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Clay Hammond - Sad News RIP

Clay Hammond - Sad News RIP magazine cover

Sad to hear that Clay Hammond died on Friday.

 

 

added by site

 

 

 

Clayton Hammond Jr born 21 June 1936 in Groesbeck, Texas

Clay Hammond was an original founding member of the Gospel greats "The Mighty Clouds Of Joy".in the late 50s Clay was the older brother of Walter Hammond, who was a singer with the original Olympics. Initially achieving success as a songwriter, Clay's composition 'Part Time Love' was a number 1 R&B single for ' Little' Johnny Taylor. Hammond later recorded for several labels, including Galaxy and Duo Disc, before settling with Kent in 1967.

 

His releases included two superb southern soul ballads, 'You Messed Up My Mind' (1966) and 'I'll Make It Up To You' (1968). Clay's subsequent recordings were more irregular, although a successful Japanese tour did produce an album, These Arms Of Mine. In 1981 he joined the Rivingtons, who were still working the oldies circuit on the strength of their novelty hit 'Papa Oom Mow Mow'. Hammond later sang with one of the many different Drifters groups while continuing to record as a solo artist

 

.His most well-known efforts from that time are the four singles he did for Kent between 1966-69. These mixed Southern soul, gospel, and blues styles, yet also had a somewhat lighter and poppier production aura than much Southern soul, perhaps because they were recorded in Los Angeles. All eight songs from these 45s, as well as eight others that were recorded but not released in the 1960s, appear on the Ace CD Southern , which also includes ten tracks recorded for Kent around the same time by fellow soul vocalist Z.Z. Hill.

 

"Clay's bittersweet, almost crying vocals bestow a syllable-bending nonchalance with a lyric, always belying an obvious Sam Cooke influence, though no one has ever mastered this style with quite the flair of Hammond, (Johnny Taylor, Bobby Womack and James Phelps arguably excepted!!)."

from Southern Soul Brothers cd notes at

 

http://www.acerecord...59&release=1044

 

Discography

http://www.soulfulki...et/chammond.htm

Website/ Main Source

http://www.clayhammondblues.com

 

 

 



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Guest Ivor Jones

Posted

Thats really sad Paul..................Clay made some real gems. Sadly,almost unknown except to "real" soul music fans...........

.I really love these by him :

You Have Messed Up My Mind

Do Right Woman

You Wont Have To Suffer No More

You Must Be Making Love

Come Into These Arms Of Love

I Know What Love Is...............

And plenty more................

Clay Hammond, RIP

Guest Dave Turner

Posted

Sad new indeed. One of the all time soul and soul/gospel greats.

Truely a fabulous artist and southern soul giant.

Guest FrostyJak

Posted

Sad to hear of his passing

I've only heard of his stuff released on kent cds

My jealous girl, The good side of my girl & I'm gonna be sweeter are my favs

RIP

Garethx

Posted

Very sad news. So many great performances from an exceptional singer, but my favourite of them all was "I'll Make It Up To You" on Kent. Timeless soul music of the very highest quality.

Anoraks Corner

Posted

Much admired over here.

Agree with Tony...this is also my fave NS track from this Soul Hero.

RIP

post-9555-0-92997100-1297081137_thumb.jp

Anais nin Carms

Posted

I shall have to play "You brought it on yourself" later as a tribute to a great voice , not one for the dancefloor I guess but what a sound !

Guest no1guy

Posted

Very sad news indeed, saw him in Utrecht 'estafette' a few years ago he was fantastic.

Apart from his recordings for Kent etc in the 60's his later recordings for Leon Haywood's EVEJIM label in the late 80's are worth listening to, License to steal and Streets will love you to death are stand out tracks.

binsy

Posted

I was also at the Utrecht gig too mate. I love his Soul Power recordings too 'you got me tamed' 'A man in love'

Another legend gone :D

Sean Hampsey

Posted

Sad news Paul.

Always loved the Versepto 45 'Part Time Love' and his rare and fabulous Mercury 45 'You Don't Have To Suffer Anymore'.

What an amazing Soul singer.

RIP

Sean

Has

Posted

very sad news we met Clay And his son in Poretta a true soul man RIP

Harry & Diana

manus

Posted

Very sad news indeed. RIP

Manus

Guest TONY ROUNCE

Posted

So many incredible tracks by this supremely talented man, and I have so many favourites - most of which have been mentioned above...

...but this one just about tops them all:

...A true great both as a singer and songwriter. Go rest high on that mountain Mr. H.

JOE TORQUAY

Posted

hi,

another sad loss,

one of my favourites will always be this one,

joe.

ABNER # 7005 HAMMOND BROTHERS # THIRTY MILES OF RAILROAD TRACK / I TOLD YOU

Guest makstax

Posted

Yet another sad loss , Clay's Kent recording of my jealous girl being my particular favourite of so many superb sides he cut. RIP Cllay Melv K

Guest

Posted

Different take on Haarlem Shuffle BUT still good choon :hatsoff2:

Ady Croasdell

Posted

That's sad. He had a very tender voice which shows up particularly well on the previously unreleased Kent tracks we featured on the CD he shared with Z Z Hill

Soulfreak

Posted

Yes, really sorry to hear this.

I caught that Utrecht concert too. It was great to hear him still able to hit all the high notes.

I interviewed him at the time and kept in touch over the years. Lovely guy....

Martin.

Jim Elliott

Posted

'I'm gonna be sweeter' is a top ten sound for me, it's just got the lot,

a close second is the Evejim album, thanks for the music

RIP

Jim.




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