Benny Spellman

• Name — Benny Spellman • Born — 11 December 1931 • Birthplace — Pensacola, Florida, U.S. • Died — 3 June 2011 • Place of death — Pensacola, Florida, U.S. • Genre — R&B • Occupation — Singer • Instrument — Vocals • Years Active — 1960s • Label — * Minit • Ace • Watch • Atlantic • Sansu

Spellman was born in Pensacola, Florida. He took interest in football as a youth, but when he was attending Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, he started singing in Alvin Batiste's group. In 1959, he met Huey "Piano" Smith and the Clowns in Florida when they were on tour. The group was in an automobile accident wrecking their car, and Spellman offered to drive them back to New Orleans. Subsequently, Smith offered Spellman to sing in the group which made him decide he would remain in New Orleans. He sang backing vocals on Ernie K-Doe's number one hit record, "Mother in Law". He recorded a single, "The Word Game", on Atlantic Records in 1965, but he retired from music in 1968 to work as a public relations executive for Miller Beer. He attempted to make a come back in the late 1980s, but it was cut short due to stroke he suffered, and he subsequently decided to move back to Pensacola. In 1988, British Charly R&B issued a retrospective album of 16 of Spellman's recordings from the 1960s. (It was later released by Collectables Records in the U.S.) In 2009, he was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. Spellman died of respiratory failure at an assisted living facility in Pensacola, Florida on June 2, 2011, at the age of 79.

Spellman was Catholic. Benny Spellman was the father of New Orleans singer/entertainer Judy Spellman, who died in July of 2016.

• Year — Album title — Label • 1988 — Fortune Teller — Charly R&B • 2012 — Fortune Teller — Shout! • n/a — Benny Spellman — Bandy (LP)

• Year — Title (A-side, B-side) — Label • 1960 — "Life Is Too Short" b/w "Ammerette" — Minit 606 • 1960 — "Darling, No Matter Where" b/w "I Didn't Know" — Minit 613 • 1961 — "That's All I Ask Of You" b/w "Roll On Big Wheel" — Ace 630 • 1962 — "Lipstick Traces (On A Cigarette)" b/w "Fortune Teller" — Minit 644 • 1962 — "Every Now And Then" b/w "I'm In Love" — Minit 652 • 1962 — "You Got To Get It" b/w "Stickin' Whicha' Baby" — Minit 659 • 1963 — "Ammerette" b/w "Talk About Love" — Minit 664 • 1964 — "Walk On Don't Cry" b/w "Please Mr. Genie" — Watch 6332 • 1964 — "Someday They'll Understand" b/w "Slow Down Baby (Don't Drive Too Fast)" — Watch 6336 • 1965 — "The Word Game" b/w "I Feel Good" — Atlantic 45-2291 • 1966 — "It's For You" b/w "This Is For You My Love" — Alon 9031 • 1967 — "Sinner Girl" b/w "If You Love Her" — Sansu 462 • 1968 — "Foolish Man" b/w "Don't Give Up Love " — Mor. Soul MO 007