“I’m Big Baby Huey, and I’m 400 pounds of soul. I’m like fried chicken, girls – I’m finger-lickin” good.”

James Thomas Ramey was born in the small town of Richmond, Indiana in 1944. Suffering from a glandular disorder, he weighed 350 pounds by the time he was 19. Playing on his size, he took on the name of the rotund cartoon character when he moved to Chicago to play music in 1962. Along with with Johnny Ross and Melvyn “Deacon” Jones he formed The Babysitters, and they began developing their own specific brand of psychedelic soul. The became well known in the city, by all accounts being incredible to hear live. Huey’s unique voice still shines on record, hollering and screaming magnetically through their surviving songs.

Unfortunately, he did not live to see their debut album completed. Developing addictions to alcohol and heroin, he was found dead on the bathroom floor of his hotel room at the age of only 26. The Baby Huey Story: The Living Legend was released in February 1971, being produced by Curtis Mayfield. It became not only a cult classic, but an album highly influential in the world of hip-hop. Samples from “Listen To Me” were used in Erik B. & Rakim’s “Follow The Leader,” Grandmaster Flash’s “Gold”, Public Enemy’s “Revolutionary Generation.” A Tribe Called Quest, The Notorious B.I.G., and Ghostface Killah amongst many others were also to sample his work.

Have a great night and take care, everyone!