Buddy Ace Buddy Ace Jimmie Lee Land, known as Buddy Ace (November 11, 1936 – December 25, 1994) was an American Texas blues singer, billed as the "Silver Fox of the Blues." Born in Jasper, Texas, he was raised in Baytown near Houston, and began his career by singing gospel in a group that included Joe Tex. He joined up with other blues singers, Bobby "Blue" Bland and Junior Parker, before signing to Duke/Peacock Records in 1955 and agreeing to be credited as "Buddy Ace", a name previously used by the late Johnny Ace's brother, St. Clair Alexander. He recorded a string
Johnny Ace singer Polo Hofer and the Schmetterband wrote the song "Johnny Ace" in 1985; it was released on the album "Giggerig". Rock-and-roll historian Harry Hepcat noted that "Johnny Ace was a crooner who sounded like Johnny Mathis with soul. ...Soon after the death of Johnny Ace, Varetta Dillard recorded "Johnny Has Gone" for Savoy Records in early 1955. She incorporated many of Ace's song titles in the lyrics. This was the first of the many teen tragedy records that were to follow in the later 50s and early 1960s." Will Oldham noted Ace's death in the lyrics of his song "Let