Eddie Floyd

• Genre: Classic R&B
• Hometown: Montgomery

About

Renowned composer for more celebrated singers such as Wilson Pickett and Otis Redding, Eddie Floyd cracked the charts twelve times as a performer in the late 1960s. Because he was merely Very Good in an era of Greats, Floyd isn't always remembered as fondly as some of the artists who had hits with his material; but in his prime, he was a solid vocalist who was at his best on driving numbers with a lot of bottom like "Raise Your Hand" and "Big Bird." "Knock on Wood," perhaps his most famous song, is a perfect example of what Floyd did best: simple lyrics sunk precisely in the pocket of an irresistible groove.

- Tim Quirk