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(Vocal/instrumental group, 1980–91, 1996–present) Sheffield’s ABC essentially rewrote classic 1960s soul and pop for the new romantic 1980s. Their golden era began in 1981 with ‘Tears Are Not Enough’. ‘Poison Arrow’, ‘The Look Of Love’ and ‘All Of My Heart’ followed. The perfect pop of Trevor Horn-produced debut The Lexicon Of Love (1982) was a UK No. 1. ‘When ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley

(Guitar, vocals, b. 1925) Riley B. King, from Indianola, Mississippi, is arguably the last surviving authentic blues artist. Orphaned, he took up guitar aged 15, turning professional after US military service. In 1947, he moved to Memphis and lived with cousin Bukka White. There, he worked on a local radio station, ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley

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 ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Jazz & Blues, founding editor Howard Mandel

(Vocals, bass, steel guitar, banjo, saxophone, b. 1948) Born in Texas and raised in California, Mandrell is an all-round instrumentalist. Starting in The Mandrell Family Band, she was playing steel guitar in Las Vegas nightspots by the time she was 16 – by which time she had also appeared regularly on the Johnny Cash ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Country Music, consultant editor Bob Allen

(Vocal group, 1955–present) Originally known as The Juvenaires, this doo-wop group was formed in 1955 while members Danny Rapp, Frank Maffei, Joe Terranova and Dave White were still at high school in Philadelphia. They signed to Singular Records, owned by Artie Singer, and made the 1957 million-seller ‘At The Hop’, which topped the US singles ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley

his beloved mother. When he was demobbed in March 1960, he seemed to have grown-up, but that was not all to the good. He guested on Frank Sinatra’s ABC TV show, proving that he could handle Ol’ Blue Eyes’s material, ‘Witchcraft’, but Frank was not quite so good with Elvis’ new single, ‘Stuck On You’. This ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley

made excellent albums, such as Live At Café Au Go-Go with the Muddy Waters’ band, until the label folded and was taken over by the parent label, ABC Records, in 1970. He frequently recorded for European labels while overseas. In the early 1970s Hooker teamed up with a new generation of blues-inspired white musicians, including Steve ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Jazz & Blues, founding editor Howard Mandel

Carter Family, whom he married in 1968. From 1969 to 1971, his fame was enlarged as he hosted his own weekly, prime time musical variety show on ABC TV, on which he performed, along with an array of other established and up and coming country and folk artists, including Bob Dylan and Kris Kristofferson. By ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Country Music, consultant editor Bob Allen

Orleans. After the glory days of the Original Tuxedo Jazz Orchestra, he led bands on Bourbon Street, made records and played regularly for radio broadcasts on a national ABC network show, ‘Dixieland Jambake’. He was a sweet-toned trumpeter and a frog-voiced singer, vigorously selling sure-fire tunes like ‘Li’l Liza Jane’, ‘Mama Don’t Allow’ and ‘Bill Bailey’. His ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Jazz & Blues, founding editor Howard Mandel

Ray Charles Robinson was born on 23 September 1930 in Albany, Georgia. Blind by the age of seven, he was educated at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind in St. Augustine, where he studied piano and learned to read music in braille. A Musical Education Shortly after his fifteenth birthday, he was expelled and left ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Jazz & Blues, founding editor Howard Mandel

Born Ray Charles Robinson on 23 September 1930 in Albany, Georgia, Charles suffered from glaucoma from the age of five and was blind by the time he was seven. His mother was unable to look after him and he moved away to the Institute for the Blind, Deaf and Dumb in St Augustine, Florida. He learned to ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley

(Vocal/instrumental group, 1964–90, 2001, 2012–present) The last great Motown pop group, the brothers Jackson – Jackie, Tito, Marlon, Jermaine and Michael – signed in 1968 and were groomed for a year before their debut single ‘I Want You Back’ shot to US No. 1, followed by four more chart toppers in a row ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley

went on to experience million-selling success with 1983’s Eliminator and the singles ‘Gimme All Your Lovin’’, ‘Sharp Dressed Man’ and ‘Legs’. Styles & Forms | Seventies | Rock Personalities | ABC | Eighties | Rock ...

Source: The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rock, general editor Michael Heatley

member of Yes, as well as his own one-hit-wonder pop act The Buggles, to manning the desk for a slew of influential and successful Brit artists, including ABC, Spandau Ballet, Dollar, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Art Of Noise and The Pet Shop Boys. Despite differences between the acts, his sound was immediately recognizable ...

Source: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music, general editor Paul Du Noyer

on the synth-dance-and-cheekbones formula sprang from every corner of the UK: the cheeky, camp, northern soul-influenced Soft Cell from Leeds; the funky, orchestral and wordy Trevor Horn-produced ABC from Sheffield; the grandiose Ultravox, led by Scotland’s Midge Ure; and new romantic supergroup Visage, formed by London fashion faces and club promoters Steve Strange and Rusty Egan ...

Source: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Music, general editor Paul Du Noyer
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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.

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