(Warning: It takes a few seconds before the audio comes on in the video above.)
One of the finest singers on Tuesday's "American Idol" was a kid named Sundance, who turned out to be the son of 1960s blue-eyed soul singer Roy Head.
In 1965, Roy had a big hit with "Treat Her Right," which was kept out of the top spot that particular week by the lads from Liverpool. Nonetheless, "Treat Her Right" has been covered by everyone from George Thorogood to Jesus Christ Superfly.
More about Roy at AllMusic.com, but his bio follows the jump.
Video above shows off the man's moves. And in a suit and tie, no less.
From AllMusic.com:
Actually a country and rock vocalist rather than an R&B star, Roy Head nevertheless cut one of the great pieces of up-tempo soul in the mid-'60s. "Treat Her Right" on Back Beat made it to number two on the R&B charts and number two pop, and the fact that Head was white was soft-pedaled in R&B circles while the song made its way up the charts. That performance alone was enough to qualify Head as one of the finest blue-eyed soul singers of the 1960s. But in fact, Roy was one of the most versatile stylists of the era, capable of hard R&B/rock tunes (even cutting material with a pre-fame Johnny Winter on backup guitar); mournful, soul-tinged country; and straight R&B and blues covers. Head was also an excellent entertainer, and his live shows of the period even included some fancy footwork clearly under the influence of James Brown.The Texan singer is remembered as a one-shot artist, but he actually cut many records (some under the auspices of noted producer Huey Meaux) throughout the 1960s on a confusing variety of labels. A few of these were tiny hits in the wake of "Treat Her Right," with only a couple ("Just a Little Bit" and "Apple of My Eye") sneaking into the Top 40. Quite a few of his records were dynamic, sleek hybrids (in varying degrees) of soul, rock, and country, all featuring Head's cocky, confident vocals. In a sense, though, he was damned by his versatility, not fitting comfortably into any niche or marketing plan; the tiny labels he recorded for lacked national promotional muscle in any case. In the 1970s, after several years without success in the rock or R&B fields, Head returned to country, and landed quite a few chart hits in the arena between 1974 and 1985.
What became of Sundance Head after his American Idol Season 6 departure?
Posted by: Idol Fan | March 03, 2008 at 02:20 PM