Percy Mayfield (12 August 1920 - 11 August 1984) was an American singer & songwriter famous for the songs "Hit the Road, Jack" and "Please Send Me Someone to Love".He was known as “Poet Laureate of the Blues”. Mayfield was born in Minden, Louisiana. As a youth, he showed a talent for poetry, so he thought he would try songwriting and singing. He began his performing career in Texas and had moved to Los Angeles by 1942. He auditioned his song