Fred Henry Hughes, known professionally as Fred Hughes, is an African American singer born in Arkansas. He moved to Compton, California, where he began his musical journey. As a student at Compton High School, Hughes first recorded with the group The Cymbals in 1962 and later performed with the band The Creators. Hughes' breakthrough came when he signed with Vee-Jay Records in the 1960s, scoring hits with "Oo Wee Baby, I Love You" (which went to number 3) and "You Can't Take It Away", both written and produced by Richard Parker. After Vee-Jay Records' demise, Hughes released singles on Exodus and Chess Records. In 1969, he signed with Brunswick Records, achieving R&B successes with "Baby Boy" and "I Understand" which went to number 25 and 45, respectively. An album featuring these hits was later released by Brunswick. Despite his career struggles following the label's collapse, Hughes' work continued to gain recognition, notably with "Baby Boy" being featured in the 2014 film Northern Soul.
