Jackie Verdell - Why Not Give Me A Chance

Jackie/Jacqui Verdell was born in Philadelphia and joined the gospel group The Davis Sisters in 1955. She moved in to secular music in 1960, signing with Peacock for whom she released three 45s - this was the second of them, and it's a beauty. It sounds like it should have been a country song with its clip-clop rhythm and country-style guitar picking, but it's one of Jackie's own compositions. The arrangement works though, framing her glorious warm, rich voice. This song would later be recorded by Ruby Johnson for Stax, although it remained unreleased until Ace/Kent released the brilliant "I'll Run Your Hurt Away" CD in the 1990's; it would also be recorded by O V Wright and Ruby Wilson. Jackie subsequently recorded for Decca and Coral but didn't have much solo success, although she kept busy providing backing vocals, with The Sweet Inspirations, for Wilson Pickett, Dee Dee Warwick and Van Morrison among others. She would go on, as Jacqui Verdell, to release one 45 for the Stax subsidiary Gospel Truth, the stunning "He's Mine" which features one of the very greatest vocal performances ever recorded. It's up here on YouTube so seek it out if you haven't heard it.