Sam Cooke
Started in gospel with the Soul Stirrers
Changed his name to Dale Cooke and started singing secular music
Died in ‘64 after being shot by a hotel manager for being with a woman who claimed he attacked her
Recorded – ‘You Send Me’
Jackie Wilson
Learned how to box in jail when just 15
Went solo in 1957
Called “Mr. Entertainment” because of performance energy
Recorded over 50 hit singles
R&B, pop, soul, doo wop
Berry Gordy Jr.
composed and produced a number of hit singles for Jackie Wilson
Founder of MoTown Records
Ray Charles
‘The Genius’
Lost vision during childhood due to glaucoma
Able to synthesize country, R&B, and jazz with gospel music
Recorded – ‘What’d I Say’ & ‘Can’t Stop Loving You’
James Brown
‘Soul Brother #1’,
‘Godfather of Soul’, ‘HWMISB’
Turned soul music into funk by dispensing with melodies in favor of syncopated rhythms
Praised by Vice-Pres. Humphrey for encouraging AA towards peaceful civil rights
Recorded ‘Please, Please, Please’-JB and the Famous Flames, 1956
James Brown
gained a reputation for his active
stage performance
Performance emphasized athletic showmanship, singing, and extremely energetic dancing
He developed a trademark closing routine
Was a positive force behind the “Black Pride” movement of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s
Recorded – ‘Say It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud’-1968
Aretha Franklin
‘Lady Soul’, ‘Queen of Soul’
Born in Memphis, raised in Detroit
Spent her youth singing in her father’s Baptist church
Worked for Atlantic Records
Otis Redding
“King of Memphis Soul”
One of the most important Stax artists

Recorded – “These Arms of Mine” (1963) an early Top 40 hit
In 1965, began getting crossover hits
His gospel-influenced vocals and the hard-driving accompaniment defined the Stax sound
Died in a plane crash in 1967
Recorded – “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” went to number one on pop and R charts in 1968

Wilson Picket
Atlantic producer Jerry Wexler discovered him through a demo recording
He came to Atlantic, Wexler immediately signed him to the label
Wexler took him to Memphis to record with Stax musicians in the Stax style
Atlantic and Stax set up leasing and distribution agreements for many songs in the early 1960s
They recorded “In the Midnight Hour”
The song featured a delayed backbeat that Wexler showed the band
Brain Epstein
Manager of the beatles
George Martin
Producer of the beatls
The Beatles Members
Paul McCartney – guitar (after replaced stuart and played bass)
John Lennon – guitar
Ringo Starr – drummer (AKA Richard Starky)
George Harrison – guitar
Stuart Sutcliffe – bass
Pete Best – drums
Rolling Stones Members
Original-Mick Jagger (singer/harpist), Keith Richards (guitarist), Brian Jones (guitarist), Ian Stewart (pianist)
Then-Bill Wyman (bass), Charlie Watts (drums)
Cream Members
Eric Clapton (guitar); Jack Bruce (bass/vocals); Ginger Baker (drums)
The beatles – original names
The Quarry Men then Johnny and the Moondogs, silver beatles, then beatles
The Greatful Dead
Bandleader Jerry Garcia played lead guitar
Classically-trained Phil Lesh played bass guitar
Mickey Hart played a wide variety of percussion