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Gene McDaniels (February 12, 1935^[1] – July 29, 2011) was an American singer and songwriter, who had his greatest recording success in the early 1960s.

Career

Born Eugene Booker McDaniels in Kansas City, Missouri, United States,^[1] McDaniels grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, and went on to have six Top 40 hits in the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The two that went into the Top 5 were 1961's "Tower of Strength" (#5 on the pop chart) written by Bert Bacharach and Hal David, and "A Hundred Pounds of Clay," which reached #3 on the pop chart, and sold over one million records, earning gold disc status.^[1] "Tower of Strength" reached #49 in the UK Singles Chart, losing out to Frankie Vaughan's chart-topping version.^[2] He also had a top 40 song in 1962 with "Point of no Return" written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin. In the late 1960s, McDaniels turned his attention to a more black consciousness form, and his best-known song in this genre was "Compared to What," a jazz-soul protest song made famous (and into a hit) by Les McCann and Eddie Harris on their album, Swiss Movement, and also covered by Roberta Flack. McDaniels also attained the top spot on the chart as a songwriter. In 1974, Roberta Flack reached #1 with McDaniels' "Feel Like Makin' Love." This won a Grammy Award and McDaniels also received a BMI award for outstanding radio airplay, at the time of the award the song had already had over five million plays. (This is not to be confused with the Bad Company song of the same name.)

Other songs that McDaniels recorded included "Point Of No Return" and "Spanish Lace." In the early 1970s, McDaniels recorded on the Atlantic label, which released the McDaniels albums, Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse and Outlaw.

In the 1980s, McDaniels recorded an album with the percussionist Terry Silverlight, which has not yet been released. In 2005, McDaniels released Screams & Whispers on his own record label. In 2009, it was announced that he is to release a new album, Evolution's Child, which featured his lyrics, and a number of songs composed or arranged with pianist Ted Brancato. Some of the songs featured jazz musician Ron Carter on concert bass.

McDaniel's "Jagger the Dagger" was featured on the Tribe Vibes breakbeat compilation album, after it had been sampled by A Tribe Called Quest.

McDaniels also appeared in films. They included the 1962 film, It's Trad, Dad!, (released in the United States as Ring-A-Ding Rhythm), which was directed by Richard Lester. He also appeared in 1963's The Young Swingers. McDaniels is briefly seen singing in the choir in the 1974 film, Uptown Saturday Night.

McDaniels lived as a self-described "hermit" in the state of Maine. In 2010, he launched series of YouTube videos on his website, featuring his music and thoughts on some of his creations.

Death

McDaniels died on July 29, 2011.^[3]

Partial discography

Albums

In Times Like These - Liberty (1960)
Sometimes I'm Happy, Sometimes I'm Blue - Liberty (1960)
A Hundred Pounds Of Clay - Liberty (1961)
Gene McDaniels Sings Movie Memories - Liberty (1962)
Hit After Hit - Liberty (1962)
Tower Of Strength - Liberty (1962)
Spanish Lace - Liberty (1963)
The Wonderful Word Of Gene McDaniels - Liberty (1963)
Outlaw - Atlantic (1970)
Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse - Atlantic (1971)
Natural Juices - Ode (1975)
Screams & Whispers - Sky Forest Music (2005)

Produced by Eugene McDaniels

The First Time - Carri Coltrane, 1999
Flamenco Sketches - Carri Coltrane, 1998

U.S. hit singles

"A Hundred Pounds of Clay" - #3, 1961
"A Tear" - #31, 1961
"Tower of Strength" - #5, 1961
"Chip Chip" - #10, 1962
"Funny" - #99, 1962
"Point of No Return" - #21, 1962
"Spanish Lace" - #31, 1962
"It's a Lonely Town (Lonely Without You)" - #64, 1963
"River" - #115, 1972 (released under the name Universal Jones)

Film appearances

It's Trad, Dad! (a.k.a. Ring-A-Ding Rhythm) (1962)
The Young Swingers (1963)

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 136. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 338 & 583. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
^ Ann Ruckert website

Template:Persondata

[The_Book_of_Golden_Discs-1] Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 136. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.

[British_Hit_Singles_&_Albums-2] Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 338 & 583. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

[3] Ann Ruckert website

[1]

[2]

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@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 ==Career==
-Born '''Eugene Booker McDaniels''' in [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]], [[Missouri]], [[United States]],<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs"/> McDaniels grew up in [[Omaha, Nebraska|Omaha]], [[Nebraska]], and went on to have six [[Top 40]] [[hit record|hits]] in the [[Billboard Hot 100]] [[record chart|chart]]. The two that went into the Top 5 were 1961's "Tower of Strength" (#5 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|pop]] chart) and "A Hundred Pounds of Clay," which reached #3 on the [[pop music|pop]] chart, and sold over one million [[gramophone record|records]], earning [[music recording sales certification|gold disc]] status.<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs"/> "Tower of Strength" reached #49 in the [[UK Singles Chart]], losing out to [[Frankie Vaughan]]'s chart-topping version.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book
+Born '''Eugene Booker McDaniels''' in [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]], [[Missouri]], [[United States]],<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs"/> McDaniels grew up in [[Omaha, Nebraska|Omaha]], [[Nebraska]], and went on to have six [[Top 40]] [[hit record|hits]] in the [[Billboard Hot 100]] [[record chart|chart]]. The two that went into the Top 5 were 1961's "Tower of Strength" (#5 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|pop]] chart) written by Bert Bacharach and Hal David, and "A Hundred Pounds of Clay," which reached #3 on the [[pop music|pop]] chart, and sold over one million [[gramophone record|records]], earning [[music recording sales certification|gold disc]] status.<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs"/> "Tower of Strength" reached #49 in the [[UK Singles Chart]], losing out to [[Frankie Vaughan]]'s chart-topping version.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book
 | first= David
 | last= Roberts
@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 | isbn= 1-904994-10-5
 | page= 338 & 583}}</ref>
+He also had a top 40 song in 1962 with "Point of no Return" written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin.
 In the late 1960s, McDaniels turned his attention to a more black consciousness form, and his best-known song in this genre was "Compared to What," a [[jazz]]-[[soul music|soul]] [[protest song]] made famous (and into a hit) by [[Les McCann]] and [[Eddie Harris]] on their [[album]], ''Swiss Movement'', and also [[cover version|covered]] by [[Roberta Flack]]. McDaniels also attained the [[record chart|top spot]] on the [[record chart|chart]] as a songwriter. In 1974, Roberta Flack reached #1 with McDaniels' "[[Feel Like Makin' Love (Roberta Flack song)|Feel Like Makin' Love]]." This won a [[Grammy Award]] and McDaniels also received a BMI award for outstanding radio airplay, at the time of the award the song had already had over five million plays. (This is not to be confused with the [[Bad Company]] [[song]] of the [[Feel Like Makin' Love (Bad Company song)|same name]].)