(Vocal/instrumental group, 1964–68, 1975–78) The unrelated Walkers, Scott Engel (vocals, bass), John Maus (vocals, guitar) and Gary Leeds (drums), sought their fortunes in Britain where ‘Love Her’ made the Top 20 in 1965. Then came bigger smashes with ‘Make It Easy On Yourself’, ‘My Ship Is Coming In’, ‘The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore’ and like ...
The first bluesman to record with an electric guitar, T-Bone Walker (1910–75) shaped the course of post-war blues, influencing everyone from B.B. King and Chuck Berry to Jimi Hendrix and beyond. B.B. King acknowledges that the first time he heard Walker, he knew he had to get an electric guitar, and Berry and Hendrix took ...
Aaron Thibeaux Walker was born in Linden, Texas on 28 May 1910, the only child of Rance and Movelia Walker. The family moved to Dallas in 1912 and as a pre-teen Walker would lead Blind Lemon Jefferson around the Dallas streets. He taught himself guitar and worked streets and functions until he toured with various travelling shows in the ...
Few groups made as powerful an impression on American blues music in the early 1970s as The Allman Brothers Band. Its blend of blues, jazz, rock and country elements was a predominant sound on nascent FM radio and influenced countless bands that followed in their wake. The Allman Brothers Band have endured tragedies, periods of obscurity and personnel ...
(Randy Brecker, trumpet, flugelhorn, b. 1945; Michael Brecker, tenor and soprano saxophone, EWI, 1949–2007) Philadelphia-born brothers Randy and Michael Brecker were already experienced players when they collaborated with drummer Billy Cobham in 1970 to form Dreams, one of the first groups to attempt combining elements of jazz and rock. In 1975 the siblings formed ...
(Guitar, vocals, b. 1949) A passionate, gospel-influenced singer, Walker came up in the 1960s on the San Francisco blues scene. In 1975 he began singing with the Spiritual Corinthians, remaining on the gospel circuit until 1985 when he formed his own band, the Boss Talkers. He recorded some strong albums during the 1980s for the ...
(Vocal/instrumental group, 1977–present) The Neville Brothers – Art (keyboards, vocals), Aaron (percussion, vocals), Charles (saxophone, vocals) and Cyril (percussion, vocals) – have been one of New Orleans’ foremost musical families since 1954. Art led Allen Toussaint’s house band (the Meters) from the late 1960s, before convening his brothers into a unit in 1976. They released ...
(Vocal duo, 1930s–40s) Contemporaries of the Delmores, Dixons and other brother acts, Homer (1912–2002) and Walter (1910–71) Callahan (professionally, Bill and Joe respectively) stood out with their duet yodelling and their fondness for bluesy themes. Starting out on radio in Asheville, North Carolina, in 1933, they recorded copiously through the 1930s, enjoying moderate ...
(Vocal duo, 1926–52) The sound of The Delmore Brothers – a humorous blues or a wistful train song, told to the rhythm of two mellow guitars – echoed through country music across three decades. Alton (1908–64) and Rabon (1916–52) were among the first stars of the microphone era, their voices linked in soft, confidential harmony fit for ...
(Vocal/instrumental group, 1934–50s) The Shelton Brothers (née Attlesey) were Texans who wavered between an old-time duet style and western swing. Joe (1909–83) played mandolin, Bob (1911–80) concentrated mostly on comedy (a third brother, Merle, played guitar). Originally teamed with Leon Chappelear as The Lone Star Cowboys, they went out on their own in 1934. Their swing ...
(Songwriter, vocals, 1918–2006) The sophisticated songs of Cindy Walker were particularly attractive to western-swing performers like Bob Wills, whose recordings helped establish her as one of the top songwriters in country music. From Mart, Texas, Walker also sang, recorded and appeared in films with Texas Jim Lewis. Over time, she concentrated solely on writing ...
Bill Monroe invented the ‘high, lonesome’ sound of bluegrass vocals, but The Stanley Brothers perfected it. Ralph and Carter Stanley refined those vocals into close, three-part harmonies that were unprecedented at the time and which have had a lasting influence ever since. If Bill Monroe And The Blue Grass Boys set the standard for bluegrass picking, The ...
(Vocal/instrumental duo, 1938–80) Boston became an unlikely hotbed of bluegrass and old-time music, thanks in large part to The Lilly Brothers – West Virginia’s Mitchell Burt ‘Bea’ Lilly (vocals, guitar, 1921–2005) and Charles Everett Lilly (vocals, mandolin, b. 1924). They moved there in 1952 and played at a city bar called the Hillbilly Ranch for ...
(Vocal/instrumental group, 1953–90s) The Osborne Brothers were well versed in traditional bluegrass but they made their biggest impact by experimenting with pop-country material and arrangements. Before they formed their partnership in Dayton, Ohio, in 1953, Bobby Osborne (vocals, mandolin, guitar, b. 1931) had apprenticed with The Stanley Brothers and Sonny Osborne (vocals, banjo ...
The Louvin Brothers followed in the footsteps of The Blue Sky Boys, one of the most influential close-harmony groups of the 1940s, and they paved the way for The Everly Brothers, kings of the 1950s and 1960s brother harmony duos. Though The Louvin Brothers’ commercial heyday was a relatively brief half-decade in the 1950s, their powerful, ...
AUTHORITATIVE
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...
CURATED
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.