Jimmy Soul
US rock'n'roll artist James McCleese, known professionally as Jimmy Soul, was
born on 24 August 1942 in Weldon, North Carolina. He began his musical journey
at a young age, becoming a preacher at seven and later singing gospel with
various groups, including the Nightingales. His stage name, Jimmy Soul, was
derived from his congregation. His breakthrough came when he was spotted by
Frank Guida and recruited to sing backup for R&B singer Gary US Bonds. In 1962,
he released "Twistin' Matilda", a twist version of Harry Belafonte's "Matilda",
which reached number 22 on the US charts. ...
