Hinton began his musical career in Los Angeles as a singer in the Chosen Gospel Quartet. In 1957 he joined the gospel group Spirit of Memphis Quartet. With this group, Hinton recorded the gospel song Lost in Sin on record. With his outstanding tenor he caught the attention of producer Don Robey of the record company Peacock, which released the group's records. He advised him to switch to secular music and gave him a contract with the Peacock sub-label Backbeat Records. It was there that Hinton recorded his first solo album in the fall of 1958 with the titles I Know and Ladder of Prayer . It took until 1963 before the first sales success was achieved. The track You Know It Ain't Right appeared in the Hot 100 of the US music magazine Billbord in June 1963 and reached 88th place as the best value. This title was better placed in the rhythm and blues charts (R&B) at number 20. The title on the follow-up record Better to Give Than Receive also made it back to the Hot 100, where it came in 89th. Hinton had his greatest success in August 1964 when the song Funny rose to number 13 on the Hot 100 but topped the R&B charts at number one. Hinton hit the R&B charts again in 1964 and 1965 with two other titles: A Thousand Cups of Happiness (19th) and I Want a Little Girl (34th). His last single Got You on My Mind / Please was released in 1968. That same year, Hinton died of skin cancer at the age of 38.
US charts on Billboard
Started
title
Hot 100
R&B
06/1963
You Know It Ain't Right
88
20th
10/1963
Better to Give Than Receive
89.
08/1964
Funny
13.
1.
10/1964
A Thousand Cups of Happiness
19th
02/1965
I want a little girl
34.
US discography
Vinlyl singles
From page
Catalog no.
published
Backbeat
I know / ladder of prayer
519
11/1958
Pretty Little Mama / Will You
526
4/1959
A Thousand Cups of Happiness / If You Love Me
532
5/1960
The Girls in My Life / Come On Baby
535
1961
You Know It Ain't Right / Love Sick Blues
537
1963
There Is No In Between / Better to Give Than Receive
