(Vocals, 1940–85) Born into a showbiz family – his father was bandleader Ozzie Nelson – Eric Hilliard Nelson starred in the the radio show and TV sitcom, The Adventures Of Ozzie & Harriet, with his family. In 1956, a girlfriend told him she preferred Elvis Presley, so he made a record. 1957’s million-selling ‘I’m Walking’/‘A Teenager’s ...
(Record producer, b. 1911) A major force in country music’s development during the post-war years, Minnesota-born Kenneth F. Nelson began his days at Capitol Records on the behest of old friend Lee Gillette, handling transcriptions. When Gillette took over the label’s pop division in 1951, Nelson took over the A&R country responsibilities, having first become involved ...
A few days after Christmas, 1969, Willie Nelson (b. 1933) watched his house outside Nashville burn to the ground. Going up in flames were not only his furniture, guitars and only copies of unpublished songs – but also some of his ties to Music Row. A New Beginning Nelson had begun the decade as one of the hottest ...
Ricky Skaggs was born on 18 July 1954, in Cordell, Kentucky, and from the age of five Skaggs and his trusty mandolin have been almost inseparable. A child prodigy, he was invited on stage to play a tune at a Bill Monroe concert at the age of six, and a year later, he appeared on ...
(Vocals, b. 1952) Virginia-born Shelton earned a dozen chart-topping hits from 1987 via his blending of country, rock’n’roll and gospel strains, often covering well-chosen older material, like his second No. 1, ‘Life Turned Her That Way’. He won CMA Male Vocalist Of The Year in 1989. During the early 1990s he combined writing children’s books, ...
(Vocals, b. 1971) Born in Puerto Rico, Enrique Martin Morales, was a member of the Latin boy-band Menudo in the 1980s. As an actor he also enjoyed TV work in Mexico and America, notably as a singing bartender in General Hospital. Martin made his Spanish-language solo debut in 1991 and a string of albums like A Medio ...
Across the centuries and around the globe, many different forms of music have enjoyed mass appeal for a limited period of time. None, however, have been able to match the widespread influence of the popular music that erupted in America during the mid-1950s and, by the second half of the decade, was exerting its grip over ...
(Vocals, 1937–78) Greatly influenced by Elvis Presley, Bob Luman from Kilgore, Texas was a regular on the Louisiana Hayride. He recorded rockabilly for Imperial and appeared in the movie Carnival Rock (1957). His band, which included guitarist James Burton, left him to join Ricky Nelson, after which he adapted to a pop-rock style and scored ...
The undisputed queen of country rock, Emmylou Harris has long been both a student of traditional country music and a peerless innovator. Even now, some 30 years after she debuted with the tormented genius Gram Parsons, she is still the one others turn to for acceptance and support. Gram Parsons’ Influence Born in Birmingham, Alabama, on ...
(Vocals, 1941–2006) This University of Connecticut graduate was first recognized in the music business as a composer of hits for Ricky Nelson and Bobby Vee. As a performer, Pitney made a US Hot 100 debut with 1961’s ‘(I Wanna) Love My Life Away’ before climbing higher with two successive film title songs – ‘Town Without Pity’ and ‘The Man ...
Louisiana native James Burton (b. 1939) is one of several guitarists weaned on country music who parlayed his unique talent into session and tour work with rock musicians while maintaining his ties to the country community. Burton first achieved local fame as a backing musician on the popular ‘Louisiana Hayride’ radio show, which spotlighted a young Elvis and rivalled ‘The ...
(Vocal duo, 1958–61) The Memphis-born brothers Dorsey (1932–79) and Johnny (1934–64) were both successful amateur boxers and formed the Rock And Roll Trio c. 1953 with guitarist Paul Burlison. Their rockabilly, too wild for the time, was later regarded as seminal, and the Burnettes moved to California, where they began songwriting (Ricky Nelson scored hits with ...
The Eagles defined the sound of California in the 1970s and were its most successful exponents. The band formed out of the Los Angeles country rock scene in 1971 when guitarist Glenn Frey (born 6 November 1948), drummer Don Henley (born 22 July 1947), guitarist Bernie Leadon (born 19 July 1947) and bassist Randy Meisner (born 8 March 1946) were recruited ...
(Vocal group, 1952–60, 1972–present) Formed in 1952 in Cleveland, Ohio, this doo-wop outfit comprised Harvey Fuqua, Bobby Lester, Alexander ‘Pete’ Graves, Prentiss Barnes and guitarist Billy Johnson. Originally called The Crazy Sounds, they changed their name at Alan Freed’s suggestion. After several minor singles, they signed with Chess Records in 1954, ...
As the 1960s approached, the controversy associated with rock’n’roll was superseded by an array of inoffensive smoothies on both sides of the atlantic. However, the ongoing popularity of artists such as Elvis Presley, Bobby Darin, Ricky Nelson, Sam Cooke, and, in the UK, Lonnie Donegan, Billy Fury and Cliff Richard, ensured ...
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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
his life, music, art and movies, with a
sweep of incredible photographs.