Biography
Dee Clark remains largely obscure to present-day listeners despite ranking among the foremost R&B vocalists of the late 1950s and early 1960s, his rich and emotive tenor lending distinction to enduring tracks such as "Raindrops" and "(Hey) Little Girl." Born Delecta Clark in Blytheville, Arkansas on November 7, 1938, he relocated at age three to Chicago's West Side and, in 1952, formed the Hambone Kids with schoolmates Sammy McGrier and Ronnie Strong. The trio specialized in a thigh- and chest-slapping routine modeled on what later became recognized as a Bo Diddley beat; their popularity led to a 1952 Okeh single titled "Hambone," cut with Red Saunders & His Orchestra. The release achieved modest success, yet Clark departed the following year to front the Chicago vocal ensemble the Goldentones. After local DJ Herb "The Kool Gent" Kent assumed management, the group was renamed the Kool Gents and secured a Vee-Jay contract. Their first single, "This Is the Night," appeared in early 1956, followed that summer by "I Just Can't Help Myself." Under the alias the Delegates, they also issued the election-themed novelty "The Convention."
Following a final 1957 Vee-Jay session that produced "Mother's Son," label general manager Ewart Abner persuaded Clark to pursue a solo career. His initial release, "Gloria," actually originated as a Kool Gents recording, though only Clark received label credit. Early attempts to develop a personal approach included imitating Clyde McPhatter on "Seven Nights" and echoing Little Richard on 1958's "Oh, Little Girl," neither of which charted. When Little Richard suddenly retired to attend Bible college, his agent booked Clark to complete the remaining engagements, placing him on the road for five months with Richard's backing unit, the Upsetters, whom Clark also used in the studio. He established his identity with late-1958's "Nobody But You," a radiant uptempo love song that perfectly showcased his deeply affecting vocals; the single climbed to number 21 on the pop chart and number three on the R&B chart, setting the pattern for his subsequent Vee-Jay work. Its 1959 successor, "Just Keep It Up (And See What Happens)," performed even better on the pop side, reaching number 18 (while peaking at number nine R&B), and the Bo Diddley-flavored rocker "(Hey) Little Girl" further cemented his standing by hitting number 20 pop and number two R&B across a 15-week chart run.
Clark registered three additional consecutive pop entries in 1960: the Top 40 hit "How About That," "(Crazy Little Mama) At My Back Door," and "You're Looking Good." The sequence extended into 1961 with "Your Friends," which attained number 34 nationally and fared even stronger in Chicago. Drawing inspiration from stormy weather encountered on a return drive from New York City, the follow-up "Raindrops" became both his biggest commercial triumph and artistic peak—a dramatically vivid, technically masterful performance that reached number two on the Billboard pop chart and foreshadowed the shift from R&B toward soul. Subsequent singles, however, failed to replicate that achievement: "Don't Walk Away from Me," 1962's "You Are Like the Wind," and "Dance On, Little Girl" all missed the charts. "I'm Going Back to School" briefly revived his fortunes by entering the R&B Top 20, yet 1963 brought another downturn; after three more non-charting releases—"I'm a Soldier Boy," "How Is He Treating You?" and "Walking My Dog"—Clark exited Vee-Jay. He signed with Ewart Abner's new Constellation imprint for the dance track "Crossfire Time," which edged onto the Billboard Hot 100 at number 92, marking his last U.S. chart entry.
His Constellation years proved largely unrewarding: eight singles issued between 1964 and 1966 failed to chart, although several stood out, notably the Bob Gaudio-penned "Come Closer," "Warm Summer Breeze," and "T.C.B." After the mid-1966 release "Old Fashion Love," Constellation ceased operations. Clark then moved among numerous labels for the remainder of his career, never staying with any imprint beyond a single release; these efforts encompassed 1967's "In These Very Tender Moments" on Columbia, 1968's "Nobody But You" on Wand, 1970's "24 Hours of Loneliness" on Liberty, and the aptly titled "Raindrops '73" on the Warner subsidiary Rocky. During the same span he resided in a succession of cities, sustaining himself through extended engagements at lounges and clubs in Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Orlando. Although the 1975 Chelsea single "Ride a Wild Horse" found success in the U.K., it proved his final release. He maintained a demanding touring schedule throughout the ensuing decade and beyond, a regimen widely viewed as a contributing factor in the massive heart attack that claimed his life on December 7, 1990, at the age of 52.
Following a final 1957 Vee-Jay session that produced "Mother's Son," label general manager Ewart Abner persuaded Clark to pursue a solo career. His initial release, "Gloria," actually originated as a Kool Gents recording, though only Clark received label credit. Early attempts to develop a personal approach included imitating Clyde McPhatter on "Seven Nights" and echoing Little Richard on 1958's "Oh, Little Girl," neither of which charted. When Little Richard suddenly retired to attend Bible college, his agent booked Clark to complete the remaining engagements, placing him on the road for five months with Richard's backing unit, the Upsetters, whom Clark also used in the studio. He established his identity with late-1958's "Nobody But You," a radiant uptempo love song that perfectly showcased his deeply affecting vocals; the single climbed to number 21 on the pop chart and number three on the R&B chart, setting the pattern for his subsequent Vee-Jay work. Its 1959 successor, "Just Keep It Up (And See What Happens)," performed even better on the pop side, reaching number 18 (while peaking at number nine R&B), and the Bo Diddley-flavored rocker "(Hey) Little Girl" further cemented his standing by hitting number 20 pop and number two R&B across a 15-week chart run.
Clark registered three additional consecutive pop entries in 1960: the Top 40 hit "How About That," "(Crazy Little Mama) At My Back Door," and "You're Looking Good." The sequence extended into 1961 with "Your Friends," which attained number 34 nationally and fared even stronger in Chicago. Drawing inspiration from stormy weather encountered on a return drive from New York City, the follow-up "Raindrops" became both his biggest commercial triumph and artistic peak—a dramatically vivid, technically masterful performance that reached number two on the Billboard pop chart and foreshadowed the shift from R&B toward soul. Subsequent singles, however, failed to replicate that achievement: "Don't Walk Away from Me," 1962's "You Are Like the Wind," and "Dance On, Little Girl" all missed the charts. "I'm Going Back to School" briefly revived his fortunes by entering the R&B Top 20, yet 1963 brought another downturn; after three more non-charting releases—"I'm a Soldier Boy," "How Is He Treating You?" and "Walking My Dog"—Clark exited Vee-Jay. He signed with Ewart Abner's new Constellation imprint for the dance track "Crossfire Time," which edged onto the Billboard Hot 100 at number 92, marking his last U.S. chart entry.
His Constellation years proved largely unrewarding: eight singles issued between 1964 and 1966 failed to chart, although several stood out, notably the Bob Gaudio-penned "Come Closer," "Warm Summer Breeze," and "T.C.B." After the mid-1966 release "Old Fashion Love," Constellation ceased operations. Clark then moved among numerous labels for the remainder of his career, never staying with any imprint beyond a single release; these efforts encompassed 1967's "In These Very Tender Moments" on Columbia, 1968's "Nobody But You" on Wand, 1970's "24 Hours of Loneliness" on Liberty, and the aptly titled "Raindrops '73" on the Warner subsidiary Rocky. During the same span he resided in a succession of cities, sustaining himself through extended engagements at lounges and clubs in Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Orlando. Although the 1975 Chelsea single "Ride a Wild Horse" found success in the U.K., it proved his final release. He maintained a demanding touring schedule throughout the ensuing decade and beyond, a regimen widely viewed as a contributing factor in the massive heart attack that claimed his life on December 7, 1990, at the age of 52.
Albums
Singles
