Faith In Time The Life Of Jimmy Scott

The voice of Jimmy Scott is one of the world's most mesmerizing instruments, transcending gender and age, vocalizing pure heartbreak. But its beauty was hard-earned, inextricably entwined with personal and professional pain and an almost operatic life story of hardship and tragedy -- yet Scott's resilience and optimism have also made his life a story of triumph. Jimmy Scott was born in Cleveland in 1925, orphaned as a teenager, and suffered from Kallman's syndrome, which kept his voice unnaturally high. He toured with Lionel Hampton in the 40s and recorded for Savoy Records. In 1962 Ray Charles produced and played on what many agree was Scott's best album, Falling in Love Is Wonderful, and a career breakthrough seemed imminent. But it was not to be, and Scott returned to Cleveland to work as an orderly and a shipping clerk -- until he was rediscovered performing at his friend Doc Pomus's funeral in March of 1991. Acclaimed biographer David Ritz, with Scott's cooperation, has created a poignant portrait of a man whose voice cuts to the sadness and hope within us all. Faith in Time, like a haunting melody, is unforgettable. Book jacket.

David Ritz is the author of Faith in Time: The Life of Jimmy Scott, Divided Soul: The Life of Marvin Gaye, and many other books with or about Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, and B.B. King. He is a three-time winner of the Ralph J. Gleason Music Book Award. He lives in Los Angeles.