News & Updates — Joe Tex

Born on this day in 1935 was the great Joe Tex! (later known as Yusuf Hazziez). From Texas, he played bari sax in a high school band and sang in church. He developed a style of part-preacher, part-rapper and made some funky, funky tunes (nasty ones like "I Gotcha!" and "Give The Baby"), and made a lot of "answer" songs to add to the fun. After some amateur-contest success at the Apollo Theater, he signed to King in '55 but struggled for a decade to make any hits. He garnered a big rep as a crazy live act. James Brown stole...