Gene Allison (born Versie Eugene Allison; August 29, 1934 – February 28, 2004) was an American R&B singer.Allison was born in Pegram, Tennessee, and he grew up in Nashville, Tennessee singing in the church choir with his brother Leevert. As a teenager, Allison was offered a chance to sing with The Fairfield Four and, later, The Skylarks. Record producer Ted Jarrett signed Allison to Calvert Records to record secular music; soon after Jarrett got a recording contract for him with Vee-Jay Records along with Larry Birdsong. Allison’s debut single was “You Can Make It If You Try“, written by Ted Jarrett and released in 1957; it became a hit in the U.S., where it entered the BillboardHot 100 chart in early 1958.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6vfNqY8Rrc