Buddy Ace | |
---|---|
Birth name | Jimmie Lee Land |
Born | Jasper, Texas, U.S. | November 11, 1936
Died | December 25, 1994 Waco, Texas, U.S. | (aged 58)
Genres | Texas blues |
Occupation(s) | Singer |
Years active | Early 1950s–1994 |
Labels | Duke |
Jimmie Lee Land (November 11, 1936 – December 25, 1994), [1] [2] better known as Buddy Ace, was an American Texas blues singer, billed as the "Silver Fox of the Blues".
Born in Jasper, Texas, [3] he was raised in Baytown near Houston, and began his career by singing gospel in a group that included Joe Tex. [4] He joined up with other blues singers, Bobby "Blue" Bland and Junior Parker, before signing to Duke/ Peacock Records in 1955 and agreeing to be credited as "Buddy Ace", a name previously used by the late Johnny Ace's brother, St. Clair Alexander. [4]
He recorded a string of singles for the Duke label between 1956 and 1969. [5] His hits included "Nothing in the World Can Hurt Me (Except You)", which reached number 25 on the Billboard R&B chart in 1966. His second and last hit in the R&B chart was in the following year, "Hold On (To This Old Fool)", which made number 33. [6] His other well-known tracks included "Root Doctor" and "Pouring Water on a Drowning Man". [3]
In the late 1960s, he moved to California, living in Los Angeles, Oakland, and Sacramento, and continuing to perform live shows. [7] He also continued to record, for Paula, Evejim, and several smaller labels. [5] He billed himself "The Silver Fox of the Blues" after his hair turned white in his forties. [4]
Buddy Ace died of a heart attack aged 58, while performing in Waco, Texas, early on Christmas Day, 1994. [2]