Everyday Creation
Everyday Creation is about living our purpose, lifting our vibes, and expressing our creativity for the highest good. The show's title refers to three types of creation: The ways we express ourselves (for example, with art, music and so many other pursuits fueled by purpose and passion); the parts of life that fill us with awe — birth, death, love, the big picture; and our innate personal power to create our best possible lives while also making the world a better place. You’ll hear conversations with terrific guests on matters we care about, as well as spiritual perspectives, personal essays on being our best selves, and episodes simply for information and fun. I'm your host Kate Jones, welcoming you to Everyday Creation.
Everyday Creation
Tribute to Jean Knight, featuring Sheldon Zoldan
New Orleans singer Jean Knight is best known for “Mr. Big Stuff,” which she sang with sass and attitude. It reached number one on Billboard’s R&B chart and number two on the Hot 100 chart in 1971.
This is one of 44 tributes to significant figures in the music industry who passed away in 2023.
Knight eventually went on to get a nursing degree, but she continued to reap the benefits of "Mr. Big Stuff." To watch her perform later on in life, you can go here. And please read some of the sweet comments, like this one: "Classy lady, will be sadly missed. This live version nailed it."
In the chapters, there's a press photo of Knight performing in 1971. It was distributed by Stax Records and is available on Wikimedia Commons. There are images of two of her album covers as well.
Also in the chapters, you can go right to the tribute by skipping my intro; feel free to skip my closing remarks too. Both are there to provide context for those who haven't listened to the other tributes.
Sheldon Zoldan, a longtime writer and editor, wrote and recorded Knight's story and the other tributes in the series. He also writes a Song of the Day story that he sends by email to a list of subscribers. To get on his subscriber list, email shzoldan@comcast.net with the subject line ADD ME TO SOTD.
Audio engineer/musician Mike Villegas edited all the audio for this series. Hope you enjoy these intriguing glimpses into the lives of the people who made some of the music we love.
This is Kate Jones. Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation, available on YouTube and in podcast directories including Apple, Spotify and Audible.
Kate:
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Hello, and welcome to Everyday Creation. This is
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your host, Kate Jones, with one of 44
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tributes
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to significant figures in the music industry
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who passed away in 2023.
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My guest Sheldon Zoldan,
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a longtime writer and newspaper editor,
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wrote these short biographies
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and recorded them.
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Each one is an intriguing
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glimpse into the life and impact of someone
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who contributed
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to the soundtracks of our lives. Here's what
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Sheldon has to say in this tribute.
Sheldon:
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Who needs Social Security when you have Mr.
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Big Stuff?
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Jean Knight often told audiences
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how her best-known song gave her financial
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security.
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"All I have to do is sit home
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and wait for the mailman," she said.
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Knight died November 22nd in Tampa, Florida.
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She was 80.
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Knight was born
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Jean Caliste
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in New Orleans.
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She said Knight was easier to pronounce.
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She started singing in her cousin's bar after
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graduating high school
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and spent most of her career as a
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New Orleans artist
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who toured mostly in the South.
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Her short time in the spotlight
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came thanks to our Song of the Day,
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"Mr. Big Stuff."
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Joseph Broussard,
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Ralph Williams and Carol Washington wrote it.
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Knight recorded it in 1970
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and it was released the following year.
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She sang the song with sass and attitude,
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which was fitting
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because the lyrics warn Mr. Big Stuff
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that just because he wears nice clothes
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and has a fine car, he's never gonna
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break her heart. She'd rather be with a
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poor man than him.
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The song almost never got released.
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Stax Records buried it with other songs that
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Knight's producer sent to the Memphis Record Company.
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But when the producer released one of the
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songs
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on his own and it became
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an R&B hit
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Stax dug out "Mr. Big Stuff."
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The song immediately became big stuff. It reached
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number 1 on Billboard's Soul Singles chart
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and number 2 on the Hot 100
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chart.
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Knight,
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who went on to get a degree in
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nursing,
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would never have another hit.
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She scored one other song on Billboard's Hot
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100,
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"My Toot Toot,"
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which reached number 50 in 1985.
Kate:
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This is Kate again. Please go to the
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description for more information and to hear the
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song that Sheldon referenced.
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If you enjoyed this tribute, please check out
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the rest of them. Although some of the
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names are not as familiar as others, the
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biographies
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are equally intriguing.
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Thank you for listening to Everyday Creation.
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Please share this episode with anyone who might
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enjoy it.
