Roosevelt Jamison (July 15, 1936 – March 27, 2013) was an American music manager, publicist and songwriter who worked in Memphis, Tennessee, during the 1960s. His most notable composition was "

That's How Strong My Love Is "That's How Strong My Love Is" is a song written by Roosevelt Jamison and first recorded in 1964 by deep soul singer O. V. Wright. The song is a soulful love ballad and has been covered many times, most notably in 1965 by Otis Redding, with ...

", first recorded by

O.V. Wright Overton Vertis "O. V." Wright (October 9, 1939 – November 16, 1980) was an American singer who is generally regarded as a blues artist by African-American fans in the Deep South; he is also regarded as one of Southern soul's most authoritative ...

and released on Quinton Claunch's

Goldwax Goldwax Records was an American record label founded in Memphis, Tennessee, United States, in 1964 by Quinton Claunch and Rudolph V. "Doc" Russell. History Claunch was a hardware store owner who had previously worked as a country music guitari ...

record label in 1964.

Biography

Jamison was born in Olive Branch, Mississippi. He was always interested in music and was an important figure on the Memphis scene, managing local groups and rehearsing them at the back of the Interstate Blood Bank he ran on Beale Street. It was through these groups that he discovered

and James Carr, who were both with the gospel group The Harmony Echoes. Jamison began writing his own songs, resulting in the hugely successful "That's How Strong My Love Is", which was originally released by O.V. Wright. "That's How Strong My Love Is" was much covered, most notably by Otis Redding, appearing on his 1965 album '' The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads'', and on '' Out of Our Heads'' by The Rolling Stones, also in 1965. In 1973

Humble Pie Humble Pie are an English rock band formed by guitarist and singer Steve Marriott in Moreton, Essex, in 1969. They are known as one of the first supergroups of the late 1960s and found success in the early 1970s with songs such as " Black Cof ...

included it on their album '' Eat It''. The song has also been covered on albums by Taj Mahal,

Candi Staton Canzetta Maria "Candi" Staton (, ) (born March 13, 1940) is an American singer–songwriter, best known in the United States for her 1970 remake of Tammy Wynette's " Stand by Your Man" and her 1976 disco chart-topper "Young Hearts Run Free". In E ...

, Percy Sledge and Buddy Miller, as well as by

Roland Gift Roland (; frk, *Hrōþiland; lat-med, Hruodlandus or ''Rotholandus''; it, Orlando or ''Rolando''; died 15 August 778) was a Frankish military leader under Charlemagne who became one of the principal figures in the literary cycle known as th ...

on the '' Beautiful Girls'' movie soundtrack and by Battlefield Band on their 2011 album, '' Line Up''. After a contract dispute between Wright and

Don Robey Don Deadric Robey (November 1, 1903 – June 16, 1975) was an American record label executive, songwriter, and record producer. As the founder of Peacock Records and the eventual owner of Duke Records, he was responsible for developing the caree ...

, the duo parted company and Jamison focused all his attention on mentoring soul singer James Carr. From a young age, Carr was shy and withdrawn and he ended up suffering from manic depression. For most of the rest of Carr's life, Jamison served as his manager, mentor, publicist, composer and confidante. With Jamison pushing the naturally withdrawn Carr, the singer managed to score several hits for the Goldwax label, including " The Dark End of the Street". Jamison remained committed to Carr long after Goldwax folded in 1969. In 1977 Jamison mortgaged his home to finance a Carr comeback on Jamison's own Rivercity Records label, featuring "Let Me Be Right", which saw marginal success. Carr later left the R&B music business and returned to his gospel church roots instead. Aside from his music interests, Jamison spent early years in sickle cell research under Dr. L.W. Diggs at the University of Tennessee. He taught Anatomy and Physiology at Draughn's Business College for several years. He also worked as an assistant supervisor of the

hematology Hematology ( always spelled haematology in British English) is the branch of medicine concerned with the study of the cause, prognosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases related to blood. It involves treating diseases that affect the produc ...

lab at City of Memphis Hospital (The Med), until his retirement. Jamison died at his home in Memphis, Tennessee on March 27, 2013 at the age of 76.

References

External links

Tribute to Jamison
by Peter Guralnick
Song lyricsSong Facts: "That's How Strong My Love Is"Ace Records
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jamison, Roosevelt Record producers from Mississippi Record producers from Tennessee Songwriters from Tennessee People from Olive Branch, Mississippi People from Memphis, Tennessee Gospel music composers 2013 deaths 1936 births Songwriters from Mississippi