Biography
Singer Earl Nelson, one half of the acclaimed R&B pairing Bob & Earl, also carved out an independent path under the pseudonym Jackie Lee, releasing numerous tracks that later attained classic status among Northern soul enthusiasts. Nelson was born in Lake Charles, Louisiana, on September 8, 1928, and first honed his vocal skills in the gospel choir of his church. His family moved to Los Angeles in 1937; at 17 he joined the U.S. Army and helped build the Panama Canal. After returning to civilian life he sang with several Los Angeles doo-wop and R&B groups, frequently alongside vocalist Bobby Byrd, also known as Bobby Day. Nelson supplied the lead tenor on the Hollywood Flames’ 1954 single “Buzz Buzz Buzz,” and the following year he and Byrd recorded “Two Things I Love” for the Cash label as the Voices. Additional obscure releases appeared under assorted names, among them Bobby “Baby Face” Byrd & the Birds and Bobby Day & the Satellites; in 1957 Nelson even fronted the Class label single “I Bow to You.” Later that year the inaugural Bob & Earl release, “You Made a Boo-Boo,” surfaced. Both Nelson and Day were still employed at the Revell Toy Factory when the dormant “Buzz Buzz Buzz” unexpectedly charted in 1958. A reconstituted Hollywood Flames cut further material for Class and Ebb, while Day scored a major solo success with “Rockin’ Robin”; after the Flames disbanded following 1960’s “Gee Whiz,” Nelson revived the Bob & Earl act, enlisting former Laurels singer Bob Relf in place of the unavailable Day.
This version of Bob & Earl made its first recordings in 1962, issuing the Tempe sides “Don’t Ever Leave Me” and “Deep Down Inside.” After switching to the Marc label, the duo worked in 1963 with session musician Barry White on “Harlem Shuffle,” a track Nelson and Relf wrote while emulating Round Robin’s “Slauson Shuffletime”; the raw, sinuous number became an enduring R&B milestone, climbing to the U.S. Top 50 and achieving still greater success in the U.K. (The Rolling Stones later scored an international hit with their 1985 cover.) Despite that breakthrough, subsequent Bob & Earl singles such as “My Woman,” “Your Lovin’ Goes a Long, Long Way,” and “Baby I’m Satisfied” failed to connect, prompting Nelson to begin a solo career in 1965 with the Mira release “Ooh Honey Baby,” credited to Earl Cosby. His follow-up, issued on Mirwood as “The Duck” under the name Jackie Lee, reached the R&B Top Five and the pop Top 20, confirming his decision to continue under the new moniker. Although he never revisited the charts, further Mirwood outings including “Do the Temptation Walk,” “The Shotgun and the Duck,” “Oh! My Darlin’,” and “Darkest Days” ultimately earned Lee lasting reverence within Britain’s Northern soul scene. Additional singles appeared on ABC-Paramount and Uni; after reuniting with White, who produced the 1974 Warner Bros. effort “Strange Funky Games and Things” credited to Jay Dee, Nelson’s recording activity ceased. He continued performing live throughout Los Angeles for many years afterward, and following an extended struggle with Alzheimer’s disease he died on July 12, 2008, at age 79.
This version of Bob & Earl made its first recordings in 1962, issuing the Tempe sides “Don’t Ever Leave Me” and “Deep Down Inside.” After switching to the Marc label, the duo worked in 1963 with session musician Barry White on “Harlem Shuffle,” a track Nelson and Relf wrote while emulating Round Robin’s “Slauson Shuffletime”; the raw, sinuous number became an enduring R&B milestone, climbing to the U.S. Top 50 and achieving still greater success in the U.K. (The Rolling Stones later scored an international hit with their 1985 cover.) Despite that breakthrough, subsequent Bob & Earl singles such as “My Woman,” “Your Lovin’ Goes a Long, Long Way,” and “Baby I’m Satisfied” failed to connect, prompting Nelson to begin a solo career in 1965 with the Mira release “Ooh Honey Baby,” credited to Earl Cosby. His follow-up, issued on Mirwood as “The Duck” under the name Jackie Lee, reached the R&B Top Five and the pop Top 20, confirming his decision to continue under the new moniker. Although he never revisited the charts, further Mirwood outings including “Do the Temptation Walk,” “The Shotgun and the Duck,” “Oh! My Darlin’,” and “Darkest Days” ultimately earned Lee lasting reverence within Britain’s Northern soul scene. Additional singles appeared on ABC-Paramount and Uni; after reuniting with White, who produced the 1974 Warner Bros. effort “Strange Funky Games and Things” credited to Jay Dee, Nelson’s recording activity ceased. He continued performing live throughout Los Angeles for many years afterward, and following an extended struggle with Alzheimer’s disease he died on July 12, 2008, at age 79.
Albums