Jimmy Scott

Jimmy Scott, often referred to as little Jimmy Scott, was a falsetto voiced jazz singer who was successful in the 1940s and 1950s, faded into obscurity and then enjoyed a revival of his popularity in the 1990s.

The name Little Jimmy came about because of his diminutive stature which was a result of Scott suffering from Kallman Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder which, among other things, can delay or prevent the onset of puberty. In Scott's case it limited his growth to 4'11'' until at the age of 37 when he suddenly grew by eight inches. The condition gave Scott his distinctive countertenor voice and made him a favourite among artists such as Billie Holiday, Frankie Valli and Ray Charles.

After rising to prominence in the 1950s Scott's career faded in the '60s and he returned to his home town of Cleveland and worked in a variety of mundane jobs. He was persuaded out of retirement by the theatrical agent Alan Eichler who arranged for Scott to appear with Johnnie Ray at a gig in New York. After a chance meeting with Lou Reed, Scott made a guest appearance on Reed's album 'Magic and Loss' singing the track 'Power and Glory'. Scott enjoyed a resurgence of interest in his work that lasted for the next ten years and the singer continued to perform right up until his death in 2014 at the age of 88.