William Francis Washington was born in 1943 and raised by his aunt in a house of ill-repute called The Big Boot in Evansville, Indiana.
His singing career began when he adopted the name ‘Geno’ from an Italian-American footballer and took to the stage while serving in the military.
The US Air Force took him to England, where he joined Brixton-based R&B outfit The Ram Jam Band.
An irresistible fixture on London’s 60s scene, Geno’s first two (live) albums were amongst the biggest-selling UK releases of the decade.
But the burgeoning flower power movement eventually put black barnstorming bands out of business and Washington directed his attention instead to spiritual development.
After he became the subject of Dexy’s Midnight Runners‘ 1980 UK number one, Washington encouraged Ian Brown to join The Stone Roses, published a novel, worked as a motivational speaker and became a member of the Guild Of Hypnotists.
Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band were still performing in 2010.
You May Also Like
Sounds Incorporated Sounds Incorporated formed in early 1961 in Dartford, Kent, and gained a reputation in London for…
Fantastic Baggys, The P.F. (Phil) Sloan and Steve Barri were the Baggys themselves - a name they used while…
Frank Sinatra The Voice. The Sultan of Swoon. The Chairman of the Board. Old Blue Eyes. The Greatest…
Koobas, The Possibly the least-known of Brian Epstein's post-Beatles charges from the Merseybeat era, The Koobas formed in 1962 and broke up…
Beethoven Soul, The Los Angeles group The Beethoven Soul formed around 1966 and released their sole (self-titled) album in…
Cowsills, The His siblings often called Barry the most musically talented of the family - which is saying…
Migil 5, The Starting life as a North London pub jazz trio with a singing drummer (Mike Felix) the…
Dickie Pride Richard Charles Kneller was born in Thornton Heath, Surrey. After leaving school he tried a wide…
