Rock & Roll as a Cultural Phenomenon MUS290
Robert Johnson (1911-1938)
"Cross Road Blues" Johnson died at age 27 from poisoning in 1936 African Americans moved from the southern states to the north, Chicago in particular. Many more employment opportunities, and less racism than the south
Pete Seeger
Folk artist and social activist Both Guthrie and Seeger's careers were destroyed by McCarthy's communist witch hunt
AABA form, Bridge
Part that is meant to contrasting or interesting compared to the other parts
Pitch
The frequency (amount of vibrations per second), the notes you hear.
Melody
The main line of the song
Dick Clark
and American Bandstand
Chapter 9-10 refer to pdf
https://sakai.rutgers.edu/access/content/group/74e21ff6-8d6b-4451-b328-e4746fe913f5/Chapter%209-10.pdf
Berry Gordy and Motown Records
(b. 1929) *One of the most powerful forces in American music history *Motor and Town because of Detroit's history *Hitsville U.S.A was Motown's headquarters and recording studio in Detroit 1959-1967, studio was open 22hrs a day *Was an independent label until 1988 when Gordy sold Motown to MCA Records *Signed the groups: The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Commodores, Martha Reeves, Stevie Wonder *Berry Gordy, Smokey Robinson-songwriters for Motown *Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting team. Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland, and Eddie Holland. *The Funk Brothers: Motown recording session musicians who played on most Motown recordings 1959-1972 They're one of the most successful studio musicians in history The Funk Brothers played for: The Temptations, The Miracles, Martha and the Vandellas, The Marvelettes, Marvin Gaye, The Contours, The Jackson 5, the Four Tops, the Spinners, the Originals
Johnny Cash
Born in Arkansas, and son of a sharecropper More influenced by country than the other Sun Records artists, but still highly influenced by the blues Signed to Sun Records in 1955 His hit single "I Walk The Line" was released in 1956 Sold 90 million albums
John Lee Hooker (1912-2001)
Born in Delta region, moved to Detroit at age 1943 Worked odd jobs until he was discovered in 1948 "Boom Boom" B. B. King (1925-2015) One of the most popular musicians of the twentieth century. "Blues Boy" nickname shortened to B.B. Hits in the 1950-1970s
Folk Revival of the early 1960s: Bob Dylan (b. 1941)
Born in Minnesota Influenced by Hank Williams, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Richard, Woody Guthrie. Moved to NYC in 1960 and began singing songs about social protest
Carl Perkins (1932-1998)
Born in Tennessee Had a unique guitar technique Learned from an African American blues musician, JohnBorn in Tennessee Had a unique guitar technique Learned from an African American blues musician, John Westbrook Had a unique blend of bluegrass country with blues Signed to Sun Records in 1954 "Blue Suede Shoes" was a country, RnB, and Pop hit in 1955 Elvis covered "Blue Suede Shoes" an Perkins fame subsided
Leonard Cohen (b. 1934-2016
Canadian singer, songwriter, poet, novelist Anyways seen as an outsider-his music supports this Has had hits which never reached number one, but his songs were covered by many He has used many different forms of instrumentation
Little Richard
Helped popularize Boogie-Woogie, a bombastic left hand piano style "Tutti Frutti" was a major hit in 1955 He used makeup and outrageous outfits, which was the first in the industry Certainly one of the first true Rock & Roll artists, the other is Chuck Berry
Elvis Presley (1935-1977)
His music blended white country music, and African American rhythm and blues. This style has been called Rockabilly. Many artists and authors claim he is the epitome of cultural appropriation-stealing from Berry and L. Richard. Elvis grew up poor with a sharecropper father in a small house in Mississippi. He moved to Tennessee as a child. Elvis credits listening to B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, and John Lee Hooker as his major inspiration. Country icons Bill Monroe & Jimmie Rogers were equally important to Elvis. Elvis sang in churches similar to most of the blues musicians. Elvis was signed to Sun Records in 1953 but was unsuccessful recording him until 1954 when the recorded "Blue Moon of Kentucky". His first hits were on the country radio charts
The Monkees:
Musical quartet formed in Los Angeles in 1965 by Don Kirschner *Started as a TV show about a fake band who dreamed of the Beatles' fame *Inspired by the Beatles film A Hard Day's Night *Sitcom cancelled in 1968 but the band continued and the quartet took charge of music direction until 1971 when they broke up *Have sold more than 75 million albums *At their peak in 1967 they outsold the Beatles and Rolling Stones combined *Had hits "Last Train To Clarksville", "I'm A Believer", "Daydream Believer"
Jerry Lee Lewis (b. 1935)
Nicknamed "The Killer" in high school Like Elvis, he was signed to Sun Records Lewis had a similar Rockabilly sound as Elvis Also influenced by white country and Rhythm and Blues Born in Louisiana to a poor family Hit song "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" in 1956
The Temptations
Orignal Members: David Ruffin, Melvin Franklin, Paul Williams, Otis Williams, Eddie Hendricks *Very Important for the evolution of Soul and R&B. *Otis Williams is the surviving member *Emphasis on showmanship, clothes, choreography *All went through dance classes "My Girl", "Ain't To Proud To Beg, "Ball Of Confusion", "Cloud Nine", "Just My Imagination" *First Motown band to win a Grammy *#68 of Rolling Stone magazines list of the 100 Greatest Artists of all time *David Ruffin was replaced by Dennis Edwards and started the turnover in the singers
Chord
Three or more notes played at the same time
Stop Time
an accompaniment pattern interrupting, or stopping, the normal time and featuring regular accented attacks on the first beat of each or every other measure, alternating with silence or instrumental solos. Stop-time occasionally appears in ragtime music
Steppenwolf
is a Canadian-American rock group that was prominent from 1968 to 1972. The group was formed in late 1961 in Toronto by vocalist John Kay, keyboardist Goldy McJohn, and drummer Jerry Edmonton. Guitarist Michael Monarch and bassist Rushton Moreve were recruited by notices placed in Los Angeles-area record and musical instrument stores. The essential core of Steppenwolf was John Kay, Jerry Edmonton, and Goldy McJohn from The Sparrows (originally Jack London & the Sparrows from Oshawa, Ontario, Canada). Steppenwolf sold over 25 million records worldwide,releasing eight gold albums and 12 Billboard Hot 100 singles, of which six were top 40 hits, including three top 10 successes: "Born to Be Wild", written by Dennis Edmonton (using the stage name Mars Bonfire), "Magic Carpet Ride", and "Rock Me." Steppenwolf enjoyed worldwide success from 1968 to 1972, but clashing personalities led to the end of the core lineup. Today, frontman John Kay is the only original member, having served as lead singer since 1967.
Multi-tracking
Recording using multiple tracks
Harmony
two notes at the same time
Instrumentation
what instruments are playing
Led Zeppelin
were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist and keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. The band's heavy, guitar-driven sound, rooted in blues and psychedelia on their early albums, has earned them recognition as one of the progenitors of heavy metal, though their unique style drew from a wide variety of influences, including folk music. After changing their name from the New Yardbirds, Led Zeppelin signed a deal with Atlantic Records that afforded them considerable artistic freedom. Although the group was initially unpopular with critics, they achieved significant commercial success with albums such as Led Zeppelin (1969), Led Zeppelin II (1969), Led Zeppelin III (1970), Led Zeppelin IV (1971), Houses of the Holy (1973), and Physical Graffiti (1975). Their fourth album, which features the track "Stairway to Heaven", is among the most popular and influential works in rock music, and it helped to secure the group's popularity. Page wrote most of Led Zeppelin's music, particularly early in their career, while Plant generally supplied the lyrics. Jones' keyboard-based compositions later became central to the group's catalogue, which featured increasing experimentation. The latter half of their career saw a series of record-breaking tours that earned the group a reputation for excess and debauchery. Although they remained commercially and critically successful, their output and touring schedule were limited during the late 1970s, and the group disbanded following Bonham's death from alcohol-related asphyxia in 1980. In the decades that followed, the surviving members sporadically collaborated and participated in one-off Led Zeppelin reunions. The most successful of these was the 2007 Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert in London, with Jason Bonham taking his late father's place behind the drums. Led Zeppelin are widely considered one of the most successful, innovative, and influential rock groups in history. They are one of the best-selling music artists in the history of audio recording; various sources estimate the group's record sales at 200 to 300 million units worldwide. With RIAA-certified sales of 111.5 million units, they are the second-best-selling band in the US. Each of their nine studio albums placed in the top 10 of the Billboard album chart and six reached the number-one spot. They achieved eight consecutive UK number-one albums. Rolling Stone magazine described them as "the heaviest band of all time", "the biggest band of the Seventies", and "unquestionably one of the most enduring bands in rock history". They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995; the museum's biography of the band states that they were "as influential" during the 1970s as the Beatles were during the 1960s.
Jeff Beck
(born 24 June 1944) is an English rock guitarist. He is one of the three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds (the other two being Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page). Beck also formed The Jeff Beck Group and Beck, Bogert & Appice. Much of Beck's recorded output has been instrumental, with a focus on innovative sound, and his releases have spanned genres ranging from blues rock, hard rock, jazz fusion, and an additional blend of guitar-rock and electronica. Although he recorded two hit albums (in 1975 and 1976) as a solo act, Beck has not established or maintained the sustained commercial success of many of his contemporaries and bandmates. Beck appears on albums by Mick Jagger, Tina Turner, Morrissey, Jon Bon Jovi, Malcolm McLaren, Kate Bush, Roger Waters, Donovan, Stevie Wonder, Les Paul, Zucchero, Cyndi Lauper, Brian May, Stanley Clarke, Screaming Lord Sutch and ZZ Top. He was ranked fifth in Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and the magazine, upon whose cover Beck has appeared three times, has described him as "one of the most influential lead guitarists in rock". He is often called a "guitarist's guitarist" Beck has earned wide critical praise and received the Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance six times and Best Pop Instrumental Performance once. In 2014 he received the British Academy's Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music. Beck has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: as a member of the Yardbirds (1992) and as a solo artist (2009).
Willie Nelson
(born April 29, 1933) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger (1975) and Stardust (1978), made Nelson one of the most recognized artists in country music. He was one of the main figures of outlaw country, a subgenre of country music that developed in the late 1960s as a reaction to the conservative restrictions of the Nashville sound. Nelson has acted in over 30 films, co-authored several books, and has been involved in activism for the use of biofuels and the legalization of marijuana. Born during the Great Depression, and raised by his grandparents, Nelson wrote his first song at age seven and joined his first band at ten. During high school, he toured locally with the Bohemian Polka as their lead singer and guitar player. After graduating from high school in 1950, he joined the Air Force but was later discharged due to back problems. After his return, Nelson attended Baylor University for two years but dropped out because he was succeeding in music. During this time, he worked as a disc jockey in Texas radio stations and a singer in Honky-tonks. Nelson moved to Vancouver, Washington, where he wrote "Family Bible" and recorded the song "Lumberjack" in 1956. In 1958, he moved to Houston, Texas after signing a contract with D Records. He sang at the Esquire Ballroom weekly and he worked as a disk jockey. During that time, he wrote songs that would become country standards, including "Funny How Time Slips Away", "Hello Walls", "Pretty Paper", and "Crazy". In 1960 he moved to Nashville, Tennessee, and later signed a publishing contract with Pamper Music which allowed him to join Ray Price's band as a bassist. In 1962, he recorded his first album, ...And Then I Wrote. Due to this success, Nelson signed in 1964 with RCA Victor and joined the Grand Ole Opry the following year. After mid-chart hits in the late 1960s and the early 1970s, Nelson retired in 1972 and moved to Austin, Texas. The ongoing music scene of Austin motivated Nelson to return from retirement, performing frequently at the Armadillo World Headquarters. In 1973, after signing with Atlantic Records, Nelson turned to outlaw country, including albums such as Shotgun Willie and Phases and Stages. In 1975, he switched to Columbia Records, where he recorded the critically acclaimed album, Red Headed Stranger. The same year, he recorded another outlaw country album, Wanted! The Outlaws, along with Waylon Jennings, Jessi Colter, and Tompall Glaser. During the mid-1980s, while creating hit albums like Honeysuckle Rose and recording hit songs like "On the Road Again", "To All the Girls I've Loved Before", and "Pancho and Lefty", he joined the country supergroup The Highwaymen, along with fellow singers Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson.
Linda Ronstadt
(born July 15, 1946) is an American popular music singer. She has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three American Music Awards, two Academy of Country Music awards, an Emmy Award, and an ALMA Award, and many of her albums have been certified gold, platinum or multiplatinum in the United states and internationally. She has also earned nominations for a Tony Award and a Golden Globe award. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April 2014. On July 28, 2014, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts and Humanities. In total, she has released over 30 studio albums and 15 compilation or greatest hits albums. Ronstadt charted 38 Billboard Hot 100 singles, with 21 reaching the top 40, 10 in the top 10, three at number 2, and "You're No Good" at number 1. This success did not translate to the UK, with only her single "Blue Bayou" reaching the UK Top 40. Her duet with Aaron Neville, "Don't Know Much", peaked at number 2 in December 1989. In addition, she has charted 36 albums, 10 top-10 albums and three number 1 albums on the Billboard Pop Album Chart. Her autobiography, Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir, was published in September 2013. It debuted in the Top 10 on the New York Times Best Sellers List. Ronstadt has collaborated with artists in diverse genres, including Bette Midler, Billy Eckstine, Frank Zappa, Rosemary Clooney, Flaco Jiménez, Philip Glass, Warren Zevon, Emmylou Harris, Gram Parsons, Dolly Parton, Neil Young, Johnny Cash, and Nelson Riddle. She has lent her voice to over 120 albums and has sold more than 100 million records, making her one of the world's best-selling artists of all time. Christopher Loudon, of Jazz Times, wrote in 2004 that Ronstadt is "blessed with arguably the most sterling set of pipes of her generation." After completing her last live concert in late 2009, Ronstadt retired in 2011. She was diagnosed as having Parkinson's disease in December 2012, which left her unable to sing.
Smokey Robinson
) From Detroit *Singer, Songwriter, Producer, Record Executive *Original member of The Miracles *Motown vice president in 1972 *Tight circle of Detroit artists *Influenced by Doo Wop, early rock, and blues *Signed by Berry Gordy (Motown Records) in 1957 *Had written over 100 songs while in high school *Wrote 26 top forty hits from 1960-70 *Biggest songwriter for Motown Records before * Wrote: "Tears Of A Clown", "My Girl" & "Get Ready"
The Who
*Formed in UK (London) 1964, became internationally successful by 1968 * "I Can' Explain" UK hit in 1967 * "Pinball Wizard" US hit in 1969 *Mixed early Rock & Roll with jazz, R&B, contemporary pop *Roger Daltry, Pete Townshend, John Entwistle, Keith Moon *Sold over 100 million records *Known for destroying instruments on stage *Band split up in 1982, although continue to reunite sporadically *Use of synthesizer was innovative *Pete Townshend was innovative on guitar with his extended technique and power chords-perfect fifth *In 1979 11 fans were killed by being stampeded
The Rolling Stones
*UK band formed in London 1962 *Forefront of the counterculture of the 1960's *Named after Muddy Waters' song "Rollin' Stone" *Original members: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Ian Stewart, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts *Current members: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Ronnie Wood *Helped maintain the blues form popular with their influence *First #1 international hit was "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" in 1965 * "You Can't Always Get What You Want" & "Gimme Shelter" both international hits in 1969 *Many troubles with law enforcement which to support their outlaw reputation
Doo-Wop
African American's singing in harmony-precursors to Motown & Soul
The Roots of Blues
African roots which eventually lead to the creation of jazz, rhythm and blues, and rock-n-roll. Rhythm instruments were outlawed by slave owners because of their unifying power. Slaves used clapping and dancing to maintain rhythm. Polyrhythms 3 vs 4 Built upon call and response traditions from Africa used in the fields during slavery.
The Beach Boys
All California born members, lead by Brian Wilson and his father Murry Wilson Optimistic music with clean white attributes Signed to Capitol Records in 1962 Hit song "Surfin' USA" was stolen song of Chuck Berry's called "Sweet Little Sixteen" Made a surfing craze in 1963 Cars and California-rise of the hot rod "Pet Sounds" in 1966-changed recording techniques:
Joan Baez
American Folk Singer, Songwriter, and social activist Over 30 albums She sings many covers of tunes within the genre and other closely related genres Performed at Woodstock in 1969 Committed to social activism, human rights, and environmental consciousness
The Big Four Sun Arists
Elvis, Lewis, Perkins, Cash
The Supremes:
Formed in Detroit in 1959 *Most successful American vocal group with 12 number one singles on Billboard *Close to as big as the Beatles in the mid 1960s *Comprised of friends with The Temptations-grew up together in Detroit *Founding members: Diana Ross, Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, and Betty McGlown *Band was renamed in 1967 by Berry Gordy to Diana Ross & The Supremes *Diana Ross left the group in 1970 for her solo career *Baby Love", "Stop, In The Name Of Love", "You Keep Me Hangin' On", "My World Is Empty Without You"
Basic Blues Attributes:
Incorporated European 4/4 rhythms 12 bar format is most common, 12 bar blues Use of three chords-three or more notes played at the same time AAB form (A phrase repeated and the last phrase is a variation) Flat 3rd, 5th, 7th note of the European major scale Flat 5th is known as the "blue note" Earliest examples are a singer self accompanied with guitar - Robert Johnson
Chuck Berry (b. 1926-2017)
Sang gospel with his family He idolized the blues legends, Muddy Waters & Howlin' Wolf He incorporated country music with blues at a quicker tempo His first release went to number 5 in the Billboard charts Berry had many hits and is credited by many as theterm-25 creator of Rock & Roll
Simon & Garfunkel
Simon b. 1941, Art Garfunkel b. 1941) Folk Rock duo Reached #1 on charts all over the world in 1964 with "The Sound of Silence" Broke up in 1970 and have reunited a couple times Both grew up in Queens, NY
The Four Tops:
Started in 1960 in Detroit *Original members: Levi Stubbs, Abdul "Duke" Fakir, Renaldo "Obie" Benson & Lawrence Payton *All Original members until 1997 *Music Written by Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting and production team *Levi had a stroke in 2000, but recovered and continued to perform, he passed in 2008 *Same show presentation as The Temptations and other Motown acts *Added jazz standards to the repertoire
Muddy Waters
Style built upon Delta Blues. He moved to Chicago in 1943 and bough an electric guitar soon after. Signed to Chess Records in 1949 Water's style became known as Rhythm and Blues because of the driving rhythm Howlin' Wolf (1910-1976) Was also signed to Chess Records Wolf had a very gritty tone and deep intensity in performance
Dick Dale
Surfing and Music-Precursor to Heavy Metal with single note technique, most of Dale's music is instrumental
The Beatles
UK band formed in 1960 by Lennon when he was 16 *John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr *Influenced by early Rock n Roll, jazz, blues, folk music *Went through many styles: pop ballads, Indian music (Ravi Shankar), Psychedelic rock, hard rock. *Incorporated classical components including instrumentation *Producer: George Martin was highly influential-he was their orchestrator *First hit was "Love Me Do" in 1962 *Reached US success in 1964 *12 records in seven years: Please Please Me 1963, With The Beatles 1963, A Hard Day's Night 1964, Beatles for Sale 1964, Help 1965, Rubber Soul 1965, Revolver 1966, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 1967, The Beatles (White) 1968, Abbey Road 1969, Yellow Submarine 1969, Let It Be 1970 *Broke up in 1970 *Lennon killed in 1980, Harrison passed in 2001 *Best selling artists in history: More than 600 million units sold
The Drifters
Under The Boardwalk" 1964
Backlash
White racists attempted to overturn integration by appealing to the Supreme Court saying that Rock-n-Roll brought out "the animal instinct in modern teenagers
The Coasters
Yakety Yak
Black Sabbath
are an English rock band, formed in Birmingham in 1968, by guitarist and main songwriter Tony Iommi, bassist and main lyricist Geezer Butler, singer Ozzy Osbourne, and drummer Bill Ward. The band have since experienced multiple line-up changes, with guitarist Iommi being the only constant presence in the band through the years. Originally formed as a blues rock band, the group soon adopted the Black Sabbath moniker and began incorporating occult themes with horror-inspired lyrics and tuned-down guitars. Despite an association with these two themes, Black Sabbath also composed songs dealing with social instability, political corruption, the dangers of drug abuse and apocalyptic prophecies of the horrors of war. Osbourne's regular abuse of alcohol and other drugs led to his dismissal from the band in 1979. He was replaced by former Rainbow vocalist Ronnie James Dio. Following two albums with Dio, Black Sabbath endured countless personnel changes in the 1980s and 1990s that included vocalists Ian Gillan, Glenn Hughes, Ray Gillen and Tony Martin, as well as several drummers and bassists. In 1992, Iommi and Butler rejoined Dio and drummer Vinny Appice to record Dehumanizer. The original line-up reunited with Osbourne in 1997 and released a live album Reunion. Black Sabbath's 19th studio album, 13, which features all of the original members but Ward, was released in June 2013. Black Sabbath are often cited as pioneers of heavy metal music. The band helped define the genre with releases such as Black Sabbath (1970), Paranoid (1970) and Master of Reality (1971). They were ranked by MTV as the "Greatest Metal Band" of all time, and placed second in VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock" list. Rolling Stone magazine ranked them number 85 in their "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". They have sold over 70 million records worldwide. Black Sabbath were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. They have also won two Grammy Awards for Best Metal Performance.
Woody Guthrie
from Oklahoma American Folk artist and social activist Recorded for ethnomusicologistfrom Oklahoma American Folk artist and social activist Recorded for ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax in 1940 "This Land Is Your Land
Meter
fundamental timing of a song where it repeats a cycle (Ex: J Dilla)
Lynyrd Skynrd:
is an American rock band best known for popularizing the Southern rock genre during the 1970s. Originally formed in 1964 as "My Backyard" in Jacksonville, Florida, the band was also known by names such as The Noble Five and One Percent, before finally deciding on Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1969. The band gained worldwide recognition for its live performances and signature songs "Sweet Home Alabama" and "Free Bird". At the peak of their success, three members died in an airplane crash in 1977, putting an abrupt end to the band's most popular incarnation. The band has sold 28 million albums in the US. The surviving band members reformed in 1987 for a reunion tour with lead vocalist Johnny Van Zant, the younger brother of lead singer and founder Ronnie Van Zant. Lynyrd Skynyrd continues to tour and record with co-founder Gary Rossington, Johnny Van Zant, and guitarist Rickey Medlocke — who first wrote and recorded with the band from 1971 to 1972 (before his return to Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1996). Fellow founding member Larry Junstrom, along with '70s members Ed King and Artimus Pyle, remain active in music but no longer tour or record with the band. Drummer Michael Cartellone has recorded and toured with Lynyrd Skynyrd as its core drummer since 1999. Lynyrd Skynyrd was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 13, 2006.
Vamp
looping, taking a small section and playing it over and over again
Embellishment
making a somewhat plain melody more interesting
Backbeat
on beats 2 and 4, the snare drum cracking sound
Improvisation
playing a selection of notes from a scale
California Boom
post WW II Myth of California Wonderland
Chord Changes
progression of different chords in a song
Verse
same music different lyrics
Chorus
same music same lyrics
Tempo
speed on which the music is played
Timbre
tonal quality (Ex: brighter, darker, harsher, raspy, etc) (Ex: Janis Joplin, The Supremes)
The Band
was a Canadian-American roots rock group, originally consisting of Rick Danko (bass guitar, double bass, fiddle, vocals), Levon Helm (drums, mandolin, guitar, vocals), Garth Hudson (keyboards, saxophones, trumpet), Richard Manuel (piano, drums, vocals) and Robbie Robertson (guitar, percussion, vocals). The members of the Band first came together as they joined rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins's backing group, the Hawks, one by one between 1958 and 1963. In 1964, they separated from Hawkins, after which they toured and released a few singles as Levon and the Hawks and the Canadian Squires. The next year, Bob Dylan hired them for his U.S. tour in 1965 and world tour in 1966. Following the 1966 tour, the group moved with Dylan to Saugerties, New York, where they made the informal 1967 recordings that became The Basement Tapes, which forged the basis for their 1968 debut album, Music from Big Pink. Because they were always "the band" to various frontmen, Helm said the name "The Band" worked well when the group came into its own. The group began performing as the Band in 1968 and went on to release ten studio albums. Dylan continued to collaborate with the Band over the course of their career, including a joint 1974 tour.
Allman Brothers Band:
was an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1969 by brothers Duane Allman (slide guitar and lead guitar) and Gregg Allman (vocals, keyboards, songwriting), as well as Dickey Betts (lead guitar, vocals, songwriting), Berry Oakley (bass guitar), Butch Trucks (drums), and Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson (drums). While the band has been called the principal architects of southern rock, they also incorporate elements of blues, jazz, and country music, and their live shows have jam band-style improvisation and instrumentals. The group's first two studio releases stalled commercially, but their 1971 live release, At Fillmore East, represented an artistic and commercial breakthrough. The album features extended renderings of their songs "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed" and "Whipping Post", and is often considered among the best live albums ever made. Group leader Duane Allman was killed in a motorcycle accident later that year, and the band dedicated Eat a Peach (1972) in his memory, a dual studio/live album that cemented the band's popularity. Following the motorcycle death of bassist Berry Oakley later that year, the group recruited keyboardist Chuck Leavell and bassist Lamar Williams for 1973's Brothers and Sisters, which, combined with the hit single "Ramblin' Man", placed the group at the forefront of 1970s rock music. Internal turmoil overtook them soon after; the group dissolved in 1976, re-formed briefly at the end of the decade with additional personnel changes, and dissolved again in 1982. The band re-formed once more in 1989, releasing a string of new albums and touring heavily. A series of personnel changes in the late 1990s was capped by the departure of Betts. The group found stability during the 2000s with bassist Oteil Burbridge and guitarists Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks (the nephew of their drummer), and became renowned for their month-long string of shows at New York City's Beacon Theatre each spring. The band retired in 2014 with the departure of the aforementioned members. The band has been awarded eleven gold and five platinum albums, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. Rolling Stone ranked them 52nd on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time in 2004.
Jimi Hendrix: (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942 - September 18, 1970)
was an American rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential electric guitarists in the history of popular music, and one of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes him as "arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music". Born in Seattle, Washington, Hendrix began playing guitar at the age of 15. In 1961, he enlisted in the US Army and trained as a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne Division; he was granted an honorable discharge the following year. Soon afterward, he moved to Clarksville, Tennessee, and began playing gigs on the Chitlin' Circuit, earning a place in the Isley Brothers' backing band and later with Little Richard, with whom he continued to work through mid-1965. He then played with Curtis Knight and the Squires before moving to England in late 1966 after being discovered by Linda Keith, who in turn interested bassist Chas Chandler of the Animals in becoming his first manager. Within months, Hendrix had earned three UK top ten hits with the Jimi Hendrix Experience: "Hey Joe", "Purple Haze", and "The Wind Cries Mary". He achieved fame in the US after his performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, and in 1968 his third and final studio album, Electric Ladyland, reached number one in the US; it was Hendrix's most commercially successful release and his first and only number one album. The world's highest-paid performer, he headlined the Woodstock Festival in 1969 and the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970 before his accidental death from barbituate-related asphyxia on September 18, 1970, at the age of 27. Hendrix was inspired musically by American rock and roll and electric blues. He favored overdriven amplifiers with high volume and gain, and was instrumental in utilizing the previously undesirable sounds caused by guitar amplifier feedback. He helped to popularize the use of a wah-wah pedal in mainstream rock, and was the first artist to use stereophonic phasing effects in music recordings. Holly George-Warren of Rolling Stone commented: "Hendrix pioneered the use of the instrument as an electronic sound source. Players before him had experimented with feedback and distortion, but Hendrix turned those effects and others into a controlled, fluid vocabulary every bit as personal as the blues with which he began." Hendrix was the recipient of several music awards during his lifetime and posthumously. In 1967, readers of Melody Maker voted him the Pop Musician of the Year, and in 1968, Rolling Stone declared him the Performer of the Year. Disc and Music Echo honored him with the World Top Musician of 1969 and in 1970, Guitar Player named him the Rock Guitarist of the Year. The Jimi Hendrix Experience was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. Rolling Stone ranked the band's three studio albums, Are You Experienced, Axis: Bold as Love, and Electric Ladyland, among the 100 greatest albums of all time, and they ranked Hendrix as the greatest guitarist and the sixth greatest artist of all time.
Buffalo SpringField
was an American-Canadian rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966. Their original lineup included Stephen Stills (guitar, keyboards, vocals), Dewey Martin (drums, vocals), Bruce Palmer (electric bass), Richie Furay (guitar, vocals), and Neil Young (guitar, harmonica, piano, vocals). Pioneering the folk rock genre, Buffalo Springfield, along with the Byrds, combined elements of folk and country music with British invasion influences into their early works. Their second studio album, Buffalo Springfield Again, marked their progression to psychedelia and hard rock. With a name taken from a steamroller, the group signed to Atlantic Records in 1966 and released their debut single "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing" - a regional hit in Los Angeles. The following January, the group released the protest song they were most prominently known for, "For What It's Worth". After various drug-related arrests and line-up changes, the group decided to break up in 1968. *******Stephen Stills went on to form the folk rock supergroup Crosby, Stills & Nash with David Crosby of the Byrds and Graham Nash of the Hollies. Neil Young had launched his successful solo career and reunited with Stills in Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in 1969. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.
Cream
were a 1960s British rock supergroup power trio consisting of bassist/singer Jack Bruce, drummer Ginger Baker, and guitarist/singer Eric Clapton. The group's third album, Wheels of Fire (1968), was the world's first platinum-selling double album. The band is widely regarded as the world's first successful supergroup. In their career, they sold more than 15 million copies of their albums worldwide. Their music included songs based on traditional blues such as "Crossroads" and "Spoonful", and modern blues such as "Born Under a Bad Sign", as well as more eccentric songs such as "Strange Brew", "Tales of Brave Ulysses" and "Toad". The band's biggest hits are "I Feel Free" (UK, number 11), "Sunshine of Your Love" (US, number 5), "White Room" (US, number 6), "Crossroads" (US, number 28), and "Badge" (UK, number 18). The band made a significant impact on the popular music of the time, and, along with Jimi Hendrix and other notable guitarists and bands, popularized the use of the wah-wah pedal. They provided a heavy yet technically proficient musical theme that foreshadowed and influenced the emergence of British bands such as Led Zeppelin, The Jeff Beck Group, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath in the late 1960s and the early 1970s. The band's live performances influenced progressive rock acts such as Rush. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993. They were included in both Rolling Stone and VH1's lists of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time," at number 67 and 61 respectively. They were also ranked number 16 on VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock".
Eagles
were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1971 by Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Bernie Leadon, and Randy Meisner. With five number-one singles, six Grammy Awards, five American Music Awards, and six number one albums, the Eagles were one of the most successful musical acts of the 1970s. At the end of the 20th century, two of their albums, Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) and Hotel California, were ranked among the 20 best-selling albums in the United States according to the Recording Industry Association of America. Hotel California is ranked 37th in Rolling Stone's list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" and the band was ranked number 75 on the magazine's 2004 list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. The Eagles are one of the world's best-selling bands of all time, having sold more than 150 million records—100 million in the U.S. alone—including 42 million copies of Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) and 32 million copies of Hotel California. "Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)" was the best selling album of the 20th century in the U.S. They are the fifth-highest-selling music act and the highest-selling American band in U.S. history.
Byrds
were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole consistent member, until the group disbanded in 1973. Although they only managed to attain the huge commercial success of contemporaries like the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Rolling Stones for a short period (1965-66), the Byrds are today considered by critics to be one of the most influential bands of the 1960s.Initially, they pioneered the musical genre of folk rock, melding the influence of the Beatles and other British Invasion bands with contemporary and traditional folk music. As the 1960s progressed, the band was also influential in originating psychedelic rock, raga rock, and country rock. The band's signature blend of clear harmony singing and McGuinn's jangly twelve-string Rickenbacker guitar has continued to be influential on popular music up to the present day. Among the band's most enduring songs are their cover versions of Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" and Pete Seeger's "Turn! Turn! Turn! (to Everything There Is a Season)", along with the self-penned originals, "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better", "Eight Miles High", "So You Want to Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star", "Ballad of Easy Rider" and "Chestnut Mare". The original five-piece line-up of the Byrds consisted of Jim McGuinn (lead guitar, vocals), Gene Clark (tambourine, vocals), David Crosby (rhythm guitar, vocals), Chris Hillman (bass guitar, vocals), and Michael Clarke (drums). However, this version of the band was relatively short-lived and by early 1966, Clark had left due to problems associated with anxiety and his increasing isolation within the group. The Byrds continued as a quartet until late 1967, when Crosby and Clarke also departed the band. McGuinn and Hillman decided to recruit new members, including country rock pioneer Gram Parsons, but by late 1968, Hillman and Parsons had also exited the band. McGuinn, who by this time had changed his name to Roger after a flirtation with the Subud religion, elected to rebuild the band's membership and between 1968 and 1973, he helmed a new incarnation of the Byrds, featuring guitarist Clarence White among others. McGuinn disbanded the then current line-up in early 1973, to make way for a reunion of the original quintet. The Byrds' final album was released in March 1973, with the reunited group disbanding soon afterwards
