BENNY SPELLMAN

Biography

Benny Spellman (December 11, 1931 – June 3, 2011) was an American R&B singer from Pensacola, Florida, closely associated with the classic early‑1960s New Orleans rhythm and blues scene.[2][3] Raised with a strong interest in sports, his first passion was football, and he attended Southern University in Baton Rouge on a football scholarship.[1][3] While there, he began singing with a local jazz group led by clarinetist and educator Alvin Batiste (often spelled Battiste), which shifted his focus toward music.[2][3] After an army tour of duty he returned to Pensacola, and a chance 1959 encounter with Huey “Piano” Smith & the Clowns—whose truck had been wrecked in Florida—led him to drive them back to New Orleans and accept Smith’s invitation to sing with the group, effectively launching his professional career in that city’s vibrant R&B circuit.[1][2][3]

In New Orleans, Spellman quickly integrated into the scene centered around the Dew Drop Inn, where guitarist and bandleader Edgar Blanchard encouraged him onstage and club owner Frank Painia hired him as a regular vocalist.[1][3] He signed with Joe Banashak’s new Minit Records, working under young producer and songwriter Allen Toussaint, who wrote much of his material.[1][2][3] Spellman sang backing vocals on Ernie K‑Doe’s No. 1 hit “Mother‑in‑Law” and released his own 1962 single “Lipstick Traces (On a Cigarette)” with “Fortune Teller” on the B‑side, both written by Toussaint (credited as Naomi Neville); “Lipstick Traces” reached No. 28 on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart and No. 80 on the Hot 100, while “Fortune Teller” later became a much‑covered favorite by rock groups such as The Rolling Stones and The Who.[1][2] Spellman’s mellow, smoky baritone—limited in range but rich in character—was often framed by Toussaint in a pop‑leaning R&B style, and he also recorded for labels including Ace, Atlantic, Alon, Sansu and Mor‑Soul through the 1960s, working with figures such as Earl King, Mac Rebennack (Dr. John), and others.[1][2] Although he never became a major chart star, his records became staples for later Northern soul and R&B collectors, and in 1968 he left the music business to work as a public relations executive and salesman for Miller Beer.[2][3]

Spellman made an attempted comeback in the late 1980s, but a stroke curtailed further performing, and he spent his later years back in Pensacola.[2][3] His 1960s work was reissued on a 16‑track retrospective in 1988 (initially by Charly R&B, later by Collectables), helping to secure his reputation among soul aficionados.[2] In 2009 he was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame, recognizing his role in the golden era of New Orleans R&B.[2][3] Spellman died of respiratory failure in Pensacola on June 3, 2011, at the age of 79, remembered primarily for “Lipstick Traces” and “Fortune Teller,” his distinctive baritone, and his contributions as both a featured and backing singer within the tightly knit New Orleans recording community.[1][2][3]

Fun Facts

• Spellman’s entry into New Orleans music came from a literal roadside rescue: he met Huey "Piano" Smith & the Clowns after their truck was wrecked in Florida in 1959, drove them back to New Orleans, and ended up joining the band as a singer.[1][2][3]
• Before taking music seriously, Spellman was primarily focused on football and attended Southern University on a football scholarship, only discovering his vocal talent there with Alvin Batiste’s jazz group.[1][3]
• Although “Lipstick Traces” was his charting hit, the single’s B‑side “Fortune Teller” arguably became more famous in the long run, thanks to cover versions by The Rolling Stones, The Who and other rock bands.[2]
• After leaving the music business in 1968, Spellman built a second career as a public relations executive and salesman for Miller Beer in his hometown, only briefly attempting a comeback in the late 1980s before a stroke forced him to retire from performing.[2][3]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Alvin Batiste (Battiste) - Bandleader and early musical guide whose campus jazz group at Southern University gave Spellman his first serious singing platform and exposure to professional‑level music‑making. (Live performances with Batiste’s local jazz group while Spellman was a student at Southern University in Baton Rouge.) [Mid‑1950s (college years before his army service)]
• Huey "Piano" Smith - New Orleans R&B bandleader who invited Spellman to join Huey "Piano" Smith and the Clowns after Spellman helped the band return to New Orleans, effectively pulling him into the professional R&B circuit. (Performances as a member of Huey "Piano" Smith and the Clowns following their 1959 Florida tour accident.) [Circa 1959–early 1960s]
• Allen Toussaint - Primary producer, songwriter and A&R figure at Minit Records who shaped Spellman’s recorded sound, often casting him in a pop‑oriented New Orleans R&B style and writing his best‑known songs. (“Lipstick Traces (On a Cigarette)” / “Fortune Teller” and multiple Minit sessions where Toussaint wrote and produced Spellman’s material.) [Early–mid 1960s]

Key Collaborators

• Allen Toussaint - Principal studio collaborator as songwriter, arranger, pianist and producer for Spellman’s Minit recordings. (“Lipstick Traces (On a Cigarette)”; “Fortune Teller”; other Minit singles and session work.) [Early–mid 1960s]
• Ernie K‑Doe - Fellow Minit artist for whom Spellman provided backing vocals on a major hit. (Background vocals on Ernie K‑Doe’s No. 1 hit "Mother‑in‑Law.") [1961]
• Huey "Piano" Smith and the Clowns - Touring and performing group Spellman joined after driving them back to New Orleans, helping him establish himself as a New Orleans R&B singer. (Live performances as a member of the Clowns; part of Smith’s revue‑style shows.) [Circa 1959–early 1960s]
• Mac Rebennack (Dr. John) - New Orleans musician and producer who worked on Spellman’s Ace label recordings. (Produced and played guitar on the single “Roll On, Big Wheel” / “That’s All I Ask of You” for Ace Records.[1]) [1961]
• Earl King - New Orleans R&B singer‑songwriter with whom Spellman is documented as having worked in the broader studio and performance scene. (Associated work around King’s material such as “Trick Bag” and other New Orleans R&B sessions.[2]) [1960s]
• The Neville Brothers - New Orleans vocal group and band with whom Spellman variously worked in the city’s interconnected R&B network. (Unspecified studio and/or live collaborations in the New Orleans R&B milieu noted in biographical summaries.[2]) [1960s (primary New Orleans R&B era)]
• Wilson Pickett - Soul star cited among the artists Spellman "variously worked with," reflecting his role as a supporting and session vocalist. (Unspecified collaborations in R&B/soul sessions as listed in later biographical notes.[2]) [1960s]
• The O'Jays - Vocal group also listed among artists Spellman "variously worked with," underscoring his broader R&B session involvement. (Unspecified collaborative or session work mentioned in career overviews.[2]) [1960s]

Artists Influenced

• The Rolling Stones - British rock band who helped canonize Spellman’s work by covering his B‑side “Fortune Teller,” integrating New Orleans R&B songwriting into the 1960s rock repertoire. (Cover version of “Fortune Teller,” recorded and performed in the 1960s.[2]) [1960s and later performances]
• The Who - Another major British rock band that adopted “Fortune Teller” into their set, reflecting the song’s—and by extension Spellman/Toussaint’s—impact beyond R&B audiences. (Performances and recordings of “Fortune Teller” in their early repertoire.[2]) [1960s]
• Northern soul and New Orleans R&B collectors and revivalists - Later DJs, collectors and musicians in the Northern soul scene embraced Spellman’s singles, helping to sustain interest in his material and the New Orleans R&B sound. (Reissues such as the 1988 16‑track retrospective; club play of “Lipstick Traces,” “Fortune Teller” and other sides.[1][2]) [1970s onward, with notable revival in the 1980s and later]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Lipstick Traces (On a Cigarette) (Lipstick Traces (On a Cigarette))
2. Fortune Teller - Remastered (Golden Selection (Remastered))
3. Lipstick Traces (On A Cigarette) - 2002 Remaster (Finger Poppin' And Stompin' Feet: 20 Classic Allen Toussaint Productions For Minit Records 1960-1962 (2002 Remaster))
4. Sinner Girl (If You Love Her)
5. Fortune Teller - 2002 Remaster (Finger Poppin' And Stompin' Feet: 20 Classic Allen Toussaint Productions For Minit Records 1960-1962 (2002 Remaster))
6. If You Love Her - Remastered (Artist • Producer • Songwriter (Deluxe Edition))
7. Lipstick Traces (Everything I Do Gonh Be Funky (The Hit Songs & Productions 1957-1978))
8. Lipstick Traces (On a Cigarette) - Remastered (Golden Selection (Remastered))
9. Fortune Teller (For Northern Soul Collectors: Volume 1)
10. Fortune Teller

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia