Benny Spellman

{{Short description|American R&B singer (1931–2011)}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Benny Spellman

| image = Photo_of_benny_spellman.jpg

| caption =

| image size =

| birth_name =

| alias =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1931|12|11}}

| birth_place = Pensacola, Florida, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2011|6|3|1931|12|11}}

| death_place = Pensacola, Florida, U.S.

| genre = R&B

| occupation = Singer

| years_active = 1960s

| label = Minit Records
Ace Records

}}

Benny Spellman (December 11, 1931 – June 3, 2011){{cite news|title=R&B legend Benny Spellman dies |url=http://www.wwltv.com/news/RB-legend-Benny-Spellman-dies-123172068.html |access-date=2014-03-17 |newspaper=WWLTV Eyewitness News |date=2011-06-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140317063144/http://www.wwltv.com/news/RB-legend-Benny-Spellman-dies-123172068.html |archive-date=2014-03-17 }} was an American R&B singer,{{cite book

| first= Paul

| last= Du Noyer

| year= 2003

| title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music

| edition= 1st

| publisher= Flame Tree Publishing

| location= Fulham, London

| isbn= 1-904041-96-5

| page= 181}} he was best known for the 1962 single "Lipstick Traces (on a Cigarette)" and its B-side "Fortune Teller", both written by Allen Toussaint (credited as Naomi Neville).

"Lipstick Traces" reached #28 on the U.S. Billboard R&B singles chart and #80 on the Billboard Hot 100,[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p5496/charts-awards|pure_url=yes}} Billboard], Allmusic while "Fortune Teller" was later performed many other artists including The Who and The Rolling Stones.[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p5496/biography|pure_url=yes}} Benny Spellman] at Allmusic Spellman variously worked with Toussaint, Earl King ("Trick Bag"), Huey "Piano" Smith, Ernie K-Doe, Wilson Pickett, The Neville Brothers and The O'Jays.

Spellman was born in Pensacola, Florida.[http://thedeadrockstarsclub.com/2011.html Thedeadrockstarsclub.com] - accessed September 2011 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 heart failure in June 2011, at the age of 79.