BENNY SPELLMAN

The deep bass voice of New Orleans R&B vocalist Benny Spellman boomed through loud and clear on many early-'60s Allen Toussaint productions, but he enjoyed a major hit of his own in 1962, "Lipstick Traces (On a Cigarette)." Spellman spent some time with Huey "Piano" Smith and the Clowns before signing with Minit, where Toussaint utilized his deep pipes to full advantage as a backing vocalist behind Ernie K-Doe on "Mother-in-Law" and countless others. (The Rolling Stones covered "Fortune Teller," the flip side of this hit.) Spellman recorded through much of the '60s, his "Word Game" turning up on Atlantic in 1965, before he took a job as a public relations executive for Miller Beer.

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La voz de bajo profundo de Nueva Orleans R & B cantante Benny Spellman resonó a través de producciones Allen Toussaint alto y claro en muchos de los primeros de los años 60, pero disfrutó de un gran éxito de su propia cosecha  en 1962, "Lipstick Traces (un cigarrillo)." Spellman pasó algún tiempo con Huey "Piano" Smith y The Clowns  antes de firmar con Minit, donde Toussaint utilizó sus tubos profundos de todas las ventajas como corista detrás de Ernie K-Doe en otros "Mother-in-Law" e incontables. (The Rolling Stones grabaron Fortune Teller , ) Spellman registró durante gran parte de los años 60, su " Word Game " que apareció en Atlantic en 1965, antes de que él tomó un trabajo como ejecutivo de relaciones públicas de Miller Beer.

Benny Spellman (December 11, 1931 – June 3, 2011) was an American R&B singer, best known for his 1961 hits "Lipstick Traces (On A Cigarette)," and the original version of "Fortune Teller", written by Allen Toussaint (as Naomi Neville).

Later, these songs were covered by The Who and The Rolling Stones, among others "Lipstick Traces" reached #28 on the US Billboard Black singles chart and #80 on the Billboard Hot 100.[4] Spellman variously worked with Allen Toussaint, Earl King ("Trick Bag"), Huey "Piano" Smith, Ernie K-Doe, Wilson Pickett, The Neville Brothers and The O'Jays.

Spellman was born in Pensacola, Florida, United States. He sang backing vocals on Ernie K-Doe's number one hit record, "Mother in Law". He recorded a single, "Word Game", on Atlantic Records in 1965, but later semi-retired from music to work in the beer industry.

In 1988, Collectables Records issued a retrospective album of 16 of Spellman's recordings from the 1960s. In 2009, he was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.

Spellman died of respiratory failure in June 2011, at the age of 79.