Jesse Belvin

R&B singer, pianist and songwriter

Jesse Lorenzo Belvin was an American singer, pianist, and songwriter who gained popularity in the R&B scene during the 1950s. Born on December 15, 1932, in San Antonio, Texas, Belvin and his family moved to Los Angeles, California, when he was five years old. He began his musical career by doing the opening act with Big Jay McNeely and Lionel Hampton at the 5th Cavalcade of Jazz in Los Angeles in 1949.

Belvin joined Three Dots and a Dash, saxophonist Big Jay McNeely's backing vocal quartet, in 1950, and featured prominently on their record releases. In 1952, he signed with Specialty Records, and although his early solo records were unsuccessful, his fourth release, "Dream Girl," credited to Jesse & Marvin and featuring sax player Marvin Phillips singing, reached No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart in 1953.

Belvin's success continued when he was drafted into the army around 1953. While serving, he wrote the classic R&B song "Earth Angel," which was recorded by The Penguins and became one of the first R&B singles to cross over onto the pop charts, selling over 1 million copies in 1954/1955. In 1956, Belvin signed with Modern Records, recording his biggest hit, "Goodnight My Love," which reached No. 7 on the R&B chart. He also recorded under different names for other labels during this time.

Belvin's legacy goes beyond his successful musical career. His compositions continued to influence the music industry even after his untimely death in a car crash in Little Rock, Arkansas, on February 6, 1960. The accident, which also claimed the lives of his wife Jo Ann and their driver, occurred after a concert that had been disrupted by white supremacists. Legendary blues singer Etta James referred to Belvin as "the most gifted of us all" and considered him the greatest singer of her generation, even surpassing the talents of Sam Cooke and Nat King Cole.

Inspired by his wife and manager Jo Ann, Belvin signed with RCA Records in 1959 and had a top 40 hit with "Guess Who," written by his wife. He also recorded the album Just Jesse Belvin, developing a mature and sophisticated sound on ballads. Belvin's style was influenced by Nat "King" Cole and Billy Eckstine and became a model for Sam Cooke. Despite his tragic death at the young age of 27, Jesse Belvin's musical contributions continue to be celebrated in the R&B and music industries.