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Jimi Dougans (born October 10, 1945) is an American singer, songwriter and conga player. He is a founding member of "The Young Senators", a very popular group in the late 1960's through the early 1970's in Washington D.C. The Young Senators, also known as the "Emperor's of Go-Go," was inducted into the Go-Go Hall of Fame in 2003. Go-go is a subgenre of funk music that was created in Washington, D.C. in the mid 1970's, and is now known as the musical sound of D.C. Jimi is noted for his very distinctive falsetto singing style, that his fans often compare to that of the late Eddie Kendricks of the famed Motown singing group, the Temptations. Jimi's vocal sound and range was so similar to Eddie Kendricks' that an associate put Jimi in touch with Eddie. As a result, Eddie was so impressed with Jimi's vocal range and ability, that he became Jimi's mentor and, shortly thereafter, hired Jimi, and The Young Senators to perform with him when he left the Temptations and became a solo artist.

Biography

Early years

Jimi Dougans was born in Washington, D.C. on October 10, 1945, the son of Edgar and Carrie Dougans, he had one brother Eugene. While growing up in Washington, D.C., Jimi's favorite past-time was doo-wopping on the corner with his friends. His first group was a bunch of fellas singing in the neighborhood during his late elementary school years through junior high. Jimi was drawn to precussions while still in elementary school. He would pound out rythmic beats on his desk during classtime, and for this reason, he was expelled from school on at least two occassions.

While in high school, he and three classmates, Saleem Hylton, Frank Hooker and John Knight could always be found skipping classes, and going to the gym, the cafeteria or outside under the bleachers singing together. Once they perfected their style, they named their group the Trojans, an idea from one of the group members, influenced by a pack of condoms of the same name.