Jimmy J. Hughes (born February 3, 1938)[1] is an American former rhythm and blues singer, whose biggest successes in the mid-1960s, notably his hit "Steal Away", were important in the early development of the Muscle Shoals music industry.

[2][3] Early in 1964, he returned to Hall with a powerful ballad he had written, "Steal Away", partly based on the gospel song " Steal Away to Jesus", and recorded the song in one take,[2] backed by the studio rhythm section of guitarist Terry Thompson, keyboardist David Briggs, bassist Norbert Putnam and drummer Jerry Carrigan.

[2][3] The record has been cited as "a prototype not only for subsequent great soul singers such as Johnnie Taylor and Al Green, but also would help define the signature Muscle Shoals sound.

However, in 1966, after the success of Percy Sledge's "When a Man Loves a Woman", Hall negotiated a new deal for his label to be distributed by Atlantic Records.

[4] He retrained, and got a government job making parts for nuclear power plants in the Tennessee River Valley, in later years only singing as a member of the congregation of his local church in Leighton.