Benny Spellman

Who was Benny Spellman?

Benny Spellman was an American R&B singer, best known for his 1962 hit "Lipstick Traces," written by Allen Toussaint, and the original version of "Fortune Teller", covered by The Who and The Rolling Stones, among others. "Lipstick Traces" reached #28 on the US Billboard Black singles chart and #80 on the Billboard Hot 100. Spellman variously worked with Allen Toussaint, Earl King, Huey "Piano" Smith, Ernie K-Doe, Wilson Pickett, The Neville Brothers and The O'Jays.

Spellman was born in Pensacola, Florida, United States. He sang backing vocals on Ernie K-Doe's number one hit record, "Mother in Law". He recorded a single, "Word Game", on Atlantic Records in 1965, but later semi-retired from music to work in the beer industry.

In 1988, Collectables Records issued a retrospective album of 16 of Spellman's recordings from the 1960s. In 2009, he was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.

Spellman died of respiratory failure in June 2011, at the age of 79.