Major Lance

Major Lance, born on 4 April 1939 in Washington County, Mississippi, was an American R&B singer. He moved to Chicago as a child and became friends with future R&B artist Otis Leavill, both attending Wells High School. Major Lance began his music career as a dancer on the local television show Time for Teens, leading to a one-time record deal with Mercury Records for his single "I Got a Girl" in 1959. In 1962, he joined the Okeh Records roster and released his first hit, "The Monkey Time"-written by Curtis Mayfield-which reached number two on the Billboard R&B chart and number 8 on the pop chart in 1963. This success was followed by a string of hits, including "Hey Little Girl" and "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um". He toured extensively in the UK during the 1960s and became an iconic figure among Northern Soul followers in the 1970s. He recorded his album Major Lance's Greatest Hits Recorded Live at the Torch in 1972. After returning to Atlanta in 1974, he continued performing live until his death on 3 September 1994. Notable posthumous releases include the albums The Best Of Major Lance: Everybody Loves A Good Time! (1995) and The Very Best Of Major Lance (2000).