(Vocals, b. 1935) A larger-than-life personality and hell raiser who in his younger days had a spectacular stage act, Ronnie Hawkins always attracted the finest musicians into his group, The Hawks. Ronnie was born in Huntsville, Arkansas, but settled in Canada where for more than 40 years he was a leading figure on the club circuit. ...
(Tenor saxophone, 1904–69) ‘Hawk’ played with Mamie Smith’s Jazz Hounds in 1922 before joining Fletcher Henderson’s band in New York. Louis Armstrong’s presence in the band had a major effect on Hawkins’ playing; by marrying a swing feel to his heavy tone, informed by his advanced understanding of harmony and chords, Hawkins became a star soloist and the ...
(Guitar, b. 1953) New York City native Ronald Horvath began playing in Boston blues clubs during the 1970s, and in 1980 replaced Duke Robillard in Roomful of Blues. After eight years with the band, he struck out on his own with the Broadcasters, which prominently showcased his passionate Magic Sam meets T-Bone Walker guitar style. One of ...
(Vocals, guitar, 1921–63) Harold Franklin Hawkins was born in Huntington, West Virginia, and is best remembered for the 1966 honky-tonk hit shuffle ‘Lonesome 7-7203’. He joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1955. His promising career was cut short when he was killed in the same 1963 plane crash that took the life of Patsy Cline and Cowboy ...
(Vocals, guitar, b. 1938) Delmar Hawkins was born in Goldmine, Louisiana, and is a cousin of Ronnie Hawkins. His biggest success came in 1957 with the self-penned ‘Suzie-Q’ on Checker which, like most of his rockabilly, reflected the strong blues influence in his music. Dale was the first white singer to appear at Harlem’s Apollo ...
(Vocals, piano, b. 1946) Blind since birth, Ronnie Milsap was a multi-instrumentalist by the age of 12. Working with Elvis Presley’s producer Chips Moman, he played piano and sang backing vocals on a Presley recording session, and in 1965 scored a Top 20 US R&B hit with ‘Never Had It So Good’. Milsap also worked in ...
(Vocals, 1929–2000) Ohio-born ex-Golden Gloves champion boxer Jalacy Hawkins evolved a stage show in which his props included a coffin and a skull, and although he never actually achieved any hit records, his larger-than-life stage show brought him great popularity. He also co-wrote ‘I Put A Spell On You’, a song which was a UK hit for Nina ...
Next to The Beatles, Bob Dylan was the most influential artist of his generation, writing and performing songs whose poetic, sometimes-abstract, often-philosophical lyrics of astute commentary and therapeutic introspection spoke to the masses during an era of social unrest, political upheaval and radical change. While cross-pollinating folk and country with electric rock, Dylan elevated the ...
(Guitar, vocals, 1939–88) Roy Buchanan’s use of harmonics and his melodic sense were incomparable. Raised on gospel and R&B, he performed with Johnny Otis, Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson and Ronnie Hawkins’ Hawks as a young man. A 1971 PBS documentary, The Best Unknown Guitarist In The World, together with adulation from the likes of John Lennon ...
(Vocal/instrumental group, 1964–76) 1968’s Music From Big Pink was, like most subsequent Band albums, a true blend of electric folklore nurtured over rough nights in Canadian palais with rock’n’roller Ronnie Hawkins before Robbie Robertson (guitar), Richard Manuel (piano, vocals), Rick Danko (bass), Garth Hudson (organ, saxophone) and Levon Helm (drums) landed a job backing Bob Dylan ...
The arrival of the rockabilly phenomenon in the mid-1950s can be traced back directly to the rise of Elvis Presley (1935–77) and there is no doubt that he was the dominant influence on most of the young country boys who followed him. The impact of Presley can never be overstated, but at the same time he did not materialize out ...
From its roots, country music has been associated with simplicity – in melody, in subject-matter and in instrumentation, and it is this that has perhaps ensured its longevity. However, all good musicians make their craft look simple, and the history of country music is packed with virtuosos, from the pioneering banjoist Earl Scruggs, through ...
Zither The zither is part of a group of instruments which are linked by the fact that sets of strings run parallel to their main body, and that – unlike the lute, lyre or harp – they can still be played even without a resonating device. In the concept’s least advanced state, native instruments exist which are little ...
In 1905, and probably for several decades before that, there were more pianos in the United States than there were bathtubs. In Europe, throughout the nineteenth century, piano sales increased at a greater rate than the population. English, French and German makers dispatched veritable armies of pianos to every corner of the Earth. It was the ...
The saxophone occupies an unusual position in that it is a bespoke instrument that has barely changed since its creation. Although it does not occupy the position in the orchestra its creator had envisaged, Adolphe Sax’s invention has played a central part in music ever since it burst on to the scene in the 1840s. Sax’s father, Charles, ...
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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.