Jimmy Powell

Jimmy Powell (13 October 1942 – 13 May 2016) was a British soul and rhythm and blues singer who recorded and performed throughout the 1960s and early 1970s, and is best remembered as the lead singer of Jimmy Powell and the 5 Dimensions, a group that briefly included Rod Stewart.

Early life and career Powell was born in Selly Oak, Birmingham, and attended Turves Green School in the city. He began singing in his teens with a local skiffle group, and then a beat group, the Jumping Jacks, before forming his own band, the Detours, around 1959. In 1961, he became a professional singer when he joined the Rockin' Berries. The group toured and performed in clubs in Germany, including a residency at the Star-Club in Hamburg, before returning to London where they were auditioned by producer Jack Good. Good offered Powell a solo recording contract, and he left the group a few months later. His first record, a cover version of Buster Brown's US rhythm and blues hit "Sugar Babe", with guitar by Big Jim Sullivan and produced by Chris Blackwell, In 1963, Powell moved from Birmingham to London and starting visiting the Marquee Club, where British musicians such as Alexis Korner and Cyril Davies performed. His new manager, Malcolm Nixon, auditioned groups to act as his backing band, and offered the role to the Dimensions.

Jimmy Powell and the 5 Dimensions The Dimensions were a London-based group formed in 1962 by guitarist Gary Leport, bassist Louis Cennamo, guitarist Peter Mariosa and drummer Brian "Chick" Kattenhorn; in 1963 they added rhythm guitarist Mike Webb and singer and harmonica player Rod Stewart. Leport and Stewart were old school friends, and had played together previously in a north London band, the Raiders, who (without Stewart) subsequently became instrumental group the Moontrekkers and recorded with Joe Meek. With Jimmy Powell joining them as lead singer in 1963, the group changed their name to Jimmy Powell and The 5 Dimensions. They toured Scotland and played club dates in London and elsewhere in England in the autumn of 1963. Stewart became frustrated that he was allowed few opportunities to sing, and left in December 1963. Leport and Webb also left, and the three were replaced by Kenny White and Martin Shaw (guitars), and Pete Hogman (harmonica and supporting vocals). They signed a recording deal with Pye Records, who released "That's Alright", written by Powell, as a single in June 1964. They were also hired to provide backing for Jamaican singer Millie Small on her recording of "My Boy Lollipop". Later, popular rumours suggested that Rod Stewart played harmonica on the record, but it was in fact played by Pete Hogman. Powell continued to record, at first on the short-lived Strike label set up by writer and producer Miki Dallon and, from 1967, back at Decca where he released three singles in 1967–68.

Later in the 1970s, Powell worked as the part-time manager of a furniture company, as well as performing in pubs with a band, the Survivors. In the 1990s he moved to live in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, and established a successful car park management business.

Discography Singles Solo "Sugar Babe Part 1" b/w "Sugar Babe Part 2" (1962), Decca F11447 "Tom Hark" b/w "Dance Her By Me" (1962), Decca F11544 "Remember Then" b/w "Everyone But You" (1963), Decca 11570

With the Five Dimensions "That's Alright" b/w "I'm Looking For A Woman" (1963), Pye 7N 15663 "Sugar Babe" b/w "I've Been Watching You" (1964) Pye 7N 15735 "I Can Go Down" b/w "Love Me Right" (1966) Strike JH 309 "Unexpected Mirrors" b/w "Time Mends Broken Hearts" (1967) Decca F12664 "I Just Can't Get Over You b/w "Real Cool" (1968) Decca F1275 "I Can Go Down" b/w "Captain Man (1969), Young Blood YB 1002 "House of the Rising Sun" b/w "That's Love" (1969) Young Blood YB 1006 "Sugar Man" b/w "Slow Down" (1969) Young Blood YB 1008

Albums Come On Down to My House (1969), Young Blood Hold On (1973), Young Blood Compilations The R'n'B Sensation (1992), See For Miles Sugar Babe (2003), Castle Music Progressive Talking Blues (2007), MDP OMP