Jango Song Of The Day-King Floyd

Artist:King Floyd

Song:Groove Me

Album:Choice Cuts

The 1970 hit Groove Me was the only top ten pop hit for New Orleans soul singer King Floyd. I'm sure a lot of fans confuse him with Eddie Floyd and figure he must have been on Stax but that's not the case. King Floyd was born Feb. 13, 1945 in New Orleans and befriended local musicians like Willie Tee and Earl King while street singing as a teen. New Orleans R & B legend Mr. Google Eyes hired Floyd to sing at the Sho-Bar in 1961. After two years in the military, Floyd moved to New York and then Los Angeles. Arranger Harold Battiste and DJ Buddy Killeen helped Floyd get an album on Mercury's Pulsar label in 1967. It went nowhere and Floyd moved back to New Orleans and started to work at the post office. Not long after, Floyd encountered Malaco Records producer Wardell Quezerque and he took him to Malaco's studio in Jackson, MS to record Floyd's song Groove Me. Jean Knight's Mr. Big Stuff was recorded during the same session. Malaco released Groove Me on the B-side of What Our Love Needs on Chimneyville. New Orleans DJ George Vinnett flipped the record and Groove Me was a big enough hit that Atlantic picked it up for national distribution. It topped the R & B charts and reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970. Subsequent singles charted on the R & B charts but Floyd was conflicting with Quezerque. Malaco moved from Atlantic to TK in 1974 and Floyd left Malaco in 1975. By this time, disco was king and Floyd never tried to adjust his sound. He's soul all the way. This comp has all his Malaco hits. King Floyd recorded new music in 2000 on Malaco and Groove Me was in an episode of The Simpsons and was also in the film Austin Powers in Goldmember. King Floyd died on Mar. 6, 2006 at age 61. Check out this forgotten legend of soul as he performs Groove Me in 1970.