Baby Huey - The living legend

1. Listen to Me 
2. Mama Get Yourself Together 
3. A Change Is Going to Come 
4. Mighty, Mighty 
5. Hard Times 
6. California Dreamin 
7. Running 
8. One Dragon Two Dragon 

Baby Huey who's real name was James Ramey was a large man, weighing about 350 pounds. His size contributed to his stage presence, but also to health problems. Nevertheless, he made light of his condition, adopting the stage name "Baby Huey" after a giant duckling cartoon character of the same name. In 1963, Ramey, organist/trumpeter Melvin "Deacon" Jones, and guitarist Johnny Ross founded a band called Baby Huey & the Babysitters, which became a popular local act and released several 45 RPM singles, including "Beg Me", "Monkey Man", "Messin' with the Kid" and "Just Being Careful".

In 1969, the band's agent Marv Heiman secured them an audition with Curtis Mayfields Curtdom Records arranger and Soul Legend Donny Hathaway.. Hathaway was impressed by the act, and got Curtom to sign Baby Huey, but not the band. Although the band participated in the recording of the debut album, there were feelings of unease among them, and Ross and Jones quit the band during the recording sessions.

By 1970, Ramey had developed an addiction to heroin, and his weight had increased to over 400 pounds. He began regularly missing gigs or turning up late, and, at the insistence of his bandmates, briefly entered rehab in the spring of 1970. But died of a heart attack on October 28, 1970, at the age of 26, and was found in his hotel bathroom by his manager.

Baby Huey & the Babysitters' album, The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend, was released after the death of their lead singer. Produced by Curtis Mayfield, the album featured several Mayfield compositions, as well as a cover of "A Change is gonna come" The album did not sell well upon its original release, and was largely forgotten by the mainstream. Today, the album is considered a classic of its period.

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