but still recorded (unsuccessfully) for various small labels. Upon his return to civilian life, he joined the New York publishing firm of Aldon Music, located in the Brill Building. Scott recorded demos on himself, co-wrote songs with Helen Miller (who penned “Foolish Little Girl” for the Shirelles), and produced sessions by R&B singer Erma Franklin (sister of Aretha). He also released his own singles on small labels like Bow and Joy. None of them sold.

In 1962, Carole King and Gerry Goffin wrote the searing ballad, “Hey Girl,” for singer Chuck Jackson. But when Jackson did not show up for the session, they had Scott record the song instead. Several months later, it came out on Colpix Records. The single raced up the charts, going top ten in both the R&B and pop markets in the summer of 1963.

When Colpix folded, Scott moved on to Columbia. But when the decidedly pop-oriented label could not successfully promote him, Scott left the company for Bert Berns’ Shout Records. Berns, who wrote “Twist and Shout” and worked with R&B star Solomon Burke, was no stranger to Black music. Scott’s debut on Shout, written and produced by Berns, was the driving mid-tempo “Are You Lonely For Me.” It spent four weeks at #1 on the R&B chart in February and March of 1967. Its pop success, however, was more modest; it topped out at #39 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Scott’s career was derailed when Bert Berns died of heart failure in December of 1967. He continued to perform, but spent the next two years without a record deal. By 1970, Scott was on ABC’s Probe subsidiary, for whom he had his final R&B hit, “I Shall Be Released.” He spent the ‘70s creating ad jingles, producing reggae records, continuing to write songs with Helen Miller, occasionally acting in movies, and recording (with little success) for labels like Vanguard, Pickwick, and Mainstream. Scott was also known to perform at selected oldies concerts.

In 1989, Biz Markie sampled Scott’s “(You) Got What I Need” on "Just a Friend.” Ghostface Killa would sample it, as well, on 2004’s “Save Me Dear.”

Scott recorded his first album in thirty-one years, A New Man, in 2001. He also performed “Brown-Eyed Girl” on the 2003 Van Morrison tribute CD, Vanthology.

Freddie Scott, 74, died in New York City on June 4, 2007.

Charted singles:

“Hey Girl” (1963) R&B #10, Pop #10
“I Got a Woman” (1963) R&B #27, Pop #48
“Where Does Love Go” (1964) R&B #30, Pop #82
“Are You Lonely For Me” (1966-67) R&B #1 (4 weeks), Pop #39
“Cry to Me” (1967) R&B #40, Pop #70
“Am I Grooving You” (1967) R&B #25, Pop #71
“He Ain’t Give You None” (1967) R&B #24, Pop #100
“(You) Got What I Need” (1968) R&B #27
“I Shall Be Released” (1970) R&B #40