R.B. Hudmon

I Could Paint A Picture

I was so impressed with I Could Paint A Picture just after I brought a copy in 1990 I think it was, I wrote to R. B. Hudmon in Westpoint, GA., not thinking for a minute I would get a reply (for every ten people I wrote to about one would reply!) I was surprised to receive a tape of some unreleased songs; Let God Abide and A Change Is Gonna Come, the Sam Cooke song.

It turns out that he was managed by  Otis Redding's old management, Alan Walden and his brother Phil. Anyway I loved the tune and played it to death here in Birmingham, UK.

If anybody picked up copies then hold tight because the price has recently reached £51. RB's other popular dance track is fetching £175 and has been re-issued on 12' in Italy I think.

Born Robert Hudmon Jr., on August 6th. 1954 at West Point, Georgia, USA. At the age of 12 in 1966 released his first single I'm A Roller/Send Your Boy A Letter (Tomahawk 110).

Inspired probably like most other boys after seeing (seven-year-old) 'Little' Garry Ferguson on Hoss Allen's The !!!! Beat TV show that aired in Nashville, March of that year, thinking anybody can do better than that! He later teamed-up with Jim Stewart in Memphis along with Bobby Manuel and by this time his voice was a nice baritone.

He had five singles on various labels through the 60's, Naughty Claudie followed I'm A Roller in 1968 along with Hole In Your Soul both in 1968. Two singles in 1969 with Look at Granny Run and What We Have Joined Together. Jim Stewart at Stax put out How Can I Be A Witness on the Truth subsidiary label in 1975 along with Tomahawk Label, and the following year again on Atlantic.

By now he had a deal with Atlantic and had about 5 singles some on the Cotillion subsidiary. An album followed Closer to You with nice Modern Soul dancers Cause You're Mine Now and This Could Be The Night . Produced by Bobby Manuel, Jeff Stewart and Jim Stewart.

The Memphis Symphony was used along with Duck Dunn on bass and Lester Snell on Piano and Duncan Sisters on backing vocals. The nice ballad on this set is co-written by Bettye Crutcher and himself Can't You See I Love You, all and all a nice album from 1978. Sadly his career was cut short when he died on August 25th. 1995.

Late note: A childhood friend of RB's, David  has contacted myself and tells me he is setting up a memory page at findagrave.com. for his friend and would like any photo's or memorabilia of Robert if any readers/friends know of any please contact me and I'll pass them on.