Glenn Miller (1904 – 1944) |
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Trombonist and Bandleader -developed clean-sounding style that appealed to small-town midwestern people as well as big city people |
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Worked with Columbia Records as A&R (artists and repertoire) man -Jazz enthusiasst -Helped Benny Goodman, Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Count Basie, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springstein |
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Benny Goodman (1909 – 86) |
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-King of Swing -Helped establish swing era in early 30’s -First white bandleader to hire black musicians |
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Fletcher Henderson (1898 – 1952) |
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Musician, bandleader, and arrager -Credited with inspiring rise of swing in 30’s |
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William “Count” Basie (1904 – 84) |
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-black pianist and bandleader -gained experience as player and bandleader in Kansas city, Missouri -Band was known for improvisatory style and strong sense of swing |
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Edward Kennedy “Duke Ellington” |
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-pianist, composer, arranger -regarded as one of the most important musicians of twentieth century -devised unusual musical forms, combined instruments in unusual ways |
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Roy Claxton Acuff (1903 – 92) |
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– Hillbilly Singer of swing era – Joined Grand Ole Opry in 1938 (biggest star) – Style was rooted in southern folk music |
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-Regarded as one of the pioneers of modern country and western music -Texas Playboys pioneered western swing music -Fiddler from East Texas whose musical career ran from 20’s to 60’s |
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-first successful singing cowboy -successful film star and popular country and western musician -developed “western” part of country & western -style designed to reach out to a broader audience, with a less pronounced regional accent, a deep baritone voice, and a touch of the crooners’ smoothness. |
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“Rhumba King” -popularized latin music during swing era – spanish-born violinist, bandleader, film star – “Brazil” |
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Frank Sinatra (1915 – 98) |
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Crooning style of bing crosby with bel canto technique of Italian Opera |
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Nat “King” Cole (1917 – 65) |
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Most successful black recording artist of postwar period -Brilliant piano improviser – biggest commercial successes were sentimental ballads accompanied by elaborate orchestral arrangements |
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Damaso Perez Prado (1916 – 89) |
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– Cuban-born pianist who popularized Mambo through the US and Latin America – “Mambo No. 5” |
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-Led most influential jump band, Tympany Five – Arkansas-born saxophone player – popular with black listeners and was able to build an extensive white audience during and after World War II – “Choo Choo Ch’boogie” |
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Muddy Waters (McKinley Morganfield) (1915 – 83) |
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Father of Chicago Blues – Waters sang in a country style and was a charismatic performer. He played both acoustic and electric slide guitar and was the single greatest influence on the British blues boom. |
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Miss Rhythm -signed with Atlantic Records -Most popular black female vocalist in America between ’51 – ’53 “Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean” |
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Big Mama Thornton (1926 – 84) |
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Singer, Drummer, harmonica player – Comic on black vaudeville circuit “Hound Dog” |
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Prince of Wails -Partially Deaf -Created an Idiosyncratic style based partly in African American modes of performance -Paved way for rock ‘n’ roll stars of later 50’s |
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Sold more records than any other female singer of early 50’s. Love songs mainly |
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Most popular country crooner -dominated country charts from ’47 – ’54 -scored eleven Top 40 hits on pop charts |
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One of the first Honky-tonk performers – began as disciple of Jimmie Rodgers |
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Started Blue Grass Boys and appeared on Grand Ole Opry “It’s Mighty Dark to Travel” |
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Created a popular variation of honky-tonk music by mixing it with elements of western swing |
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Married country entertainer Johnny Wright and appeared on radio with him in 1938 |
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Hank Williams (1923 – 53) |
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Most significant SINGLE figure to emerge in country music during immediate post-WWII era -had 36 top 10 records on the country charts |
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DJ and concert promoter dubbed the “Pied Piper” of rock ‘n’ roll. Played an important role in broadening the audience for R among white teenagers during the early 1950s. |
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“Blues shouter” born in Kansas City. From 1945 to 1951, made recordings with many labels before signing with Atlantic in 1951. “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” (1954) was his biggest rock ‘n’ roll record for Atlantic. |
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R black male vocal group; performed the original version of “Sh-Boom.” |
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White male vocal group whose cover version of “Sh-Boom” was one of the two biggest pop hits of 1954. |
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Former DJ and western swing bandleader from Pennsylvania who moved toward the R jump band in the 1950s. Along with his band, the Comets, Haley recorded commercially successful cover versions of R hits. Shake rattle and role |
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Charles Edward Anderson(Chuck Berry) |
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Brilliantly clever and articulate lyricist and songwriter, fine rock ‘n’ roll vocal stylist, and pioneering electric guitarist. One of the first black musicians to consciously forge his own R styles for appeal to the mass market. Also known for his “duck walk.” |
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Buddy Holly (Charles Hardin Holley) |
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Early rock ‘n’ roll guitarist, singer, and songwriter from the country/rockabilly side of rock ‘n’ roll. Killed tragically at the age of twenty-two in a plane crash. |
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Little Richard (Richard Wayne Penniman) |
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Flamboyant early rock ‘n’ roll singer and pianist. Known for his uninhibited shouting style; his hit records include “Tutti-Frutti” and “Long Tall Sally.” |
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Born in New Orleans, established as an R singer and pianist before becoming a rock ‘n’ roll star. Known for his R-tinged hits “Ain’t It a Shame” and “Blueberry Hill.” |
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Known as “The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” the biggest star to come from the country side of the music world. Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, made his first recordings in Memphis at Sun Records, and later recorded for RCA and became a Hollywood film star. |
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One of the most popular folk groups of the rock ‘n’ roll era. Responsible for keeping public interest in folk music alive through the late 1950s and early 1960s. Their recording of “Tom Dooley,” an adaptation of an old ballad song, was a huge hit. |
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Multitalented singer, instrumentalist, and songwriter, known as the “Queen of Rockabilly.” |
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Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller |
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Innovative songwriting and producing team of the early rock ‘n’ roll years. Wrote “Hound Dog” and other R songs and produced hits for Elvis Presley and the Coasters. |
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Chubby Checker (Ernest Evans) |
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Singer who became famous for his cover version of “The Twist” by Hank Ballard. |
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Host of the popular teen-oriented television show American Bandstand. |
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Dubbed the “first tycoon of teen,” his studio production techniques are known as the “wall of sound” because of his utilization of dense orchestrations, multiple instruments, and heavy reverb. |
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The studio musicians who worked regularly with Phil Spector at Gold Star Studios. |
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Founder of Motown Records. |
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Black female vocal group who were featured artists with Motown Records in the 1960s. Their song “You Can’t Hurry Love” was a Number One hit in 1966. |
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Black male vocal group featured with Motown Records in the 1960s. Their song “My Girl” was a Number One hit in 1965. |
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The studio musicians of Motown’s house band; included the bass player James Jamerson, the drummer Benny Benjamin, and the keyboardist Earl Van Dyke. |
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Founded in California in 1961, they popularized the “California sound” in the early 1960s. Their hit songs included “Surfin’ Safari,” “Surfer Girl,” “California Girls,” “Surfin’ USA” and “Good Vibrations.” |
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The leader and guiding spirit of the Beach Boys during their first decade. He wrote and produced many of the Beach Boys’ biggest hits, including “Good Vibrations.” |
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Rock group from Liverpool, England, who dominated American popular music during the mid- 1960s and started the “British Invasion.” The band included John Lennon and George Harrison on lead and rhythm guitars and vocals, Paul McCartney on bass and vocals, and Ringo Starr on drums and occasional vocals. |
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A British rock group who cultivated an image as “bad boys” in deliberate contrast to the friendly public image projected by the Beatles. |
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Bob Dylan (Robert Zimmerman) |
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Urban folk singer and songwriter; he took his stage name from his favorite poet, Dylan Thomas. His songs include hits such as “Blowin’ in the Wind,” “Mr. Tambourine Man,” and “Like a Rolling Stone.” |
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The most original, inventive, and influential guitarist of the rock era, and the most prominent African American rock musician of the late 1960s. |
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Country vocalist who scored crossover hits with songs such as “I Fall to Pieces,” and “Crazy,” both recorded in 1961. |
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Known as the “Genius of Soul”; songwriter, arranger, keyboard player, and vocalist fluent in R, jazz, and mainstream pop. |
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Band that originated in the 1960s San Francisco rock scene. Their career spanned more than three decades. |
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The “Godfather of Soul.” He was known for his acrobatic physicality and remarkable charisma on stage. No other single musician has proven to be as influential on the sound and style of black music as James Brown. |
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“The Queen of Soul,” she began singing gospel music at an early age and had several hit records with Atlantic, including “Respect” in 1967 and “Think” in 1968. |
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The most successful white blues singer of the 1960s. Born in Port Arthur, Texas, Joplin came to San Francisco in the mid-1960s and joined a band called Big Brother and the Holding Company. |
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Vocalist for Jefferson Airplane. One of the most important female musicians on the San Francisco scene during the 1960s. |
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Guitarist, banjoist, and singer who had played in various urban folk groups during the early 1960s before forming the Grateful Dead in 1967. |
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