Introduction Ray Charles was an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter and pianist who became one of the pioneers and most important figures of soul during the 50s and 60s music era. He is called “The Genius” of soul music. He combined soul, R&B, gospel, pop and country to create enduring oldies classic … Read more
Introduction Barry McGuire is a rock and contemporary Christian singer-songwriter and musician known for his only #1 hit, the protest song “Eve of Destruction,” which is now an oldies music classic. He was a former member of the New Christy Minstrels who emerged as one of the successful figures of the folk-rock … Read more
Introduction Whitney Houston was an American singer, actress, film and record producer. She first rose to fame during the 80s music era and her fame was extended well into the 1990s. Houston is known for her megahits: “Saving All My Love for You,” “How Will I Know,” “Greatest Love of All,” “I … Read more
Introduction to The Edwin Hawkins Singers The Edwin Hawkins Singers were a group of gospel crooners led by, of course, Edwin Hawkins (born in Oakland, California in 1943) who pioneered a genre called “urban contemporary gospel.” In 1967 he and Betty Watson formed the 50-strong ensemble North Carolina State Youth Choir (later … Read more
Introduction to Theola Kilgore Theola Kilgore was an American soul and gospel singer. She had been singing gospel since she was younger but in the 1960s she recorded her first secular number ( as her answer to Sam Cooke’s 1960 hit “Chain Gang”) “The Sound Of My Man (Working On A Chain … Read more
A short introduction on Barbara Fairchild Barbara Fairchild is a country and gospel singer, most popularly known for her only Top 40 hit “Teddy Bear Song” in 1973. In 1973 Fairchild struck it big with her first #1 country hit “Teddy Bear Song” which also broke into the Top 40. She later … Read more
Who is Laura Lee? Laura Lee is an American R&B/soul/gospel singer-songwriter. Her songs, especially during the 1960s and the 1970s, center around and celebrate female experiences, and laid the foundation of “women”’s soul material (“Women’s Love Right” is one such example). In 1967 she achieved her first R&B hit under Chess Records … Read more
Introduction to Stuart Hamblen Stuart Hamblen was an American country singer-songwriter, one of the country’s first singing cowboys. Hamblen rose to popularity through his series of radio programs on the US West Coast. He wrote many popular songs such as “This Ole House” (a #1 pop hit for songstress Rosemary Clooney, and … Read more
A little bit something first about Damita Jo Damita Jo was an American actress, recording artist, comedian and lounge music singer. The Texas-born Damita Jo started her professional singing career when she peformed as a featured vocalist for Steve Gibson (whom she would later marry and divorce) and the Red Caps recordings … Read more
The Early Life of Johnnie Taylor Johnnie Taylor, the youngest of three children, grew up in West Memphis (Crittenden County) with his grandmother. She was religious and made sure he attended church regularly. Taylor made his debut as a singer in the church at the age of six. He moved with his … Read more
Introduction Eddie Holman (born in Norfolk, Virginia in 1946), is an American singer who performs in several genres such as R&B, soul, pop and gospel, and best known for the now-oldies music classic hit ballad “Hey There Lonely Girl” in 1970. When he was younger, he and his family moved from Virginia … Read more
The legendary Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman in 1941) is an American folk/blues/country singer-songwriter and musician whose songs reflected the counterculture generation as well as social and political unrest during the 1960s. His songs became anthems of the American civil rights and anti-war campaigns. Dylan’s inclusion of the electric instruments such … Read more