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, Bobby Bland, joined the army. Alexander took over vocal duties and renamed the band the Beale Streeters. He also took over King's radio show on WDIA. He began performing as Johnny Ace. He signed with Duke Records (originally a Memphis label associated with WDIA) in 1952. His first recording, "My Song", an urbane "heart ballad", topped the R&B chart for nine weeks in September. (A cover version by Aretha Franklin was released in 1968, on the flip side of "See Saw".) Ace began heavy touring, often with Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton. In the next two years, he had