Jimmy Holiday
Jimmy Holiday was born on July 24, 1934, in Sallis, Mississippi. He later moved to Durant, Mississippi, and was raised in Iowa. His early life was marked by aspirations beyond music; he initially pursued a career in boxing, competing in the annual Golden Gloves tournaments before ultimately shifting his focus to music.
Holiday began his music career in the late 1950s, transitioning from the Mississippi Delta to New Orleans and subsequently to Hollywood. His first significant success came in 1963 with the song "How Can I Forget," which reached #8 on the R&B chart. He became known for his contributions to the genres of R&B, Northern Soul, and Early R&B, solidifying his status within the music industry throughout the 1950s to the 1980s.
As a Black cowboy-musician, Jimmy Holiday's identity and experiences influenced his music and artistry. His legacy extends beyond his career, as he is remembered not only for his songs but also for his cultural impact.
Holiday continued to perform and create music until his passing on February 15, 1987, in Iowa City, Iowa. His contributions to R&B and soul music remain celebrated, marking him as a significant figure in the musical landscape of his time.
In summary, Jimmy Holiday's journey from a boxer to a celebrated soul singer illustrates his versatility and enduring legacy in American music history.
How Can I Forget - The Everest Sessions
2 Janet
3 Don't Laugh
4 Poor Boy
5 Country Girl
6 I've Got A Woman
7 Allison
8 I Lied
9 I Believe In Love
10 One More Thing
11 Hollywood
12 Ol' Man River
Label: Acrobat – ACRCD 175
Format: CD, Compilation
Country: UK
Released: 2005
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Sixties Soul
How Can I Forget? – The Everest Sessions is a compilation album that showcases the early recording career of soul singer and songwriter Jimmy Holiday during his tenure with Everest Records in the early 1960s.
The album features his breakthrough hit, "How Can I Forget," which reached #8 on the Billboard Soul chart and #57 on the US Pop chart in 1963.
This release is a comprehensive reissue of his original Everest material, including all tracks from his six singles released on the label. Primarily deep soul and rhythm & blues, with some lighter tracks intended to capture a broader pop audience.
While this album highlights his skill as a vocalist, Holiday is often better remembered as a prolific songwriter. He famously co-wrote the 1969 hit "Put a Little Love in Your Heart" for Jackie DeShannon and penned numerous songs for Ray Charles.
Critics often highlight Holiday's "intense" and "soulful" delivery, though some contemporary reviews note that the song selection on the Everest sessions was sometimes inconsistent as the label experimented with his sound to find a pop-crossover hit.
While the original recordings date back to 1962–1964, the "Everest Sessions" compilation was notably reissued on CD by labels like Acrobat and Essential Media in the mid-2000s.
Turning Point
A2 Baby I Love You 2:35
A3 In The Eyes Of My Girl 2:33
A4 I Don't Want To Hear It 2:50
A5 Everybody Needs Help 2:55
A6 We Forgot About Love 3:23
B1 I'm Gonna Move To The City 2:29
B2 I've Got To Live While I Can 2:30
B3 Give Me Your Love 2:20
B4 Everything Is Love 2:58
B5 Nobody's Fault But Your Own 2:11
B6 We Got A Good Thing Goin' 2:19
Written by Jimmy Holiday
Label: Minit – LP-24005
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1966
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Southern Soul, Deep Soul
Jimmy Holiday's 1966 album, The Turning Point, is a highly-regarded lost soul gem, praised for its deep, emotional, and powerful soul music, showcasing Holiday's incredible vocal pathos, with tracks like the title song, "I'm Gonna Use What I Got To Get What I Want," and "I'm Gonna Help Hurry My Brothers Back Home" standing out as classics, blending poignant ballads with uptempo soul, making it a definitive album for soul connoisseurs despite Holiday's career being cut short by health issues.
Sound: Rootsy, intense, emotionally rich, with a mix of soulful ballads and uptempo grooves, comparable to mid-60s Ben E. King but with Minit label grit.
Features iconic tracks like "The Turning Point," "I'm Gonna Use What I Got (To Get What I Need)," "I'm Gonna Help Hurry My Brothers Back Home," and "Baby I Love You".
Produced by Calvin Carter, with arrangements by Rene Hall and Jimmy Gordon, it's a classic that solidified Holiday's reputation as a profound vocalist and songwriter, despite his career being shortened by chronic health problems, leading him to focus more on writing hits for others, like "Put A Little Love In Your Heart".
Most of the tracks were composed by Holiday himself, a rarity for the era that helped establish his unique musical identity. The album features arrangements by Rene Hall and Jimmy Gordon, with liner notes contributed by Holiday's friend and mentor, Ray Charles.
Though not a massive commercial blockbuster, the title track reached the Billboard R&B charts, and the album is now considered a "hidden masterpiece" by soul connoisseurs for its classy, timeless sound.
In essence, The Turning Point is a must-have for soul fans, capturing Jimmy Holiday at his peak, delivering heartfelt performances and timeless music.
Original vinyl pressings are highly sought after by collectors. The material is also available on several retrospectives, such as the Ace Records compilation titled Spread Your Love: The Complete Minit Singles 1966-1970, which includes the full album contents.