November 8th in African American History – Ivory Joe Hunter

November 8, 1974 Ivory Joe Hunter, R&B singer, songwriter and pianist, died.

Hunter was born October 10, 1914 in Kirbyville, Texas and was a talented pianist by the age of 13. In the mid-1940s, he wrote and recorded his first song, “Blues at Sunrise,” which became a minor hit.

His first R&B hits, “I Quit My Pretty Mama” and “Guess Who,” were recorded in 1949 and in 1950 he recorded “I Almost Lost My Mind,” which topped the R&B charts. By 1954, Hunter had recorded more than 100 songs.

Hunter was also a prolific songwriter, writing more that 7,000 songs, including “My Wish Came True” and “Ain’t That Loving You, Baby,” which were recorded by Elvis Presley.