Kip Anderson

Southern soul man Kip Anderson was born January 24, 1941 in Anderson, South Carolina -- the son of a mother who taught music and a father who regularly played guitar at weekend fish-fry parties; from childhood forward he sang and played piano with his church gospel choir. At 13, Anderson was discovered by gospel legend Madame Edna Gallman Cooke, spending several summers playing in her touring group; he intended to follow her lead and pursue a career in spiritual music until he crossed paths with WOIC radio DJ and sometimes R&B singer Charles Derrick, who encouraged him to cross over to secular music instead. Anderson, Derrick, and friend Isaiah Hennie co-wrote the former's 1959 debut single "I Wanna Be the One," issued on the DJ's own Derrick label; when the single emerged as a regional hit, it was licensed for national distribution on Vee Jay but went nowhere, prompting Anderson to move to Savoy for the follow-up, "Oh My Linda," recorded with legendary session guitarist Mickey Baker. However, when the single's B-side, "Till Your Love Is Mine," appeared with Anderson credited as its sole songwriter, Hennie cried foul, and the dispute resulted in Savoy president Herman Lubinsky terminating the singer's contract. Anderson landed at the Everlast label for his third single, 1962's "I Will Cry" -- despite another superb performance, he earned little commercial notice and began supplementing his income by moonlighting in radio, first working alongside Derrick at WOIC before relocating to Fayetteville, North Carolina and settling in at WIDU. His next single, 1963's "Here I Am, Try Me," was recorded in Chicago at the famed Chess Studios but released on Anderson and Derrick's newly-formed Tomorrow label; 1964's "That's Why the Cryin' Begins" also premiered on Tomorrow but was...