Arthur Prysock Sings Only For You

Arthur Prysock Sings Only For You

Velvet-voiced Arthur Prysock launched a solo career in 1952 after an eight year stint with Buddy Johnson. Seen as a contemporary of Billy Eckstine, Arthur forged a successful career as a vocalist and was a highly popular performer on the live scene, where he perhaps enjoyed his greatest successes. Whilst never a major seller when compared to his peers, he still had his moments in the sun, being named Best Male Singer in 1953 by the readers of the Pittsburgh Courier, ahead of such names as Nat King Cole and Johnnie Ray. If he hoped to use that recognition as the springboard for a major career the sudden arrival of rock and roll saw those plans put onto the back burner, but over the next couple of decades Arthur did well enough, with his albums of romantic songs recorded for the Old Town label at the start of the 1960s especially warmly received by critics and the public alike. Sings Only For You allows Arthurs jazz phrasing to come to the fore. There will undoubtedly be comparisons with Billy Eckstine, another great with much the same kind of sound and appeal as Arthur, but it is safe to say that Arthur does a solid job on the eleven tracks on display.