Floyd Dixon
For the American football player see Floyd Dixon (American football)
| Floyd Dixon | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Jay Riggins Jr. |
| Born | February 8, 1929 Marshall, Texas, United States |
| Died | July 26, 2006 (aged 77) Orange County, California, United States |
| Genres | Rhythm and blues, Texas blues, West Coast blues |
| Occupations | Pianist, singer |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1949–2006 |
| Labels | Various |
Floyd Dixon (February 8, 1929 – July 26, 2006)[1] was an American rhythm and blues pianist and singer.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
Dixon was born Jay Riggins Jr. in Marshall, Texas, United States.[1] He was influenced by blues, gospel, jazz and country music growing up. His family moved to Los Angeles, California in 1942 and Dixon met his influence Charles Brown there.[1]
Self-dubbed "Mr. Magnificent," Dixon signed a recording contract with Modern Records in 1949, specializing in jump blues and sexualized songs like "Red Cherries", "Wine Wine Wine", "Too Much Jelly Roll" and "Baby Let's Go Down to The Woods". When Brown left Johnny Moore's Three Blazers in 1950 to go solo, Dixon replaced him as pianist and singer and recorded with the band for Aladdin Records.[2] Staying with the record label, Dixon had a small hit under his own name in 1952 with "Call Operator 210".[2]
Dixon switched to the Specialty Records label in 1952, and the Atlantic Records subsidiary Cat Records in 1954. "Hey Bartender" (later covered by The Blues Brothers) and "Hole In The Wall" were hit singles during this time.
In the 1970s Dixon left the music industry for a quieter life in Texas, though he did occasional tours in the 1970s and 1980s.[2] In 1984 he was commissioned to write "Olympic Blues" for the 1984 Summer Olympics.[1]
In 1993, Dixon received a Pioneer Award from the Rhythm and Blues Foundation.[1] In the mid 1990s, he secured a contract with Alligator Records, releasing the critically acclaimed album, Wake Up And Live.[1]
Dixon died in Orange County, California in July 2006, at the age of 77, from kidney failure, having suffered with cancer.[1] A public memorial service was held at Grace Chapel, in the grounds of the Inglewood Park Cemetery.
[edit] See also
- List of jump blues musicians
- List of West Coast blues musicians
- List of stage names
- List of people from Marshall, Texas
- List of blues musicians
- West Coast blues
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Biography by Jason Ankeny". Allmusic.com. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p331/biography. Retrieved June 1, 2009.
- ^ a b c Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues - From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. Dubai: Carlton Books Limited. pp. 106–107. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
