(Singer-songwriter, b. 1964) Cleveland, Ohio-born Chapman became an overnight success with her expressive self-titled debut in 1988 after appearing at a Nelson Mandela benefit gig at Wembley Stadium. Her emotive voice and politicized pop folk chimed with the opposition to the Thatcher/Reagan axis, and it went to No. 1 on both sides of the Atlantic, with ‘Fast ...
The Chapman Stick is a large instrument with a wide fretboard and eight, 10 or 12 strings. It is played by tapping (or ‘hammering-on’) a string at the desired fret with the finger and holding it down with the sustain of the note. Since only a single finger of one hand is needed to sound each note, the accomplished ...
(Vocals, b. 1966) After sharing a residency with Mark Chesnutt at The Cutters Club in Beaumont, Texas, Byrd followed his route to Nashville two years later. His eponymous 1993 album included ‘Holdin’ Heaven’, his first No. 1 hit. Nine years later, he returned to the top with ‘Ten Rounds With Jose Cuervo’, one of several novelty singles. ...
(Vocals, songwriter, b. 1968) Born in Texas and raised in Arkansas, Lawrence’s early influences included Merle Haggard, Keith Whitley and George Strait. Moving to Nashville in 1990, he signed with Atlantic, who released his platinum debut album, Sticks And Stones (1991), which included four Top 10 singles, including the chart-topping title track. 1993’s ...
(Vocal group, 1993–2000) This Irish answer to Take That racked up seven Top 10 singles and spawned an equally successful solo star in Ronan Keating. Mikey Graham, Keith Duffy, Shane Lynch, Stephen Gately (1976–2009) and Keating were mustered by future X-Factor svengali Louis Walsh in 1993. Their first UK hit was a cover version of The Osmonds’ ...
(Singer-songwriter b. 1957) Nick Cave (vocals) began his fascinating career in Boys Next Door, who became The Birthday Party: Mick Harvey (guitar), Tracy Pew (bass), Phil Calvert (drums). A gothic, blues punk band of fearsome intensity, showcasing Cave’s brutal, Captain Beefheart-style lyrics, they released three albums, 1981’s Prayers On Fire being the pick. 1982’s Junkyard ...
This was a decade when the impact of dance culture on rock and vice versa sometimes led to exciting results: it opened with ‘Thriller’ and closed with the Madchester scene of Happy Mondays. Punk had subsided to become the less threatening new wave movement, which, along with the new romantics, dominated the early days of the decade. As ...
The electric bass is similar in both appearance and operation to the electric guitar, but is actually a descendent of the upright acoustic double bass. The double bass had long been an integral part of the jazz rhythm section, but the increasing need to compete with amplified instruments – not to mention the transportation problems caused by its sheer ...
The development of electric and electronic musical instruments – as well as associated music-production systems – is one of the defining strands in the history of music over the last century. In fact, the advent of electric instruments predates even the twentieth century. Some of the instruments discussed here – such as the electric guitar – are commonly recognizable. Others ...
Brad Paisley (b. 1972) is that rare country music star whose guitar-playing prowess equals his singing and songwriting talent. Paisley recorded five gold or platinum albums between 1999 and 2008 and had 10 No. 1 singles on the country charts. His guitar playing on those records proved him to be one of the most accomplished pickers in Nashville. Brad Douglas Paisley ...
(Vocal duo, 1990–present) Prior to partnering Ronnie Gene Dunn (b. 1953), Leon ‘Kix’ Brooks (b. 1955) had made a 1989 solo album, after writing ‘I’m Only In It For The Love’, a 1983 chart-topper for John Conlee, and ‘Modern Day Romance’, a 1985 No. 1 for the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. In 1990, the two songwriters made ...
(Vocal/instrumental group, 1966–73) In 1967, Family became popular on London’s ‘underground’ circuit. Not the least of their distinctions was singer Roger Chapman’s nanny-goat vibrato (which you either liked or you did not) other stalwarts were Charlie Whitney (guitar) and Rob Townsend (drums). UK Top 30 singles ‘No Mule’s Fool’, ‘Strange Band’, ‘In My Own Time’ and ‘Burlesque’ were but ...
(Vocals, b. 1958) Tracy Marrow took his well-known name from pimp Iceberg Slim who wrote and published novels and poetry. Growing up wild in California, the release of a handful of singles on a variety of labels in the 1980s showed promise. Securing a solo deal, early albums like Rhyme Pays (1987) Power Power (1988) and the classic ...
(Guitar, singer-songwriter, 1932–2003) Arkansas-born Cash enjoyed a 49-year career involving several periods of huge popularity. After USAF service, he formed a trio with Luther Perkins (guitar) and Marshall Chapman (bass). Auditioning for Sam Phillips at Sun Records in Memphis, Cash played rockabilly. He scored more than 20 US country hits and several US pop hits before signing ...
Johnny Hiland (b. 1975) is one of the top guitarists to emerge from the Nashville music scene in recent years. His playing combines country chicken pickin’ with elements of blues, metal and jazz. Often compared to Danny Gatton, Hiland displays an amazing vocabulary as he plays seemingly effortlessly onstage. His skill is also noteworthy because he is legally blind ...
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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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sweep of incredible photographs.