Ellis Louis Marsalis Jr., jazz pianist and music educator, was considered the patriarch of the first family of New Orleans jazz. Marsalis passed away on April 1, 2020 of complications from the coronavirus (COVID-19), at the age of 85. He was one of the first … Read MoreEllis Marsalis (1934-2020)
Donald Walbridge “Don” Shirley was an American classical and jazz composer and pianist. Shirley was born on January 29, 1927, to Stella Gertrude Young and Edwin Samuel Shirley in Pensacola, Florida. His mother and father were Jamaican-born immigrants. Shirley was a prodigy, taught to play … Read MoreDon Shirley (1927-2013)
The Isley Brothers were a band on the Billboard Top 40 charts for fifty years. Their ability to synthesize R&B, soul, funk, disco, and rock & roll elements into their discography made the group electrifying and interesting. The band was important to the creation of the soul … Read MoreThe Isley Brothers (1957-1984)
The Flamingos are broadly respected as one of the most talented doo-wop and rhythm and blues vocal groups of the 20th Century. Their style made an enormous impact on genres such as pop and soul. Though they were unable to consistently top the charts, the … Read MoreThe Flamingos (1951- )
The Delfonics, an R&B vocal band whose founding members were William “Poogie” Hart, Wilbert Hart, Randy Cain, Ritchie Daniels, and arranger/ producer Thom Bell, formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the late 1960s. They are credited with significantly contributing to the development of the Philadelphia sound … Read MoreThe Delfonics (1966-1975)
Lou Rawls was an award-winning singer and songwriter famous for his luxurious baritone singing voice and four-octave vocal range. He is most well-known for his hit song “You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine,” and experienced the height of his musical career throughout the 1960s … Read MoreLou Rawls (1933-2006)
Usher Raymond IV, commonly known by his stage name Usher, is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and actor. Usher rose to superstardom as a rhythm and blues/ pop musician and has established himself as one of the most successful R&B artists of his era and one … Read MoreUsher (1978- )
In 1964, seven friends from Jersey City, New Jersey, including Robert “Kool” Bell on bass and his brother Ronald Bell on keyboards, decided to perform together as an instrumental jazz and soul group named the Jazziacs. The other original members included Robert Mickens on trumpet, … Read MoreKool and the Gang (1964- )
The Coasters began on September 28, 1955, in Los Angeles, California after four of six members from another singing group, The Robins, broke off to start this new group. Bobby Nunn and Carl Gardner, leading vocalists of The Robins, were convinced by the up-and-coming composing/managing … Read MoreThe Coasters (1955- )
The Platters was one of the most successful rhythm and blues vocal groups during the rock and roll era. They began in Los Angeles, California and were initially managed by Ralph Bass at Federal Records. The original band consisted of Alex Hodge, Cornell Gunter, David … Read MoreThe Platters (1953- )
