Gene McDaniels

Background

Born in Kansas City, Kansas,

After recording two unsuccessful singles and an album, McDaniels teamed with producer Snuff Garrett, with whom he recorded his first hit, "A Hundred Pounds of Clay", which reached number 3 in the Billboard Hot 100 chart in early 1961 and sold over one million copies, earning gold disc status.

In 1962, McDaniels appeared performing "Another Tear Falls" in the movie It's Trad, Dad! directed by Richard Lester. He continued to have hit records, including "Chip Chip", "Point Of No Return", and "Spanish Lace". Each record was released in 1962, but his suave style of singing gradually became less fashionable, as the public started to favor British acts such as The Beatles. In 1965, "Point Of No Return" was recorded by the British R&B band Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames on their UK Columbia EP Fame At Last. Also in 1965, McDaniels moved to Columbia Records, with little success, and in 1968, after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, he left the US to live in Denmark and Sweden where he concentrated on songwriting.

After the late 1960s, McDaniels turned his attention to a more black consciousness form of music, 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. It was also covered by Roberta Flack, Ray Charles, Della Reese, John Legend, the Roots, Sweetwater, and others.

In 2010 he launched a series of YouTube videos on his website, featuring his music and thoughts on some of his creations.

Personal life and death

McDaniels lived as a self-described "hermit" in the state of Maine.

McDaniels died peacefully on July 29, 2011, at his home, survived by his third wife and six children.

Discography

Albums YearAlbumRecord Label 1960 In Times Like These Liberty Records Somestimes I'm Happy Sometimes I'm Blue 1961 100 Lbs. of Clay! Tower of Strength 1962 Hit After Hit Gene McDaniels Sings Movie Memories 1963 The Wonderful World of Gene McDaniels 1966 The Facts of Life 1970 Outlaw Atlantic Records 1971 Headless Heroes of the Apocalypse 1975 Natural Juices Ode Records 2004Screams and Whispers Genepool Records As Universal Jones YearAlbumRecord Label 1972 Universal Jones Vol. 1 MGM Records

Singles YearTitles (A-side, B-side)Both sides from same album except where indicatedPeak chart positions Record LabelAlbum US AC R&B UK 1960 "In Times Like These"b/w Once Before" (Non-album track) – – – – Liberty Records In Times Like These "Green Door"b/w "The Facts of Life" – – – – Sometimes I'm Happy Sometimes I'm Blue 1961 "A Hundred Pounds Of Clay"b/w "Come On Take A Chance" (Non-album track) 3 – 11 – 100 Lbs. Of Clay! "Take Good Care Of Her"b/w "Are You Sincere" – – – – "A Tear"b/w "She's Come Back" (Non-album track) 31 – – – Tower Of Strength "Tower Of Strength"b/w "The Secret" 5 – 5 49 "Chip Chip"b/w "Another Tear Falls" (Non-album track) 10 – – – Hit After Hit 1962 "Funny"b/w "Chapel Of Tears" (Non-album track) 99 – – – Tower Of Strength "Point Of No Return"b/w "Warmer Than A Whisper" (Non-album track) 21 – 23 – Hit After Hit "Spanish Lace"b/w "Somebody's Waiting" (Non-album track) 31 – – – Spanish Lace 1963 "The Puzzle"b/w "Cry Baby Cry" (Non-album track) – – – – Golden Greats "It's a Lonely Town (Lonely Without You)"b/w "False Friends" 64 30 – –Non-album tracks "Anyone Else"b/w "The Old Country" (from The Wonderful World Of Gene McDaniels) – – – – 1964 "Make Me A Present Of You"b/w "In Times Like These" (from In Times Like These) – – – –100 Lbs. Of Clay! "(There Goes The) Forgotten Man"b/w "Emily" – – – –Non-album tracks 1965 "Walk With A Winner"b/w "A Miracle" (Non-album track) – – – –The Very Best Of Gene McDaniels "Will It Last Forever"b/w "Hang On (Just A Little Bit Longer)" – – – –Non-album tracks 1966 "Something Blue"b/w "'Cause I Love You So" – – – – Columbia Records 1967 "Touch Of Your Lips"b/w "Sweet Lover No More" – – – – 1971 "Tell Me Mr. President"b/w "The Lord Is Back" – – – –Atlantic Records 1973 "River"b/w "Ol' Heartbreak Top Ten" – – – –MGM Records

As Universal Jones YearTitles (A-side, B-side)Peak chart positions Record LabelAlbum US AC R&B UK 1972 "River"b/w "Feeling That Glow" 115 37 – – MGM Records Universal Jones Vol. 1 "We All Know A Lot Of Things But It Don't Never Show"b/w "Tuesday Morning" – – – –

Sideman YearArtistAlbumRecord Label 1969 Bobby Hutcherson Now! (Bobby Hutcherson album) Blue Note

Produced by Eugene McDaniels Richard Roundtree, "The Man From Shaft" 1972 Merry Clayton, Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow 1975 Gladys Knight & the Pips, 2nd Anniversary 1975 Melba Moore, Peach Melba 1975 Gene McDaniels, Natural Juices 1975 Nancy Wilson, This Mother's Daughter 1976 Jimmy Smith, Sit on It 1977 The Voltage Brothers, "The Voltage Brothers" 1978 The Floaters, Float Into the Future 1979 Jennifer Rush "Loving is a Good Thing" 1980 Phyllis Hyman, "Meet Me on the Moon", 1991 Carri Coltrane, The First Time 1999 Carri Coltrane, Flamenco Sketches 1998 Eugene McDaniels, Screams and Whispers 2004

Filmography It's Trad, Dad! (a.k.a. Ring-A-Ding Rhythm, 1962) The Young Swingers (1963) Roots (1977 miniseries) (1977) Devils Minion (2009)

Video game roles League of Legends – Nasus (voice-actor)