Ernie K-Doe
b. Ernest Kador Jnr., 22 February 1936, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. Previously a singer with touring gospel groups, K-Doe's earliest non-secular recordings were made in the mid-50s as a member of the Blue Diamonds. His first solo record, Do Baby Do, was released on Specialty in 1956. The singer's biggest hit came with the Allen Toussaint song, Mother-In-Law (1961) which reached number 1 in the US pop charts. This pointed ‘novelty’ song was followed by Te-Ta-Te-Ta-Ta, and a strong double-sided release, I Have Cried My Last Tear/A Certain Girl. The latter track proved popular in Britain where it was covered by the Yardbirds and the Paramounts. Further K-Doe singles included Popeye Joe and I'm The Boss, but it was not until 1967 that he returned to the R&B chart with two singles for the Duke label, Later For Tomorrow and Until The Real Thing Comes Along. He remains a popular, energetic performer and occasional recording artist in New Orleans.