Jimmy Hughes (born February 3, 1938 in Temecula, California, died May 20, 2026 in Leighton, Alabama) was an American soul and R&B vocalist, songwriter and guitarist whose gospel roots in the choir The Singing Clouds laid the foundation for a career that would shape the Muscle Shoals sound. After auditioning for Rick Hall at FAME Studios in 1962, Hughes recorded “Steal Away” in a single take in 1964; the single peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a prototype for later soul artists. The success secured a national distribution deal with Vee‑Jay Records and produced the album Steal Away (Vee‑Jay, 1965). Hughes followed with “Try Me” (number 65 pop) and a series of singles that charted on the R&B listings, including “Neighbor, Neighbor” (pop 65, R&B 4), “I Worship the Ground You Walk On” (R&B 25), and “Why Not Tonight” (pop 90, R&B 5). In 1968 he signed with Atlantic, releasing “It Ain’t What You Got” (R&B 43), then joined Stax’s Volt imprint, issuing "I Like Everything About You" (R&B 21) and the album Something Special (Volt, 1969). Frustrated by limited promotion and weary of touring, Jimmy Hughes retired from recording in 1970, later working in a government plant and singing only in his local church. He died at 88, leaving a legacy documented in several compilations such as The Best of Jimmy Hughes (2008).
