He attended a school for the blind in Little Rock, Arkansas where he joined… Read Full Bio ↴He attended a school for the blind in Little Rock, Arkansas where he joined the school choir. He won an amateur talent contest in Memphis, Tennessee and at first worked with local bands, as well as starting a band of his own. In 1942 he joined a band led by Jay McShann, and the next year he joined Duke Ellington's band, replacing Herb Jeffries. He worked eight years with Ellington before becoming a soloist. Some of his singing is classified as rhythm and blues, but he is really best classified as a bridge between R&B and traditional pop music.
His biggest hit was "Unchained Melody" in 1955. Other hits were "He", "11th Hour Melody", "Never Turn Back", and "After the Lights Go Low" (all in 1956). "After the Lights Go Low", sung with a put-on British accent, was his last charted hit.
In the late 1950s and 1960s, Hibbler became a civil rights activist, marching with protestors and getting arrested in 1959 in New Jersey and in 1963 in Alabama. The notoriety of this activism discouraged major record labels from carrying his work, but Frank Sinatra supported him and signed him to a contract with his label, [lable]Reprise Records.
However, Hibbler made very few recordings after that, occasionally doing live appearances through the 1990s. He died in April 2001 in Chicago.
His biggest hit was "Unchained Melody" in 1955. Other hits were "He", "11th Hour Melody", "Never Turn Back", and "After the Lights Go Low" (all in 1956). "After the Lights Go Low", sung with a put-on British accent, was his last charted hit.
In the late 1950s and 1960s, Hibbler became a civil rights activist, marching with protestors and getting arrested in 1959 in New Jersey and in 1963 in Alabama. The notoriety of this activism discouraged major record labels from carrying his work, but Frank Sinatra supported him and signed him to a contract with his label, [lable]Reprise Records.
However, Hibbler made very few recordings after that, occasionally doing live appearances through the 1990s. He died in April 2001 in Chicago.
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Unchained Melody - The Best Of
Al Hibbler Lyrics
11th Hour Melody [Chorus:] The 11th hour is here The hour of parting dear We…
After The Lights Go Down Low After the lights go down low, baby, you know There'll be…
Daybreak Daybreak, another new day, The mist on the meadow is driftin…
Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me Someone told someone and someone told you But they wouldn't…
Don't Get Around Much Anymore Missed the Saturday dance Heard they crowded the floor Could…
He He can turn the tides and calm the angry sea He…
Honeysuckle Rose Honey, honey, Oh, honey, listen to my plea: Every honeybe…
I Got a Right to Sing the Blues I got a right to sing the blues I got a…
Never Turn Back Never turn back Never turn back If you had known All the te…
There Is No Greater Love There is no greater love Than what I feel for you No…
Trees I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as…
Unchained Melody Oh, my love, my darling I've hungered for your touch A long,…