A Million to One

Jimmy Charles

Jimmy Charles (born 1942) is an American singer with a distinctive "crying style". He was born in Paterson, New Jersey and before he sang professionally, he performed at churches and community functions. When Charles was 12 years old, he began to study singing with jazz vocalist Jimmy Scott. At 16, he entered the amateur talent shows held at the Apollo Theater in New York City and won the contest for four consecutive weeks. Phil Medley, a songwriter, soon became involved in Charles' career. Impressed by his ability, Medley recorded a demo with Charles singing "A Million to One", written by Medley. After playing it for Bill Lashley, an executive at Promo Records, the label signed Charles to a recording contract. He re-recorded Medley's song with vocal backing … more »