Binder was born in Rosedale, Mississippi, on November 18, 1928. He began singing with his mother and aunts in church. As a child his family relocated to St. Louis, where he was introduced to blues music by a female impersonator named "Toots", who would play St. Louis blues style piano while Binder sat on his lap. His family moved to Chicago around 1939 where Binder taught himself how to play piano, determined to become a recording artist.