James Phelps

American R&B and Soul singer, born April 2, 1932 in Shreveport, LA, U.S.A., died October 26, 2010 in Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A.

As a child growing up in the Deep South during the Jim Crow Era of the 1930’s in a world of hate, abuse and racism. This life urged young little Jimmy Phelps that at any cost, providing for the ones he loved most as his mother did for them so many years, was and would always be his main focus in Life. James Phelps moved to Chicago in 1949 and sang in the choir at The Greater Harvest Baptist Church with Lou Rawls before joining Mr. Rawls and The Holy Wonders.
James later founded the gospel group The Clefs Of Calvary where James wrote and sang lead on two albums, Baptized in 1962 and God’s Light in 1963 on the Tru Sound Record label where his single Standing Where Jesus Is hit number one on the Gospel Hit Parade.
James left his group to join The Soul Stirrers from 1964 until 1965 when the group performed twice on The Jubilee Showcase TV Show and toured on the Sam Cooke Memorial Tour. In 1965 James was signed to the Chess Records label where he recorded his hit single Love Is A Five Letter Word.

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