Jean Knight (born Jean Caliste on January 26, 1943 in Crescent City, New Orleans, Louisiana), is an African-American soul/R&B/funk singer, best known for her 1971 Stax Records hit "Mr. Big Stuff." January 26 is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1943 calendar). ... Crescent City is the county seat of Del Norte County, California. ... Nickname: Location in the State of Louisiana and the United States Coordinates: Country United States State Louisiana Parish Orleans Founded 1718 Government  - Mayor Ray Nagin (D) Area  - City  350. ... Languages Predominantly American English Religions Protestantism (chiefly Baptist and Methodist); Roman Catholicism; Islam Related ethnic groups Sub-Saharan Africans and other African groups, some with Native American groups. ... For other uses, see Soul music (disambiguation). ... Rhythm and blues (or R & B) is a musical marketing term introduced in the United States in the late 1940s by Billboard magazine. ... Funk is a distinct style of music originated by African-Americans, e. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday. ... Stax Records is an American record label, originally based out of Memphis, Tennessee. ...

Biography

Early years

After graduating from high school, Caliste began singing at her cousin's bar 'Laura's Place' and caught the attention of many different bands who were willing to accompany her. In 1965, she recorded a demo of a cover of Jackie Wilson's song "Stop Doggin' Me Around." Her demo attracted record producer Huey Meaux, who signed her to the Jet Star/Tribe labels. Shortly thereafter, Caliste adopted the professional name of 'Jean Knight' because she felt that her surname was too hard to pronounce. She recorded four singles, making a name for herself locally, but was not able to attract any national attention. By the late sixties, it was obvious that her career was not living up to high expectations, so she went to work as a baker in the cafeteria of Loyola University. 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... Jackie Wilson Jack Leroy Jackie Wilson (June 9, 1934 – January 21, 1984) was an American soul and R&B singer, born in Detroit, Michigan. ... Logo of Loyola University New Orleans Loyola University New Orleans is a private, co-educational Jesuit university in the United States with 5,000 students (3,000 undergraduates). ...

Success at Stax

In early 1970, she was discovered by songwriter Ralph Williams who wanted her to record some songs. With Williams' connections, she came in contact with record producer Wardell Quezergue. In May of that year, she went to Malaco Studios in Jackson, MS for a recording session where she recorded "Mr. Big Stuff." After the session was finished, the song was given to several national labels who all rejected it. But when King Floyd's hit "Groove Me" (also recorded at Malaco Studios) became a #1 R&B hit in early 1971, Stax Records remembered Knight's recording of "Mr. Big Stuff," reconsidered, and released it. The song proved to be an instant smash in 1971, reaching #2 on the pop charts and becoming a #1 R&B hit. It went double-platinum and received a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female; it lost to Aretha Franklin's hit "Bridge Over Troubled Water." The next year, Knight was named the Most Promising Female Vocalist. An album of the same name proved to be fairly successful. A couple more minor hits followed, but disagreements with her producer and Stax terminated Knight's involvement with Stax. 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Wardell Quezergue (b 1930) is an American music arranger, producer and bandleader, known among New Orleans musicians as the “Creole Beethoven”. After playing with Dave Bartholomew’s band from the late 1940s and serving as an army musician in Korea, he emerged as a bandleader in his own right in... Malaco Records is an independent record label based out of Jackson, Mississippi. ... Jackson is the capital and largest city in the U.S. state of Mississippi. ... King Floyd III or King Floyd (born February 13, 1945 - died March 6, 2006) was a New Orleans soul singer and songwriter best known for his top ten hit from 1970 Groove Me. // Early Career Floyd was born in New Orleans in 1945. ... Malaco Records is an independent record label based out of Jackson, Mississippi. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday. ... Stax Records is an American record label, originally based out of Memphis, Tennessee. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday. ... Grammy Award statuette The Grammy Awards, presented by the Recording Academy (an association of Americans professionally involved in the recorded music industry) for outstanding achievements in the recording industry, is one of four major music awards shows held annually in the United States (the Billboard Music Awards, the American Music... The Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance has been awarded since 1968. ... Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25, 1942) is an American soul, R&B, and gospel singer, songwriter, and pianist born in Memphis, Tennessee, but raised in Detroit, Michigan, USA. She has been called for many years The Queen Of Soul, but many also call her Lady Soul, as well as...

Later years

After leaving Stax, she recorded songs for various small labels, but was not able to gain anymore recognition. She ended up performing and touring the local oldie circuits. Things changed in 1981 when she met local producer Isaac Bolden who signed her to his Soulin' label. Together, they came up with a song entitled "You Got the Papers but I Got the Man," an answer song to Betty Wright's hit "I've Got the Papers on the Man;" that song was leased to Atlantic for national release. Soon, Knight found herself touring consistently. In 1985, she gained more recognition when she covered Rockin' Sidney's zydeco novelty hit "My Toot Toot." Her version proved to be the most successful, reaching #50 on the pop charts. Knight was then given a chance to perform it on the TV variety show Solid Gold. 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This is an incomplete list. ... Betty Wright on the cover of her album 4u2njoy Betty Wright (born December 21, 1953, in Miami, Florida) is a soul and R&B singer, who influenced a generation of female singer-songwriters and also influenced the world of hip hop, who sampled some of her more famous material. ... 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Rockin Sidney Simien ( April 9, 1938 - February 25, 1998) was an United States R&B, Zydeco, and Soul music musician who began recording in the late 1950s and continued performing until his death. ... Early Creole musicians playing an accordion and a washboard in front of a store, near New Iberia, Louisiana (1938). ... Solid Gold was an American syndicated television series which ran from 1980 to 1988. ...

Although she waited twelve years to come out with another recording, she continued touring and performing engagements all over the world, particularly in the Southern states. In 2003, she performed her biggest hit "Mr. Big Stuff" on the PBS special Soul Comes Home. She continues to tour and make live performances, often with other artists such as Donna Summer and Gloria Gaynor. 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Not to be confused with Public Broadcasting Services in Malta. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Gloria Gaynor (born Gloria Fowles September 7, 1949) is an American singer, best-known for the disco era hits I Will Survive (Hot 100 #1, 1979), Never Can Say Goodbye (Hot 100 #9, 1974), and I Am What I Am (Hot 100 #82, 1983). ...

Discography

Standard albums

• 1971: Mr. Big Stuff
• 1985: My Toot Toot
• 1997: Shaki de Boo-Tee
• 1999: Queen

Compilations

• 1997: The Very Best of Me

Singles

• 1971: "Mr. Big Stuff" (US #2)
• 1971: "You Think You're Hot Stuff" (US #57)
• 1972: "Carry On"
• 1972: "Do Me"
• 1981: "You Got the Papers but I Got the Man" (with Premium)
• 1985: "My Toot Toot" (US #50)

The song "Mr. Big Stuff" is used on the Soccer AM TV show during the soccerette segment.

• Her great nephew is Artist Gerard Caliste