Lee Dorsey

New Orleans-born Lee Dorsey was a former boxer who turned rock singer. He had a minor hit for a local New Orleans record company that resulted in a contract with Fury Records, a nationally distributed label. In 1961 he recorded the catchy "Ya Ya", which went to the #1 spot on the US charts. A follow-up record, "Do-Re-Mi", was a smaller hit. It wasn't until 1965, however, that he had another hit, "Ride Your Pony". The next year he had his biggest-selling record, "Working in a Coal Mine". That was followed by several lesser hits over the years. He still toured regularly, though, and in 1980 was one of the acts on The Clash's US tour. He died in New Orleans of emphysema in 1986.