Jean Knight
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Biography
Jean Knight - born Jean Caliste in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 26, 1943 â is a soul and R&B vocalist best known for her 1971 single âMr. Big Stuffâ. She began her career by singing at Lauraâs Place, a bar owned by her cousin. In 1965, she recorded a demo that attracted producer Huey Meaux. Signing to the label Jet Star/Tribe Records, she released four singles. After little success, she left the music business in the late â60s to work in Loyola Universityâs cafeteria. In early 1970, songwriter Ralph Williams asked her to record a few songs, one of which was entitled âMr. Big Stuffâ. The recording was shopped to various labels but was ultimately rejected. Stax Records had a change of heart and released the single in 1971 and it became a massive hit, rising to Number 1 on the R&B chart and Number 2 on the Hot 100. The single was certified double platinum and Jean Knight was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female. The album Mr. Big Stuff was released the same year and peaked at Number 6 on the R&B Albums chart. She released a few more singles for Stax Records but disagreements with the label led to her being dropped from their roster. She spent the next decade playing the oldies circuit and releasing a few singles in order to renew interest in her career. In 1981, she released the album Keep It Cominâ, which sold well and Jean Knight went back on the road. She covered Rockinâ Sidneyâs âMy Toot Tootâ, which hit Number 50 on the singles chart â the song was taken from the 1985 album of the same name. She continued to tour all over the world but didnât release another album until 1997âs Shaki de Boo-Tee. The album Queen followed in 1999. She was honored by the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2007 for her contributions to Louisiana music. Jean Knight died on November 22, 2023, at the age of 80 years old.
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Albums
Top Tracks
- Track Popularity
- Mr. Big Stuff
- Toot Toot
- Get Happy
- Do Me
- You Think You're Hot Stuff
- Your Six-Bit Change
- Helping Man
- Pick Up The Pieces
- Save The Last Kiss For Me
- Real Love
- A Little Respect
- Don't Talk About Jody
- (I Got You) I Feel Good
- A Little Bit Of Something (Is Better Than All Of Nothing)
- Take Him (You Can Have My Man)
- Think It Over
- Why I Keep Living These Memories
- Respect
- You City Slicker
- Secret Lover
- One-Way Ticket To Nowhere (It's The End Of The Ride)
- Call Me Your Fool If You Want To
- Carry On
