Geno Washington

Geno Washington (born William Francis Washington; December 1943, in Evansville, Indiana) is an American R&B singer who released five albums with the Ram Jam Band between 1966 and 1969, and eight solo albums beginning in 1976.

Washington was stationed in England with the United States Air Force during the early 1960s.

While stationed in East Anglia, Washington became known as a frequent stand-in at gigs around London.

The group had two of the biggest selling UK albums of the 1960s, both of which were live albums.

Washington has appeared on television since the 1960s.

When guitarist Pete Gage saw him at a nightclub in 1965, he asked Washington to join his new group, that was to become Geno Washington & the Ram Jam Band.

Gage later formed Vinegar Joe with Elkie Brooks and Robert Palmer.

The band's name came from the Ram Jam Inn, an old coaching inn on the A1 (Great North Road) at Stretton, near Oakham, Rutland.

Their most commercially successful album, Hand Clappin, Foot Stompin, Funky-Butt ... Live!, was in the UK Albums Chart for 38 weeks in 1966 and 1967, peaking at number 5 on the chart.

The other album was Hipster Flipsters Finger Poppin' Daddies, which reached number 8 on the UK album chart.

The group had a number of moderate UK Singles Chart hits during 1966–67 on the Pye label: "Water" (which reached no. 39), "Hi Hi Hazel" (no. 45), "Que Sera Sera" (no. 43) and "Michael (The Lover)" (no. 39).

They managed to build up a strong following with the crowds due to their energetic tour performances.

Like their Pye label mates and rivals Jimmy James and the Vagabonds, they became popular with the mod scene.

In 1966 he appeared in Episode 11 of Ready Steady Go! This episode also featured other stars such as Françoise Hardy, Cilla Black, Wayne Fontana and the Spencer Davis Group.

In 1967, along with the Ram Jam Band, he appeared on The Record Star Show and doubtless others in the 1960s.

It was reported by Record Mirror in the magazine's July 13, 1968 issue that Washington was writing and looking to direct a documentary about racism.

With the majority of the filming to be done in London, there was to be added clips that showed racial violence in South Africa.

It was also announced that Washington was writing a book, One Way Ticket to the White House which was to be released in paperback form in the UK and US sometime in 1968.

Washington left the UK to return to the United States and disappeared from the music industry for a length of time.

He studied hypnosis and meditation, made acquaintance with The Beach Boys and recorded some music with them that was never released.

The band broke up in the autumn of 1969, with the band members going their own ways while Geno Washington continued as a solo artist, prior to returning to the United States.

Keyboard player Geoff Pullum became an academic linguist, and is today emeritus professor at the University of Edinburgh.

With a budget of UK 12,000 the planned release was to be some time after January 1969.

He would later record three albums for the DJM label, Geno's Back (1976), Live (1976), and That's Why Hollywood Loves Me (1979).

In May 1976, he released a single, "You Lovely Witch".

Washington co-produced it with Kaplan Kaye.

It was released on DJM 1011.

A Single Pick for May 29, 1976, Record World predicted that a lot of plays would pick up R&B action.

He was encouraged to make a comeback in 1980 due to the rekindled interest in him resulting from the Dexys Midnight Runners hit single "Geno", but he initially declined, as he was completing his degree in hypnotism.

But soon he was back in the UK touring extensively and playing many gigs, particularly in south-east London.

Washington was appearing at the Triad Leisure Centre at Bishop's Stortford on December 5, 1980.

Washington has been active on stage, recording and releasing new music on various labels, with titles such as "Change Your Thoughts You Change Your Life", "Live Sideways", "Loose Lips", "Put Out the Cat", "The Return of the G", "Take This Job and Stuff It" and "What's in the Pot?".

As of 2021, Washington and his band could be regularly seen touring in the UK.

Since then he has appeared on Top Ten (1980) in 2000 and the mini series S.O.U.L.—Sounds of Underground London in 2003.

In January 2009 he released a single "I'm Doing 99 Years" and the proceeds from the single's sales will go to the victims of crime and child abuse.

In July 2009 he headlined the Kelvedon Free Music Festival.

Geno appears in the movie A Bit of Tom Jones?, which had its London premiere in 2009.

The film, which was made by Tred Films in Tredegar in South Wales, stars Jonny Owen and Roger Evans, with a cast including Matt Berry, John Henshaw and Denise Welch.

In August 2010, Geno Washington & the Ram Jam Band were one of the headline acts at Rhythm Festival, and appeared at the Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury in October 2010.

More recently, in October 2014, they performed in the Spiegeltent at the Canterbury Festival of Arts.