Paul Gayten

Paul Gayten, born on January 29, 1920, in Kentwood, Louisiana, is an American pianist, producer and songwriter. He started his career playing in local bands and formed Paul Gayten’s Sizzling Six, which included future bebop saxophonist Teddy Edwards. During World War II, he led a military band at the Biloxi Army base. Post-war, Gayten moved to New Orleans and recorded two early R&B hits: "True (You Don’t Love Me)" and "Since I Fell for You", both reaching the top 10 in the R&B charts. Gayten transitioned through various labels, including DeLuxe Records and Regal Records. He expanded his ensemble and wrote "For You My Love", a Number 1 R&B hit recorded by Larry Darnell. In 1953, he joined Chess Records as a talent scout, producer, and songwriter, discovering Clarence Henry and producing his first hit "Ain’t Got No Home" in 1956. Gayten's own notable hits included "The Music Goes Round and Round" (1956) and "Nervous Boogie". He relocated to Los Angeles in 1960 to manage Chess Records' operations there and founded his own label, Pzazz, in 1968. Paul Gayten retired in the 1970s and passed away on March 26, 1991, in Los Angeles. Notable posthumous releases include the albums Paul Gayten's You Oughta Know (2006) and Ain't Nothin' Happenin' - Cool Jump Blues (2010).