The Mighty Hannibal

With an advertising campaign that juxtaposed needles, pills and the Bible, there was no doubt that Hannibal—born James Shaw—was a soul crusader to the core, and he remains so to this day, equally adept at churning out raw dance floor workouts like "Fishin' Pole" or deep soul ballads like "The Biggest Cry." Meanwhile, songs like "I Need A Woman" find Hannibal's voice crackling with the intensity of top running partners Johnny "Guitar" Watson and Larry Williams, underscoring the electric osmosis of decades spent in the dressing rooms, hotels and bus stations of the long lost era of Chitlin' Circuit black show business.
From Sammy Davis Jr. to James Brown to Stokely Carmichael, Hannibal hung with 'em all , even doing a stint as driver and valet for New Orleans' Huey "Piano" Smith and the Clowns. Aside from Nathaniel Mayer, few soul singers have ever managed to come across with the fractured intensity that Hannibal continues to bring to the table. A recent appearance at Brooklyn's Hook 'n' Boogie Festival with life-long compatriot Young Jessie found our man as fired-up as ever, crescendoing with a brand new number speaking out against the war in Iraq and demanding that the Bush administration step down immediately. Not surprisingly, it was as good as anything he cut in his sixties heyday.
www.themightyhannibal.com