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Barbara Lynn (born Barbara Lynn Ozen, later Barbara Lynn Cumby, January 16, 1942) is an American rhythm and blues and electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter. She is best known for her R&B chart-topping hit, "You'll Lose a Good Thing" (1962). In 2018, Lynn received a National Heritage Fellowship.
She began performing in local clubs in Texas. Singer Joe Barry saw her and introduced Lynn to producer Huey P. Meaux, who ran several in New Orleans. Her first single, "You'll Lose a Good Thing", for which she was the songwriter, was recorded at Cosimo Matassa's J&M Recording Studio with session musicians including Mac Rebennack (Dr. John). Released by Jamie Records, it was a number 1 United States Billboard R&B record chart hit and Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hit in 1962. The song was later recorded by Aretha Franklin and became a Country music hit record for Freddy Fender.
Lynn released an album, also titled You'll Lose A Good Thing, which featured ten of her compositions. Amelia Feathers, An R&B comeback, more than three decades in the making, Blues Music Now, 1999. Retrieved 24 January 2013
Unusual for the time, Lynn was a female African American singer who both wrote most of her own songs and played a lead instrument. Soon Lynn was touring with such as Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Dionne Warwick, Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, James Brown, Al Green, Carla Thomas, Marvin Gaye, Ike and Tina Turner, the Temptations, and B.B. King. She appeared at the Apollo Theater, twice on American Bandstand. In 1965, she had her song, "Oh Baby (We've Got A Good Thing Goin')" (1964) cover version by the Rolling Stones on their album The Rolling Stones Now! in America and Out Of Our Heads in the UK. The song was also recorded by Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings, with Beverly Skeete lead singing. Lynn continued to record for the Jamie label until 1966 and had several more minor hits.
In 1966 she signed to Meaux's Tribe Records label, and recorded "You Left the Water Running," which was originally recorded by Otis Redding (as a demo), covered by Wilson Pickett among others. She signed with Atlantic Records the following year, and recorded another album, Here Is Barbara Lynn, in 1968. She married for the first time, at age 28, in 1970 and had three children. This, together with dissatisfaction with poor promotion by the record company, contributed to her decision to largely retire from the music business for most of the 1970s and 1980s. However, while living in Los Angeles, she occasionally appeared at local clubs, and released several singles on Jetstream and other small labels. Discography at Soulful Kinda Music. Retrieved 24 January 2013
In 1984 she toured Japan, and recorded a live album, You Don't Have to Go, which was released later in the US. She resumed her recording career after her husband's death, and returned to her hometown of Beaumont, Texas, where her mother lived. She also undertook further international tours, to Europe and elsewhere. In 1994, she recorded her first studio album in over twenty years, So Good, and released several more albums for various labels in later years.
She continues to reside in Beaumont, and was given a Pioneer Award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1999. Tommy Mann Jr., Musicians gather to celebrate local R&B legend, The Orange Leader, January 14, 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2013 In 2002, electronic musician Moby sampled Lynn's "I'm A Good Woman" on his album 18.
She appears in the 2015 music documentary film I Am the Blues. "Here Are 6 Must-See Music Films at Hot Docs". Exclaim!, April 19, 2016.
She is a recipient of a 2018 National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts, which is the United States government's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts.
Discography
Chart singles
1962 "You'll Lose a Good Thing" 8 1 "Second Fiddle Girl" 63 - "You're Gonna Need Me" 65 13 1963 "Don't Be Cruel" 93 - "To Love or Not to Love" 135 - "(I Cried at) Laura's Wedding" 68 - 1964 "Oh! Baby (We Got a Good Thing Goin')" 69 19 Billboard did not publish an R&B chart between November 1963 and January 1965 "Don't Spread It Around" 93 35 1965 "It's Better to Have It" 95 26 1966 "I'm a Good Woman" 129 - "You Left the Water Running" 110 42 1968 "This Is the Thanks I Get" 65 39 1971 "(Until Then) I'll Suffer" - 31
Albums
Further reading
External links
Categories: 1942 Births, Living People, Musicians From Beaumont, Texas, American Rhythm And Blues Singer-songwriters, American Soul Musicians, Atlantic Records Artists, Jamie Records Artists, Sue Records Artists, Swamp Pop Music, Singer-songwriters From Texas, Guitarists From Texas, 20th-century American Guitarists, National Heritage Fellowship Winners, 20th-century American Women Guitarists, African-american Women Singer-songwriters, American Women Singer-songwriters, African-american Guitarists, 20th-century African-american Women Singers, 20th-century American Women Singers, 20th-century American Singers, 21st-century African-american Women Singers, 21st-century American Women Singers, African-american Catholics, African-american Women Guitarists
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