One of the realities of the music world is that some stars are less remembered than others, even when their level of talent is head and shoulders over that of many of the bigger names. A good example might be Dee Clark, who was one of the best R&B singers of the Fifties and Sixties but is seldom mentioned today.
Delectus 'Dee' Clark was born in Arkansas but grew up on Chicago's West side, musically inspired by his mother, gospel singer Delecta Clark. While still in his early teens he formed a threesome called the Hambone Kids with buddies Ronnie Strong and Sammy McGrier. The guys specialized in — surprise — hambonin', a sort of masochistic style of performing that involves singing while accompanying yourself with lots of rhythmic slaps and pats to the body.
It wasn't long before the guys became a popular area draw, and in 1952 they even cut a record of "Hambone," backed by the Red Saunders band, but Clark soon moved on. For a few years he bounced around, but spent most of his time singing with the Goldentones, later renamed the Kool Gents. The group sold a few records and by 1957 Clark was ready to try for a solo career, but he struggled to find his own identify. For a while he emulated other stars, but it turned out well because when Little Richard left the spotlight behind to enroll in bible college, Clark took over the balance of his tour.
As his fame grew, Dee Clark also found more success in the recording studio with his first solo hit, "Nobody But You." Following close behind was an even bigger seller, another uptempo love song called "Just Keep It Up" (video below). But Clark also released a record that was a little bit of a throwback to his 'Hambone' days, with a touch of Bo Diddley thrown in; an infectious tune called "(Hey) Little Girl" (clip).
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