Benny Spellman
Benny Spellman was an American R&B singer, best known for the 1962 single "Lipstick Traces " and its B-side "Fortune Teller", both written by Allen Toussaint.
"Lipstick Traces" reached #28 on the U.S. Billboard R&B singles chart and #80 on the Billboard Hot 100, while "Fortune Teller" was later performed many other artists including The Who and The Rolling Stones. Spellman variously worked with Toussaint, Earl King, Huey "Piano" Smith, Ernie K-Doe, Wilson Pickett, The Neville Brothers and The O'Jays.
Spellman was born in Pensacola, Florida. He sang backing vocals on Ernie K-Doe's number one hit record, "Mother in Law". He recorded a single, "Word Game", on Atlantic Records in 1965, but later semi-retired from music to work in the beer industry.
In 1988, Collectables Records issued a retrospective album of 16 of Spellman's recordings from the 1960s. In 2009, he was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.
Spellman died of respiratory failure in June 2011, at the age of 79.
