Percy Mayfield

Percy Mayfield (August 12, 1920 – August 11, 1984) was an American songwriter famous for the

songs "Hit the Road Jack" and "Please Send Me Someone to Love", as well as a successful rhythm

and blues artist known for his smooth vocal style.Mayfield was born in Minden, the seat of Webster

Parish in northwestern Louisiana. As a youth, he showed a talent for poetry and this led him into

songwriting and singing. He began his performing career in Texas and then moved to Los Angeles,

California by 1942 where success as a singer continued to elude him. Finally in 1947 a small record

label, Swing Time, signed him to record his song "Two Years of Torture". The song sold steadily over

the next few years, prompting Art Rupe to sign Mayfield to his label, Specialty Records in 1950.

Although his vocal style was influenced by such stylists as Charles Brown, Mayfield did not focus on

the white market as did many West Coast bluesmen. Rather, he sang blues ballads, mostly his own

songs, in a gentle vocal style. His most famous recording, "Please Send Me Someone to Love", a

number one R&B hit single in 1950, was widely influential and recorded by many other singers.

Two Years of Torture by Percy Mayfield

A 1952 auto accident left him seriously injured, including a facial disfigurement that limited his

performing. However, that did not stop his prolific songwriting. Mayfield continued to write and

record for Specialty until 1954 and then recorded for Chess Records and Imperial Records. His career

continued to flourish with songs like "Strange Things Happening", "Lost Love", "What a Fool I Was", "Prayin' for Your Return"' "Cry Baby", and "Big

Question".

In 1961 he came to the attention of Ray Charles with his song "Hit the Road Jack" who signed him to his own label, Tangerine Records, primarily as

a songwriter and where he wrote "Hide Nor Hair", "At The Club", "Danger Zone", and "On the Other Hand, Baby".

When Mayfield died of a heart attack in 1984, the day before his 64th birthday,[4] he had fallen back into obscurity.