bySteveLeggettBorninLakeCharles,LA,powerhousebluessingerMickeyChampionhasworkedwiththelikesofTBoneWalker,LittleEstherPhillips,BillieHoliday,DukeEllington,RayCharles,JackieWilson,andmanyothersinherlongbutunfortunatelylargelyunsungfivedecadecareer.DiscoveredinL.A.(whereshecontinuestomakeherhomeintheCrenshawDistrict)bybandleaderandevervigilanttalentscoutJohnnyOtis,ChampionrecordedseveralimpressiveR&Bsidesinthe1950sandearly'60s,noneofwhichestablishedherasahouseholdname.ThewifeofbandleaderRoyMiltonuntilhisdeath,Championbeganrecordingagainin2000,releasingIAmYourLivingLegend!thatyear,followedbyWhatYouWantin2003,bothonTondefRecords.ShewasthesubjectofavideodocumentaryproducedbyPaulVicandOlethaRogerscalledChampionBlues,andin2008AceU.K.issuedhercollectedsinglesfromthe1950sand1960sunderthetitleBamaLam：TheR&BRecordings19501962.