Jackie Lee (Born Earl Nelson in Lake Charles, LA) had quite a career though a bit a puzzle to piece it all together. Recording solo R&B tracks under the names Jay Dee, Earl Cosby and Chip Nelson as well as a member of many different R&B and Doo Wop groups before settling on his most well-known nom de plum , Lee’s first hit was singing lead on Bobby Byrd's Hollywood Flames “Buzz, Buzz, Buzz” (a song that Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers covered in 1978) which went to #18 on the pop charts in 1958.
In 1964, as part of the duo Bob and Earl, he had another top 40 hit in the charts with “Harlem Shuffle”. The song found even bigger success in the UK when it was issued there in 1969 reaching #7.
In 1965, recording under the name Jackie Lee (Jackie was Earl's wife's name and Lee his own middle name) he hit #14 on the charts with the novelty dance number “The Duck.” This track, “Anything You Want”, was recorded in 1968 and was slated to be released on the Mirwood label under the name Earl Nelson that year didn’t see the light of day til UK reissue label released it on the The Mirwood Soul Story CD compilation in 2005.
Comments