Jimmy Charles, born in 1942 in Paterson, New Jersey, United States of America, was an American singer who emerged from early church and community performances during his school years. At sixteen, his uncle encouraged him to compete in an amateur talent show at New York’s Apollo Theater, where he won all four contests he entered, prompting his uncle to introduce him to producer Phil Medley; together they recorded a demo featuring the track "A Million to One." The demo was presented to Bill Lashley of the newly founded Promo Records, who secured a contract for Charles. In 1960, Promo released the single "A Million to One," which entered the Billboard Hot 100 on 22 August 1960 at number 95 and peaked at number 5 on 26 September 1960, remaining on the chart for fifteen weeks; it also reached number 8 on the Rhythm‑and‑Blues chart. The following year, Charles released "The Age of Love," which entered the Top 50 at number 47. Subsequent singles failed to chart, and by 1962 his recording career had concluded; the Hall of Fame later inducted him under the One‑Hit Wonders category. In 2009, Collectables issued a CD compilation titled A Million to One, preserving his contribution to early pop‑blues.
