Jimmy Scott

Jimmy Scott
Jimmy and Jeanie Scott at the Iridium Jazz Club, New York City, September 4, 2004
Jimmy and Jeanie Scott at the Iridium Jazz Club, New York City, September 4, 2004
Background information
Birth nameJames Victor Scott
Born(1925-07-17)July 17, 1925
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
DiedJune 12, 2014(2014-06-12) (aged 88)
Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
GenresJazz
OccupationVocalist
Years active1945–2014
LabelsSavoy, Decca, Roost, Regal, Tangerine, King, Atlantic, J's Way, Sire, Warner Bros., Artists Only, Milestone, Venus

James Victor Scott (July 17, 1925 – June 12, 2014), known professionally as Little Jimmy Scott or Jimmy Scott, was an American jazz vocalist known for his high natural contralto voice and his sensitivity on ballads and love songs.

After success in the 1940s and 1950s, Scott's career faltered in the early 1960s. He slid into obscurity before a comeback in the 1990s. His unusual singing voice was due to Kallmann syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that limited his height to 4 feet 11 inches (150 cm) until the age of 37, when he grew by 8 inches (20 cm). The syndrome prevented him from reaching classic puberty and left him with a high voice and unusual timbre.[1]

  1. ^ Ritz, David (2002). Faith in Time: The Life of Jimmy Scott. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Da Capo. p. 4. ISBN 978-0-306-81229-3.