(Vocals, 1942–2003) Starr’s early singing career was interrupted when he was drafted in 1960. He finally broke with 1965 Bond novelty ‘Agent Double-O Soul’ and its follow-up ‘Stop Her On Sight (S.O.S.)’. He had a powerful, rough voice that will be remembered for the 1970 anti-Vietnam hit ‘War’, originally a Norman Whitfield song for The Temptations. ...
1886–1960 Swiss pianist Fischer taught in Berlin 1905–14 and succeeded Schnabel at the Hochschule in 1931. He was one of the first modern pianists to direct concerto performances from the keyboard, for which purpose he founded a chamber orchestra in Berlin. After World War II, he appeared in recitals and gave master classes in Lucerne. Introduction | Modern Era ...
(Songwriter, b. 1941) Strong was a Motown staff writer whose own 1960 hit ‘Money’ helped fund the label’s early expansion. His compositions with Norman Whitfield included ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’, and led Motown’s forays into more socially aware territory with hits like Edwin Starr’s ‘War’ and many of The Temptations’ psychedelic soul outings. Strong won a 1972 Grammy ...
(Vocal group, 1968–85) Roebuck ‘Pops’ Staples, born 1915, migrated musically and geographically from Mississippi blues to Chicago gospel. In the late 1950s, he was leading a vocal group with his children, and by 1968 had signed with Stax. With lead vocals shared by Pops and daughter Mavis, and backed by Booker T. And The M ...
This enduring British cult dance scene takes its name from the post-mod discos in the north-west of England where it developed, rather than the geographical location of the music-makers. Legendary disco venues like Manchester’s Twisted Wheel, Blackpool’s Mecca and The Wigan Casino, are still spoken about in reverential tones by soul and dance connoisseurs. The reason northern soul ...
Bass Drum The dominant feature of every military band is its big bass drum. Throughout the history of percussion instruments, this drum has been the mainstay of time-keeping, whether it is used for a marching army or in a late-twentieth century heavy metal band. Early versions of the bass drum (it was certainly known in Asia around 3500 BC) ...
The name ‘player piano’ is a misnomer, indeed the precise opposite of the truth. In fact, this is a playerless piano – a piano that plays itself. Origins of the Player Piano Though almost exclusively associated with the early-twentieth century, the idea of a self-playing piano had been around for centuries. Henry VIII’s self-playing virginals and Clementi’s studded-cylinder ...
b. 1931 Austrian pianist Austrian-born Brendel studied in Zagreb and Graz and later attended classes with Edwin Fischer. He made his debut in Graz in 1948 and became well known in the 1950s through his many recordings. He is widely admired for his performances of the sonatas of Beethoven and Schubert. Introduction | Contemporary | Classical Personalities | Christophe Coin | ...
(Vocal/instrumental group, 1987–present) This Seattle group, Layne Staley (vocals), Jerry Cantrell (guitar), Mike Starr (bass) and Sean Kinney (drums), cut their teeth on a winning blend of metal and acoustic numbers before being remarketed as a ‘grunge’ act after Nirvana’s huge success. Their second album Dirt (1992) won acclaim and huge sales, a position cemented by Jar Of ...
When the great Mississippi musician Riley King left the cotton fields to seek his fortune in Memphis in 1946, he had $2.50 in his pocket and a battered guitar in his hand. Today, his name is synonymous with blues music itself, yet his ascendance to the zenith of the blues world never altered his friendly, downhome ...
Although Bakersfield had already played host to a number of country-music artists, it was Buck Owens (1929–2006) who not only put it on the map, but also spread its name around the world. So great was his impact, some even called it ‘Buckersfield’. The Road To Bakersfield Hailing from Sherman, Texas, and born Alvis Edgar Owens ...
1902–42 American cellist Born in Austria, Feuermann made his debut in Vienna under Weingartner in 1912. He taught at the Berlin Hochschule 1928–33, and settled in the US in 1938. He played piano trios with Schnabel and Bronislaw Huberman, and with Rubinstein and Heifetz. He was noted for his warm tone and solid technique. Introduction | Modern Era ...
April 39/Smooth Green Day’s debut LP was recorded and mixed between 29 December 1989 and 2 January 1990 at Art Of Ears Studio. Musically it was an affirmative affair, at odds with other bands on the Gilman scene, with energetic melodic hooks and lyrics ranging from teenage infatuation (‘At The Library’, ‘Disappearing Boy’) to the desire of children such ...
Joe Walsh (b. 1947) was born in Kansas and spent his childhood in Ohio and his high-school years in New Jersey before returning to Ohio to attend college at Kent State. He played bass in various bands before adopting guitar for a stint in the local group The Measles from 1965 to 1969. That led to a spot with Cleveland-based trio ...
Anthony James Donegan was born in Glasgow, the son of a professional violinist, on 29 April 1931. The family moved to the east end of London when Tony, as he was then known, was two. He finally got the guitar he craved in his early teens. He attended his first jazz club soon after and was smitten ...
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An extensive music information resource, bringing together the talents and expertise of a wide range of editors and musicologists, including Stanley Sadie, Charles Wilson, Paul Du Noyer, Tony Byworth, Bob Allen, Howard Mandel, Cliff Douse, William Schafer, John Wilson...
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Classical, Rock, Blues, Jazz, Country and more. Flame Tree has been making encyclopaedias and guides about music for over 20 years. Now Flame Tree Pro brings together a huge canon of carefully curated information on genres, styles, artists and instruments. It's a perfect tool for study, and entertaining too, a great companion to our music books.
David Bowie
Fantastic new, unofficial biography covers
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