Jimmy Soul had a number one hit
in 1963 with "If You Wanna Be Happy."
Soul was born James Louis
McCleese in North Carolina and became a travelling preacher at the age of seven
and a gospel star in his teens. (The name soul was given to him by his church following.)
Frank Guida, recording scout and
talent agent for Gary U.S. Bonds, gave Soul two chart hit singles, both of which
were refused by Bonds, "Twistin' Matilda" in 1962 and 1963’s"If
You Wanna Be Happy" which was based
on the calypso "Ugly Woman," by Roaring Lion.
"If You Wanna Be Happy"
sold over one million records. But that was end of Soul’s success. He left the
music business and joined the US Army. He eventually drifted into drugs and in
1986 was sentenced to 4 and a half to 9 years in prison as a second felony
offender, convicted of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third
degree and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree. Soul
died of a drug-related heart attack on June 25, 1988, aged 45.