Bishop
Joe Simon
For
his significant contributions to Rhythm & Blues music, the 2008
Jus` Blues Music Awards will proudly honor the Grammy Award winning
and legendary Rhythm & Blues Soul singer, now better known as
Bishop Joe Simon, with the Jus` Blues Music Lifetime Achievement Award.
Additionally,
at high noon of August 7th, Bishop Joe Simon will be immortalized
with a "Music Note" on the Beale Street Walk of Fame in
front of The Historical Daisy Theater. The "Music Note"
presentation is similar to the "Stars In The Sidewalk" on
Hollywood Boulevard.
Joe
was born September
2, 1943 in Simmesport
, Louisiana
, not very far from New
Orleans . As a young child, he chopped
and picked cotton in the cotton fields while being raised in a good
home by a Christian family.
In Joe's words, "As a youngster I was taught about God, heard
about God, but I really never knew God, at that time. After becoming
baptized, I began singing in churches and on a local radio program
with a local gospel quartet. One day when we went to prerecord the
local radio program, our lead singer got sick, and the other members
said “Joe, why don't you sing the lead this morning?” I went home
and listened to the broadcast and for the first time had the opportunity
to really notice that unusual God given voice, that distinct Joe Simon
Sound."
"I moved to the Oakland, Richmond, California Bay area, where
I continued going to church and singing with local quartet groups.
Shortly after my quartet years, I began to sing with R&B groups.
The last R&B group that I sang with fired me. I then began singing
Rhythm and Blues on my own, making $5.50 per night, working only two
nights per week, in local night clubs. Times got so hard that I couldn't
pay my rent so I had to literally sleep in a chicken coup. I owned
only one suit, and I could not afford to get it cleaned, so I would
get it pressed, only, and on the nights of the show, I would borrow
my friend, Roland William's shoes to complete my outfit."
"After sleeping in the chicken coup for more than two years,
I met Mr. Gary Thompson who owned the Hush Recording Label.
Mr. Thompson
was very instrumental in recording my first hit record, “My Adorable
One” Carl Vories helped me put the local band together for this recording,
I produced the music and the record, this hit led me from the chicken
coup to the Apollo Theater in New York City, and the rest is history.
Carl became the keyboard player and Music Director/Road Manager in
my band for over 19 years until his death."
In
1966, Simon released "Teenager's Prayer", which peaked at
#11 on Billboard's R&B charts. Within the next two years, Simon
released a string of hits: "Nine Pound Steel", "(You
Keep Me) Hanging On", "The Chokin' Kind", "Farther
On Down The Road", and "Yours Love".
In
1970, Joe moved to the Spring Record label which paired him with hitmakers
Gamble & Huff. The team scored #1 hits with "Drowning In
The Sea of Love" and "Power Of Love". During the early
1970s, Simon continued to release hit after hit with "Pool Of
Bad Luck", "Trouble In My Home", "Step By Step",
"I Need You, You Need Me", "Music In My Bones",
"Carry Me", and "Get Down, Get Down (Get On The Floor
& Let the Good Times Roll)", which gave Simon his third #1
R&B hit. Joe Simon's success escalated with his writing and producing
the theme for the film Cleopatra Jones in 1973.
In
Joe's words, "One day, because of my deep rooted Christian upbringing,
I found myself beginning to sneak and read the bible. The more I would
sneak and read the bible, the more convicted I became, and the more
convicted I became, the more I would rebel and try to negotiate with
God. I only wanted to be saved just enough to get into heaven, but
God wanted me to preach."
"But finally, I went back to church and truly received Jesus
Christ as my personal savior, and was baptized for the second time.
At that point, I accepted my calling and preached my first sermon
in 1988 to 4,500 people in Alexandria, Louisiana."
"Becoming
a Christian has really changed my life. I am not tempted by the
large amounts of monies that have been offered to me by booking
agencies and night club owners to return to the Rhythm and Blues
lifestyle. The things that I use to do, I don't want to do anymore.
I spend much of my time, now, touring around the country singing
and preaching God's word, glorifying our Lord and Savior, Jesus
Christ with the Joe Simon Ministries/Community Crusade, and today
I can attest that my greatest joy in life was the day I met Christ."
Quotes
taken from excerpts of Bishop Joe Simon's profile at MySpace.com
JUSBLUESMUSIC.COM
