Jimmy Scott
James Victor "Jimmy" Scott (July 17, 1925 – June 12, 2014), also known as "… Read Full Bio ↴James Victor "Jimmy" Scott (July 17, 1925 – June 12, 2014), also known as "Little" Jimmy Scott, was an American jazz vocalist famous for his unusually high contralto voice, which was due to Kallmann's syndrome, a very rare genetic condition. The condition stunted his growth at four feet eleven inches until, at the age of 37, he grew another 8 inches to the height of five feet seven inches. The condition prevented him from reaching puberty, leaving him with a high, undeveloped voice.
Scott was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to Authur and Justine Stanard Scott, the third in a family of ten. As a child Jimmy got his first singing experience by his mother's side at the family piano, and later, in church choir. At thirteen, he was orphaned when his mother was killed by a drunk driver.
He first rose to national prominence as "Little Jimmy Scott" in the Lionel Hampton Band when he sang lead on the late 1940s hit "Everybody's Somebody's Fool", recorded in December 1949, and which became a top ten R&B hit in 1950. Credit on the label, however, went to "Lionel Hampton and vocalists", so the singer's name did not appear on any of the songs. This omission of credit was not only a slight to Scott's talent but a big blow to his career. A similar professional insult occurred several years later when his vocal on "Embraceable You" with Charlie Parker, on the album One Night in Birdland, was credited to female vocalist Chubby Newsome.
Lionel Hampton gave him the stage name of "Little Jimmy Scott" because he looked so young, and was short and of slight build. However, it was his extraordinary phrasing and romantic feeling that made him a favorite singer of fellow artists such as Billie Holiday, Ray Charles, Frankie Valli, Dinah Washington, and Nancy Wilson.
In 1963, it looked as though Scott's luck had changed for the good. He was signed to Ray Charles' Tangerine Records label, under the supervision of Charles himself, creating what is considered by many to be one of the great jazz vocal albums of all time, Falling in Love is Wonderful.
Owing to obligations on a contract that Scott had signed earlier with Herman Lubinsky, the record was yanked from the shelves in a matter of days, while Jimmy was honeymooning. Forty years later this cult album became available to the public again. Scott disputes the "lifetime" contract; Lubinsky loaned Jimmy out to Syd Nathan at King Records for 45 recordings in 1957–58. Another album, The Source (1969), was not released until 2001.
Scott's career faded by the late 1960s and he returned to his native Cleveland to work as a hospital orderly, shipping clerk and as an elevator operator in a hotel.
Scott eventually resurfaced in 1991 when he sang at the funeral of his long-time friend Doc Pomus, an event that single-handedly sparked his career renaissance. Afterwards Lou Reed recruited him to sing back-up on the track "Power and Glory" from his 1992 album Magic and Loss, which was inspired, to an extent, by Pomus's death. Scott was seen on the series finale of David Lynch's television series Twin Peaks, singing "Sycamore Trees", a song with lyrics by Lynch and music by Angelo Badalamenti. Scott was featured on the soundtrack of the follow-up film, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me.
Also in attendance at Pomus's funeral was Seymour Stein, founder and operator of Sire Records, who released Scott's 1992 album All The Way, produced by Tommy Lipuma and featuring artists such as Kenny Barron, Ron Carter, and David "Fathead" Newman. Scott was nominated for a Grammy Award for this album.
He followed this up with the album Dream in 1994 and the jazz-gospel album Heaven in 1996. His next work, a critically acclaimed album of pop and rock interpretations entitled Holding Back The Years was produced by Gerry McCarthy and Dale Ashley. Released in the US on Artists Only Records in October 1998, it peaked at #14 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. In Japan, it won the prestigious Swing Journal Award for Best Jazz Album Of The Year (2000). The title track marked the first time in his career that Scott overdubbed his own harmony vocal tracks. Holding Back The Years features cover art by Mark Kostabi, liner notes by Lou Reed, and includes critically acclaimed versions of "Nothing Compares 2 U" (written by Prince), "Jealous Guy" (John Lennon), "Almost Blue" (Elvis Costello) and "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" (Elton John & Bernie Taupin).
In 1999, Scott's early recordings on the Decca label were re-released on CD, as were all of his recordings with the Savoy Label between 1952 and 1975 in a three-disc box set. In 2000, Scott signed to the Milestone jazz label, and recorded four critically acclaimed albums, each produced by Todd Barkan, and featuring a variety of jazz artists, including Wynton Marsalis, Renee Rosnes, Bob Kindred, Eric Alexander, Lew Soloff, George Mraz, Lewis Nash, as well as Jimmy's own touring and recording band "The Jazz Expressions". He also released two live albums, both recorded in Japan, featuring the Jazz Expressions.
In 2012, he joined the 11th annual Independent Music Awards judging panel to assist independent musicians' careers. For some years a new album entitled I Remember You was mentioned via various official channels, including Jimmy's official website.
He died on June 12, 2014, aged 88.
Legacy
Scott's career spanned sixty-five years. He performed with Charlie Parker, Sarah Vaughan, Lester Young, Lionel Hampton, Charles Mingus, Fats Navarro, Quincy Jones, Bud Powell, Ray Charles, Wynton Marsalis, and Peter Cincotti. He also performed with a host of musicians from other genres of music, such as David Byrne, Lou Reed, Flea, Michael Stipe, and Antony & The Johnsons.
Scott performed at President Dwight Eisenhower's (1953) and President Bill Clinton's (1993) inaugurations, where he sang the same song, "Why Was I Born?". Later, Scott appeared in live performances with Pink Martini, and continued to perform internationally at music festivals and at his own concerts until shortly before his death.
In 2007, Scott received the 2007 NEA Jazz Master Award. He also received the Kennedy Center's "Jazz In Our Time" Living Legend Award, and N.A.B.O.B.'s Pioneer Award in 2007. In September 2008 he did a "two-day video interview" at his Vegas home with the "Smithsonian Institute for the National Archives". Scott and his wife Jeanie lived in Las Vegas, Nevada after 2007, having previously living in Euclid, Ohio, for 10 years.
Little Jimmy Scott's "If I Ever Lost You" can be heard in the opening credits of the HBO movie Lackawanna Blues. He was also mentioned on The Cosby Show, when Clair and Cliff Huxtable bet on the year in which "An Evening In Paradise" was recorded. On August 17, 2013, at Cleveland State University in his hometown, Cleveland, Ohio, he was inducted into inaugural 2013 of the R&B Music Hall of Fame.
Scott was born in Cleveland, Ohio, to Authur and Justine Stanard Scott, the third in a family of ten. As a child Jimmy got his first singing experience by his mother's side at the family piano, and later, in church choir. At thirteen, he was orphaned when his mother was killed by a drunk driver.
He first rose to national prominence as "Little Jimmy Scott" in the Lionel Hampton Band when he sang lead on the late 1940s hit "Everybody's Somebody's Fool", recorded in December 1949, and which became a top ten R&B hit in 1950. Credit on the label, however, went to "Lionel Hampton and vocalists", so the singer's name did not appear on any of the songs. This omission of credit was not only a slight to Scott's talent but a big blow to his career. A similar professional insult occurred several years later when his vocal on "Embraceable You" with Charlie Parker, on the album One Night in Birdland, was credited to female vocalist Chubby Newsome.
Lionel Hampton gave him the stage name of "Little Jimmy Scott" because he looked so young, and was short and of slight build. However, it was his extraordinary phrasing and romantic feeling that made him a favorite singer of fellow artists such as Billie Holiday, Ray Charles, Frankie Valli, Dinah Washington, and Nancy Wilson.
In 1963, it looked as though Scott's luck had changed for the good. He was signed to Ray Charles' Tangerine Records label, under the supervision of Charles himself, creating what is considered by many to be one of the great jazz vocal albums of all time, Falling in Love is Wonderful.
Owing to obligations on a contract that Scott had signed earlier with Herman Lubinsky, the record was yanked from the shelves in a matter of days, while Jimmy was honeymooning. Forty years later this cult album became available to the public again. Scott disputes the "lifetime" contract; Lubinsky loaned Jimmy out to Syd Nathan at King Records for 45 recordings in 1957–58. Another album, The Source (1969), was not released until 2001.
Scott's career faded by the late 1960s and he returned to his native Cleveland to work as a hospital orderly, shipping clerk and as an elevator operator in a hotel.
Scott eventually resurfaced in 1991 when he sang at the funeral of his long-time friend Doc Pomus, an event that single-handedly sparked his career renaissance. Afterwards Lou Reed recruited him to sing back-up on the track "Power and Glory" from his 1992 album Magic and Loss, which was inspired, to an extent, by Pomus's death. Scott was seen on the series finale of David Lynch's television series Twin Peaks, singing "Sycamore Trees", a song with lyrics by Lynch and music by Angelo Badalamenti. Scott was featured on the soundtrack of the follow-up film, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me.
Also in attendance at Pomus's funeral was Seymour Stein, founder and operator of Sire Records, who released Scott's 1992 album All The Way, produced by Tommy Lipuma and featuring artists such as Kenny Barron, Ron Carter, and David "Fathead" Newman. Scott was nominated for a Grammy Award for this album.
He followed this up with the album Dream in 1994 and the jazz-gospel album Heaven in 1996. His next work, a critically acclaimed album of pop and rock interpretations entitled Holding Back The Years was produced by Gerry McCarthy and Dale Ashley. Released in the US on Artists Only Records in October 1998, it peaked at #14 on the Billboard Jazz Albums chart. In Japan, it won the prestigious Swing Journal Award for Best Jazz Album Of The Year (2000). The title track marked the first time in his career that Scott overdubbed his own harmony vocal tracks. Holding Back The Years features cover art by Mark Kostabi, liner notes by Lou Reed, and includes critically acclaimed versions of "Nothing Compares 2 U" (written by Prince), "Jealous Guy" (John Lennon), "Almost Blue" (Elvis Costello) and "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word" (Elton John & Bernie Taupin).
In 1999, Scott's early recordings on the Decca label were re-released on CD, as were all of his recordings with the Savoy Label between 1952 and 1975 in a three-disc box set. In 2000, Scott signed to the Milestone jazz label, and recorded four critically acclaimed albums, each produced by Todd Barkan, and featuring a variety of jazz artists, including Wynton Marsalis, Renee Rosnes, Bob Kindred, Eric Alexander, Lew Soloff, George Mraz, Lewis Nash, as well as Jimmy's own touring and recording band "The Jazz Expressions". He also released two live albums, both recorded in Japan, featuring the Jazz Expressions.
In 2012, he joined the 11th annual Independent Music Awards judging panel to assist independent musicians' careers. For some years a new album entitled I Remember You was mentioned via various official channels, including Jimmy's official website.
He died on June 12, 2014, aged 88.
Legacy
Scott's career spanned sixty-five years. He performed with Charlie Parker, Sarah Vaughan, Lester Young, Lionel Hampton, Charles Mingus, Fats Navarro, Quincy Jones, Bud Powell, Ray Charles, Wynton Marsalis, and Peter Cincotti. He also performed with a host of musicians from other genres of music, such as David Byrne, Lou Reed, Flea, Michael Stipe, and Antony & The Johnsons.
Scott performed at President Dwight Eisenhower's (1953) and President Bill Clinton's (1993) inaugurations, where he sang the same song, "Why Was I Born?". Later, Scott appeared in live performances with Pink Martini, and continued to perform internationally at music festivals and at his own concerts until shortly before his death.
In 2007, Scott received the 2007 NEA Jazz Master Award. He also received the Kennedy Center's "Jazz In Our Time" Living Legend Award, and N.A.B.O.B.'s Pioneer Award in 2007. In September 2008 he did a "two-day video interview" at his Vegas home with the "Smithsonian Institute for the National Archives". Scott and his wife Jeanie lived in Las Vegas, Nevada after 2007, having previously living in Euclid, Ohio, for 10 years.
Little Jimmy Scott's "If I Ever Lost You" can be heard in the opening credits of the HBO movie Lackawanna Blues. He was also mentioned on The Cosby Show, when Clair and Cliff Huxtable bet on the year in which "An Evening In Paradise" was recorded. On August 17, 2013, at Cleveland State University in his hometown, Cleveland, Ohio, he was inducted into inaugural 2013 of the R&B Music Hall of Fame.
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Jimmy Scott Lyrics
All My Tears When I go don't cry for me In my fathers arms…
All or Nothing At All All or nothing at all Half a love, never appealed to…
All the Way When somebody loves you It's no good unless he loves you,…
Almost Blue Almost blue, almost doing things we used to do There's a…
Am I Wrong I've had a lot of big dreams I've made a lot…
An Evening in Paradise An evening in paradise I spent with you Heaven on earth I…
Angel Eyes Try to think that love's not around Still it's uncomfortably…
Anytime Any time, any day, anywhere, Say the word, You'll be heard, …
Anytime Any Day Anywhere Any time, any day, anywhere, Say the word, You'll be heard…
Anytime Anyday Anywhere Any time, any day, anywhere, Say the word, You'll be heard, …
At Last At last, my love has come along my lonely days are…
Blue Bird of Happiness The beggar man and his mighty king are only diff'rent…
Blue Skies I was blue, just as blue as I could be Every…
But Beautiful Love is funny, or it's sad, Or it's quiet, or it's…
Bye Bye Blackbird No one here can love or understand me Oh, what hard…
Close Your Eyes Music play Something dreamy for dancing While we're here r…
Darn That Dream Darn that dream I dream each night You say you love me…
Day By Day Day by day I'm falling more in love with you And…
Dedicated To You If I should write a book for you That brought me…
Don Tear a star from out the sky and the sky…
Don't Cry Baby Dont Cry, Baby Dont Cry Baby Dry Your Eyes Lets Be Sweethear…
Don't Take Your Love From Me Tear a star from out the sky and the sky…
Dream Stars shining bright above you Night breezes seem to whisper…
Embraceable You Embrace me, my sweet embraceable you! Embrace me, you irrepl…
Every Time We Say Goodbye Every time we say goodbye, I die a little Every time…
Everybody Everybody's somebody's fool The world is the biggest school …
Everybody S Somebody S Fool The tears I cried for you could fill an ocean, But…
Everybody's Somebody's Fool Everybody's somebody's fool The world is the biggest school …
Exodus This land is mine, God gave this land to me This…
Folks Who Live On The Hill Many men with lofty aims, Strive for lofty goals, Others pla…
For Once in My Life For once in my life I have someone who needs…
Give Me One More Chance I've been thinking 'bout the days when I fell in love…
Guilty Though you've decided that our love is wrong And think that…
Hachiko's Song There once was a man So an old story goes Went to…
He Looked Beyond My Faults So do you I will watch over you I love you as…
Heaven Every time it rains, it rains pennies from heaven Don't you…
Holding Back the Years Holding back the years Thinking of the fear I've had…
How Can I Go On How can I go on And I know this is only…
How Deep Is The Ocean How much do I love you? I'll tell you no lie How…
How Else When you're sad and feeling blue I be there to cry…
How Long Has this Been Going On I could cry salty tears Where have I been all…
I Spending these lonesome evenings With nothing to do But to l…
I Cried for You I remember other days how I used to weep Over…
I Didn I wish I didn't love you so My love for you…
I Didn't Know What Time It Was Once I was young, yesterday, perhaps Danced with Jim and Pau…
I Got It Bad Though folks with good intentions Tell me to save my tears …
I Have Dreamed I have dreamed that your arms are lovely And I have…
I LL Close My Eyes Heaven sends A song through its doors Just as if it seems…
I Remember You I remember other days how I used to weep Over…
I thought about you I took a trip on a train And I thought about…
I Wish I Didn I wish I didn't love you so My love for you…
I Wish I Knew I wish I knew someone like you could love me I…
I'll Be Around I'll be around, No matter how You treat me now I'll be aroun…
I'll Be Seeing You I'll be seeing you in all the old familiar places That…
I'll Close My Eyes Heaven sends A song through its doors Just as if it seems…
I'm Afraid the Masquerade Is Over My blue horizon is turning grey And my dreams are drifting…
I'm Getting Sentimental Over You Never thought I'd fall, But now I hear love call, I'm gettin…
I'm Through With Love I'm thru with love, I'll never fall again. Said I do to…
If I Ever Lost You How much my heart would ache I know I can't explain Nothin…
If I Should Lose You If I should lose you The stars would fall from the…
If You Are but a Dream If you are but a dream I hope I never 'waken It's…
If You Only Knew If you only knew We will let it go When we get…
Im Getting Sentimental Over You Never thought I'd fall, But now I hear love call, I'm gettin…
Imagination Imagination is funny It makes the cloudy day sunny Makes the…
It I know it's over I can see it in your eyes You…
It Had To Be You It had to be you, it had to be you. I…
It's Over I know it's over I can see it in your eyes You…
It's the Talk of the Town We were more than lovers, We were more than sweethearts, It'…
Jealous Guy I was dreaming of the past, And my heart was beating…
Just As I Am I've had a lot of big dreams I've made a lot…
Just Friends Just friends, lovers no more Just friends, but not like befo…
Laughing On the Outside The crowd sees me out dancing Carefree and romancing Happy…
Miss You At this moment With you being here I almost forget the feeli…
Mood Indigo You ain't never been blue; no, no, no, You ain't…
Moonglow It must have been moonglow, way up in the blue It…
Motherless Child Sometimes I feel like a motherless child Sometimes I feel li…
My Foolish Heart The night is like a lovely tune Beware my foolish heart How…
Nothing Compares 2 U It's been seven hours and fifteen days Since u took your…
Nothing Compares to You Nothing compares to you That's so true still so true My hea…
On Broadway They say the neon lights are bright On Broadway They say…
Once For once in my life I have someone who needs…
Our Day Will Come Our day will come And we'll have everything We'll share the …
Over The Rainbow Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high There's a land that…
P.S. I Love You Dear, I thought I'd drop a line The weather's cool, the…
Pennies From Heaven Every time it rains, it rains pennies from heaven Don't you…
People Get Ready People get ready, there's a train comin' You don't need no…
Please Be Kind This is my first affair, so please be kind Handle my…
Please Forgive Me Heaven please send to all mankind, Understanding and peace o…
Since I Fell For You You made me leave my happy home You took my love…
Slave to Love Tell her I′ll be waiting In the usual place With the tired…
Smile I smiled today Seating on the bench on the Washington Square…
Solitude In my solitude You haunt me With dreadful ease Of days gone …
Someone to Watch Over Me There's a saying old says that love is blind Still we're…
sometime i feel like a motherless child Sometimes I feel like a motherless child Sometimes I feel li…
Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word What have I got to do to make you love…
Stay With Me Should my heart not be humble, should my eyes fail…
Strange Fruit Southern trees bear strange fruit Blood on the leaves Bloo…
Street of Dreams Midnight, you heavy laden, it's midnight Come on and trade i…
Sunday Monday or Always Sunday, Monday or Tuesday Wednesday, Thursday or Friday I …
Sycamore Trees I got idea man You take me for a walk Under the…
Take My Hand Precious Lord take my hand lead me on let me…
The Days of Our Lives Our day will come And we'll have everything We'll share the …
The Folks Who Live on the Hill Many men with lofty aims, Strive for lofty goals, Others pla…
The Masquerade Is Over My blue horizon is turning grey And my dreams are drifting…
The More I See You Each time I look at you is like the first…
The One Spending these lonesome evenings With nothing to do But to l…
The One I Love I wish I didn't love you so My love for you…
The Talk of the Town We were more than lovers, We were more than sweethearts, It'…
The Way We Were Memories light the corners of my mind Misty water-colored m…
The Way You Look Tonight Someday, when I'm awfully low And the world is cold I will…
There There is no greater love Than what I feel for you No…
There Is No Greater Love There is no greater love Than what I feel for you No…
There Will Never Be Another You This is our last dance together, Tonight soon will be long…
These Are the Things I Love The glow of sunset in the Summer sky, The golden flicker…
They Say It They say that falling love is wonderful It's wonderful, so t…
Things That Are Love The glow of sunset in the Summer sky, The golden flicker…
This Love Of Mine This love of mine goes on and on, Though life…
Time After Time Time after time, I tell myself that I'm So lucky to…
Time On My Hands When the day fades away into twilight The moon is my…
Time On My Own When the day fades away into twilight The moon is my…
Unchained Melody Oh, my love, my darling, I've hungered for your touch…
We Memories light the corners of my mind Misty water-colored me…
We'll Be Together Again Here in a moment of darkness Remember the sun has…
What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life I want to see your face in every kind of…
What I Wouldn Once I was young, yesterday, perhaps Danced with Jim and Pau…
What I Wouldn't Give Alan Parsons Project I Robot I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You …
Wheel of Fortune The wheel of fortune Goes spinning around Will the arrow poi…
When Did You Leave Heaven When did you leave heaven? Why did they let you go? How's…
When I Fall In Love Maybe I'm old fashioned, feeling as I do Maybe I am…
When You Surrender When did you leave heaven? Why did they let you go? How's…
When You Wish Upon a Star When a star is born They possess a gift or two One…
Why Was I Born Spending these lonesome evenings With nothing to do But to l…
Wings of a Butterfly As I was walking deep in sorrow thinking about the…
Without A Song Without a song the day would never end Without a song…
Yesterday Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away Now it…
You Don You don't know what love is Until you learn the meaning…
You Don't Know What Love Is You don't know what love is Until you learn the meaning…