Al Hibbler
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Al Hibbler | |
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 Al Hibbler in 1946
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Albert George Hibbler |
| Born | August 16, 1915 Tyro, Mississippi, United States |
| Died | April 24, 2001 (aged 85) Chicago, Illinois |
| Genres | Easy listening Traditional popular music Jazz |
| Occupations | Singer |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 1935 – 2001 |
| Labels | Decca |
| Associated acts | Duke Ellington |
Al Hibbler (August 16, 1915[1] - April 24, 2001[2]) was an American vocalist with several pop hits. He is best known for his million-selling recording of "Unchained Melody" (1955). Once described by Duke Ellington as "our major asset", the bandleader was referring to Hibbler's deep-toned, dramatic vocal style, with its heavy vibrato. "You could drive a truck through that vibrato," said one musician. It brought Hibbler and the band considerable popular acclaim.[2] He achieved national prominence in the United States with the Ellington orchestra in the mid 1940s and went on to build a substantial career, which included continuing involvement with jazz musicians.[2]
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[edit] Biography
Born Albert George Hibbler in Tyro, Mississippi, he was blind from birth.[3] Hibbler attended a school for the blind in Little Rock, Arkansas where he joined the school choir.[1] He won an amateur talent contest in Memphis, Tennessee, where he first worked with local bands and started his own band.[1]
In 1942 he joined a band led by the Kansas City based bandleader, Jay McShann.[2] "I could tell Hibbler had it, so I wired him to join us in Kansas City," McShann said.[2] By the time the band, including bebop pioneer Charlie Parker, arrived in New York, Hibbler had displaced McShann's other vocalists, and was to tour with him for the next two years.[2]
He joined Duke Ellington's orchestra in 1943, replacing Herb Jeffries.[1] Whilst some critics found Hibbler's style hard to take, his fans were sufficient in number to bring him the Esquire New Star Award as best male singer in 1947, and the Downbeat award as best band singer in 1948-49.[2] He worked eight years with Ellington before becoming a soloist.[2] Some of his singing is classified as rhythm and blues, but he is best classified as a bridge between R&B and traditional pop music.[3]
His biggest hit was his original version of "Unchained Melody" in 1955.[1][4] The record reached #4 in the U.S. Billboard pop chart, and #2 in the UK Singles Chart.[1][5] The success led to network appearances, including a live jazz club remote on NBC's Monitor. Other hits were "He," "11th Hour Melody" and "Never Turn Back" (all in 1956). "After the Lights Go Down Low" (1956) was his last chart 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.[2] The notoriety of this activism discouraged major record labels from carrying his work, but Frank Sinatra supported him and signed him to a recording contract with his label, Reprise Records.[2] Hibbler sang at Louis Armstrong's funeral in 1971.[2] However, Hibbler made very few recordings after that, occasionally doing live appearances through the 1990s. His last public appearance was at Lincoln Center, in January 1999, with a group of old Ellington alumni, his vibrato still notable as he sang "Time After Time".[2]
He died in Chicago in 2001, at the age of 85.[3] He was survived by a sister and a brother.[2]
Hibbler has a star at 1650 Vine Street on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
[edit] Discography
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This section requires expansion. |
[edit] As leader
- 1955: "Unchained Melody"
- 1956: "He,"
- 1956: "11th Hour Melody"
- 1956: "Never Turn Back"
- 1965: Roland Kirk & Al Hibbler - A Meeting of the Times
[edit] Listen to
[edit] See also
- List of artists under the Decca Records label
- List of artists who reached number one on the Billboard R&B chart
- List of artists who reached number one on the Australian singles chart
- List of people from Little Rock, Arkansas
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 74. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Obituary by Peter Vacher". Guardian.co.uk/news. http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2001/apr/28/guardianobituaries. Retrieved March 21, 2009.
- ^ a b c "Remembering Al Hibbler" by JC Marion, 2004.
- ^ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 13. CN 5585.
- ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 252. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
[edit] External links
- Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame
- Discography
- Encyclopedia of Popular Music: biography by Colin Larkin
- Jazzhouse obituary from The Scotsman, 2001
