Tommy Hunt

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Tommy Hunt was an American soul singer born Thomas James Hunt on June 18, 1933, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He grew up in Chicago after leaving reform school as a child, and after serving in the U.S. Air Force he was jailed for deserting to be with his dying mother. He formed the group the Five Echoes and later joined the Flamingos as a replacement for Zeke Carey. The Flamingos’ biggest U.S. hit with Hunt was I Only Have Eyes for You in 1959, and he left the group in 1961.

Hunt then recorded Human, which became his biggest hit in the United States. The B-side, I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself, was the first recording of that Burt Bacharach and Hal David song, later made famous by other artists. He became a regular on stage at The Apollo in New York, sharing billing with numerous legendary acts.

In the late 1960s, Hunt moved to Europe and found success on the UK northern soul scene, performing in theaters and at the Wigan Casino. He released several tracks on Spark Records, including Crackin’ Up (UK chart peak No. 39 in 1975) and Loving on the Losing Side (UK No. 28 in 1976). He also earned recognition as a live performer, winning Male Vocalist of the Year in 1982–83 from Club Mirror and continued touring in Europe.

Hunt received the Rhythm and Blues Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996 for his work with the Flamingos. He relocated to the UK in 1997 to revive his northern soul career, later turning to songwriting and releasing an autobiography, Only Human, My Soulful Life, with Jan Warburton in 2008. He formed Tommy Hunt & the New Flamingos and performed with various groups, including in Spain in 2011. He also contributed lyrics to a new album released in 2024.

Tommy Hunt was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Flamingos in 2001. The Flamingos were also honored by the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Doo-Wop Hall of Fame in 2001. He passed away on February 12, 2025, at the age of 91.