CME

Atlantic Records / its founders, its significance, and artists associated with it

(Ahmet Ertegun, Jerry Wexler, Miriam & Herb Abramson, Tom Dowd) Argument: By the early 1950's, Atlantic was the most important R&B label in the country due to his talent roster that included Ruth Brown (Atlantic sometimes known as "the house that Ruth built"), Big Joe Turner, LaVern baker, Ray Charles, the Clovers, the Drifters and their ability to cross over to the pop charts by 1954. Songs such as the Chords "Sh'Boom", Baker's "Tra La La", and Joe Turner's "Shake, Rattle, and Roll" made a memorable imprint on rock n roll. Ertegun's brother, Nesuhi, created what woud become a distinguished jazz division. Their privileged position and their love of jazz and blues music gave them an advantage over entrepreneurs who entered the business solely as a commercial gambit because the Erteguns attracted outstanding talent. First star was Ruth Brown, who turned out eleven Top Ten R&B hits between 1949 and 1954, including "So Long", "Teardrops from My Eyes", "5-10-15 Hours", and "(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean" Big Joe Turner: six blockbuster R&B hits such as "Chains of Love", "Sweet Sixteen" and "Honey Hush."

Tin Pan Alley

1885 and sprung in the 1900s Argument: The "Tin Pan Alley Era" established the idea that the music industry could actually be an industry that saw a significant profit and had a significant impact on society Tin Pan Alley was based around selling sheet music. The whole point of plugging a song was to get as many people as possible to buy the sheet music and perform the music in any way they wanted to. White middle class mostly bought sheet music ASCAP: creating collection of performance royalties that we rely on today when pitching their music to venues and was collecting money from venues and record companies. "Coon songs" Jim Crow: Southern slave, "lazy", "happy to be a slave", justify mal-treatment Zip Coon: Northern free, "thinks he's educated", "intellectually incapable" --> justify maltreatment, "flamboyant" Music publishers congregated at 28th St Broadway because of the venues in the location Irving Berlin, Scott Joplin, George Gershwin Songs: Give my regards to Broadway- Cohan Yankee Doodle Boy- Cohan Created musical theatre There's no business like show business- Irving Berlin

Charity Rock/Live Aid/We are the World

970s, rock acts used philanthropy to host concert events; controversial: raised money, but felt exploitative Live Aid: the largest single event in human history, staged at Wembley Stadium in London and JFK Stadium in Philly on July 13th, 1985 It was broadcast and pretaped to 1.6 billion people Introduced mass culture to a variety of acts Celebrated: RnR was being used for active social value and change Criticized: small number of black and latino performers; trivialized issues it was raising $ for We Are the World: Michael Jackson & Quincy Jones benefit starvation in Ethiopia; all huge names in music Controversy: RnR became a platform for social change, however none of the artists experienced the hardships of the people they were performing for; benefited from it

David Bowie

Argument: Among the many musicians of the glam rock era, David Bowie had a considerable impact on this performance art and aesthetic. He encouraged new forms of self-expression through his androgynous and larger than life fashion choices. His appearance and performances promoted the message: "you can be whoever you want to be." Through David Bowie's approach to persona and performance, he provided people the courage to step outside of their comfort zones. Understood the relationship between audience and performer in actors terms Context: He originally could not break through into the music scene, so he knew that it would take out-worldly-ish personas to grab people's attention. It was ultimately his idea to combine both androgyny and alter egos that brought him success Although the Beatles (kind of) started persona-art, David Bowie established that it could be executed successfully by a solo artist → ALSO, he showed the artist reinvention through changing persona was possibly (not just artist image) Stage Persona - Ziggy Stardust Space Oddity - 1969 CONTEXT: GAY POWER MOVEMENT SPIKED IN 1970 Stonewall It had previously been "homophile movement" Other stage personas: Aladdin Zane, Thin White Duke, Ziggy The influence of his creative work does not just stop in the 1970s and the glam rock era. It is proven that Bowie has had a considerable effect on artists and audiences of then and today. People Influenced today/at the time: Mick Jagger, Queen, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Harry Styles , King Princess Bent masculinity Warhol, Mime, Oscar Wilde Announced bisexuality "Bisexuality in sound" Examples: The Man Who Sold The World, Bowie lay on a love-seat dressed in a satin pink and blue dress. His long, wavy red hair drapes over his face. More striking than the juxtaposition between the title of the album and his appearance on the cover is just his appearance alone. Overall: It is apparent that his peculiar method of image construction not only marked him as a leader to misfits, but to the entire glam rock scene. His fearlessness and high-value on individuality and shock value continue to shape artist image, artist marketing, and performance art.

American Bandstand and Dick Clark

Argument: Bandstand quickly became one of the most important promotional vehicles in the music industry. American Bandstand is an American music-performance and dance television program based in Philadelphia that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989, and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as the program's producer. It featured teenagers dancing to Top 40 music introduced by Clark at least one popular musical act—over the decades, running the gamut from Jerry Lee Lewis to Run-D.M.C.—would usually appear in person to lip-sync one of their latest singles. It was primarily responsible for promoting the new teen idols. Bob Horn, original host was arrested for drunk driving, needed a replacement, so the station asked Dick Clark, a news announcer there since 1952, to take over. Although Clark, "the perpetual teenager," was twenty-seven years old, he looked as young as teenagers who danced on the show, but carried himself more like a big brother. By 1957, the show had been picked up by ABC-TV for national broadcast and renamed American Bandstand. - "Within two years, it was being broadcast by 101 affiliates to an audience of 20 million.... "as the ballast to Alan Freed, representing cool, white rock as Freed was the avatar of hot black rock." "that over two-thirds of the people who've been initiated into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame had their television debuts on American Bandstand By the end of the decade, he was financially involved in thirty-three music-related corporations, including three record companies, a management firm, and a pressing plant. Dick Clark integrated American Bandstand BUT because of Dick Clark's private business handlings, promotion on Bandstand began to become biased. The show's nationwide following and top charting format allowed for it to become such an impactful marketing vehicle.

Berry Gordy

Argument: Berry Gordy is an influential music executive who found MoTown Records in the 1960s DETROIT, the largest black owned corporation in the U.S., who found a formula for how black artists could cross over into the pop charts and have a successful, consistent career. Part of the formula was artist development. Before this time, artist development had not been approached in the same way that MoTown approached it and could even be argued that it was the record label that first introduced it. They made their artists participate in charm school, where they learned how to present themselves in the most polished way possible as well as learn appropriate movements and choreography for television appearances Additionally, this polishing of their image made them less threatening and more commercial to audiences. In the 1960s, African American artists were just starting to gain a bit more access to the music industry, however, this was often only when they appealed to African American tropes. Berry Gordy, although still appealing to white audiences, had his artists do the opposite of trying to be like the negative stereotypes placed of african Americans, and instead sought to make his artists seem nonthreatening. Ex of this non-threatening behavior: non-sexual/polished dance moves, modest clothing, cohesive/polished clothing for groups, smooth/pop singing, teaching manners and eloquent speech at charm school. He also came up with a pop song formula, by keeping songs short and midtempo with compelling leads, rich gospel harmonies, strong rhythm and horn tracks, and the iconic bass lines of James Jamerson. Some artists: Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5, Smokey Robinson, Diana Ross Some Songs: "Baby Love", "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "ABC", "My Guy", "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" "Dancing In The Street" by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas inspired dance music, vamping on the I chord the entire song. Paid his musicians nothing Was inspired by Sam Cook Motown was crossing over so successfully on the pop charts that the "R&B/Race Music" charts went away

The Blues

Argument: Blues made the music industry realize the opportunity of recording black artists and this musical styling. First, one must understand that genres in popular music are more often marketing categories than musical distinctions, one is less surprised at just how arbitrary designations like blues and jazz can be. Record companies fostered distinctions between one genre and another to create a sense of diversity among what might otherwise have seemed homogeneous product, and because it was a mechanism that allowed them to more effectively target specific audiences. There are different types/ subgenres of the blues: Classic Blues: (also known as urban blues or vaudeville blues). "Classic blues was entertainment" Country Blues: "folklore," Intensely personal, highly improvised, and quite irregular in form. It was usually performed by a single male vocalist with guitar accompaniment Although the two styles were more interdependent than such an opposition would suggest. What makes it blues? eight- and sixteen-bar patterns, as well as the twelve-bar form that became the standard for classic blues. I-IV-V chord progression. Constructed so that each verse of the aab rhyme scheme leaves space for a vocal or instrumental response. Considerable room for improv, ^^^Blues foundation is the structure upon which a good deal of rhythm and blues and rock 'n' roll was built. 1920s: Recording companies "discovered" a significant African American market for classic blues recordings by black artists. The enterprising black producer and songwriter Perry Bradford convinced OKeh executives to let him record a black contralto named Mamie Smith. "Crazy Blues" sold 8,000 copies a week, mostly to black buyers, and the singer was propelled toward a level of stardom unprecedented among black female performers. The label remained the designation for black music by black artists for a black audience until 1949. The initial success of various blues recordings encouraged the formation of a handful of black-owned, independent labels such as Black Swan, Sunshine, Merritt, and Black Patti. Major labels, like Victor and Columbia also tried to participate in the untapped market.

Donna Summer/Giorgio Moroder

Argument: Both Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder are known amongst some of the most influential artists of the disco era. Summer: She is the most influential female vocalists of disco. Her song "I Feel Love" sent her to stardom. This song embodies many disco tropes, with a large instrumental beginning and breaks, synthesizers, and repetitive vocals. She created her aesthetic around sexual positivity by incorporating a 5 minute orgasm into her song "Love to Love You Baby". Summer's actually did this song with Giorgio Moroder. As disco began to fall, she moved into a mesh of pop and disco, creating other hits like "She Works Hard for the Money" and "Bad Girl", however, although she tried to stay relevant, after the disco era, she kind of fellout of fame. They created the first record to consider what implications the synthesizer could have on the human body Giorgio: Like Summer, Giorgio was responsible for establishing many disco tropes through his music and the impact it had on other artists at the time. He was a producer Dubbed "The Father of Disco" They worked specifically worked together on: "I Feel Love", "Love to Love You Baby",

Brian Eno

Argument: Brian Eno's production and focus on ambietic music gave way to a new subgenres, like New Age and Ambient House. Both of which would not have existed without Eno. Additionally, he relocated the essentials of minimalism in rock music and gave it enormous mainstream exposure. Brian Eno came inspired by the minimalist movement to create ambient music. When he was hospitalized after being hit by a taxi, he was gifted harp music. Listening to it in the hospital inspired the ambietic music. He defined the word ambient in popular consciousness as music which was as the color of the light or the sound of the rain. Or music that is as ignorable as it is interesting. At a time when music was harsh and fast, Eno gave it space and time for reflection. In the late 1970s, he directly influenced record companies to take note of new minimalist musicians in the UK and US. He worked with David Bowie and U2. He was born to non-musical, English, country-working parents. The environment in which he grew up—the quiet English setting—would later directly impact Eno's ambient music. Eno prefers to work under limitations rather than freedom because of his strict catholic education. He also grew up close to two US Air Force bases and would buy American music. He approached it from the "sound" itself. He went to Ipswich Art School and experimented there. At Winchester Art school Eno developed his ideas. His first public performance consisted of repeated notes or clusters of notes over and over on the piano. He felt from this that repetition became a form of change. He used to be a part of Roxy Music, a glam group. performed on TV with full makeup, feather boa, and shiny satin. Eno's synth was his trademark. But by 1973 he was bored with touring and wanted a change. Had he not been a part of Roxy music he would have been an art teacher. Innovations: In 1972 Eno and guitarist Robert Fripp recorded "the Heavenly Music Corporation" which was 21 minutes of looped guitar notes with an infinite repeat-delay effect. He brought minimalism to rock for the first time. David Bowie and Brian Eno collaborated on an LP. It was called Low (1977). A combination of Bowie's personality and Eno's ambiance. It introduced millions of young people to ambient music. RCA was worried about releasing the record though. Eno not only wanted music but something visual in 1978. The visuals would be paired with Music For Airports and literally shown in airports which were hectic places. He felt like people could be calmed by ambient experiences. Context: Eno used large tape loops to create rhythms and continuously playback sounds. The student of minimalism. Breaking things down to their essence. New Age and Ambient House music genres would not have existed without Eno.

The Brill Building

Argument: Brill Building was instrumental in turning out hits during the rock n roll era. It was the modern Tin Pan Alley of its time The Brill Building is an office building located at 1619 Broadway on 49th Street in the New York City borough of Manhattan, just north of Times Square and further uptown from the historic musical Tin Pan Alley neighborhood. It is famous for housing music industry offices and studios where some of the most popular American songs were written. It is considered to have been the center of the American music industry that dominated the pop charts in the early 1960s. Who were the writers that worked there? Carole King, Gerry Goffin, King, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, Greenfield and Sedaka, Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, and Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman Famous Songs: "Up on the Roof" for the Drifters, "Natural Woman" for Aretha Franklin, "Her Royal Majesty" for James Darren, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" for the Righteous Brothers the prevalence of male/female (usually husband and wife) writing teams suggested a level of influence exerted by women songwriters lacking in that earlier era. Even songs, written by women for women, were more holistic in their depiction of females. Ex: "Will You Still Love Me?" written mostly by Carole King, for the Shirelles. Notable Writers and Songs: Carole King and Jerry Goffin ("Will You Love Me Tomorrow" by The Shirelles), Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, and Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry Wrote songs for The Chiffons, The Cookies, The Crystals, and The Dixie Cups 1962 - 165 music business

Chuck Berry

Argument: Chuck Berry is the most influential artists of Rock n Roll The reason that Elvis is regarded as the "King of Rock n Roll" over Berry largely had to do with the fact that since Berry was African American, he was granted less access into the music scene, therefore, affecting the level and type of recognition he received. What did he do for the genre? The way that he played the guitar, like the type of riffs he played on it, became a huge trope within rock n roll. Additionally, his lyrics influenced the tropes presented within other songs of early R'n'R (cars, school, love, teen-life, etc.). He also made independent record labels, such as his label Chess, more successful because of hits such as "Maybelline" and "Johnny B. Goode" Elvis actually was influenced by Chuck Berry's unique stage presence. Berry created new ways of moving onstage, such as "the duck walk". His "duck walk" capitalized on the visual appeal of the electric guitar. Berry utilized a bit of twang when he sang in order to sound more white, in the hope of appealing to mainstream, white audiences. Still, Had an uncanny ability to relate R&B to white teen culture without disowning his roots, and that is another reason that he is so great. greatest rock n roll artist if it weren't for racism Was arrested for transporting a minor across state lines for immoral purposes In jail for two years then released a pop hit

R&B covers in the 1950s and in the 1980s

Argument: Cover of R&B songs by white artists were a common thing, especially during the 1950s. This practice showed that there was a significant lack of access for black artists in the pop industry; the music industry was trying to keep music segregated in the 1950s and 80s Willie Mae "Big Mama": Elvis "Don't be Cruel" and "Hound Dog" which catapulted him to success Little Richard "Tutti Frutti" : Pat Boone Fats Domino "Ain't That A Shame": Pat Boone (literally **** his pasty ass)

Commonalities between Hillbilly & Blues & Jazz

Argument: Despite being different genres, Blues, Hillbilly Music and Jazz largely were influenced by African American musical innovations and were created based off of the connection between the angst and pain of everyday life. Context: The music industry of the 1920s organized popular music into three categories: "race" (African American popular music) "hillbilly" (white working-class rural styles) "popular" (mainstream pop = produced by Tin Pan Alley). Early country music and blues had little differentiations between then. The artificial categorization was based solely on race rather than musical tendencies are what divided these two styles into different genres. Commonalities: All of these genres came from a similar origin of African American culture. Hillbilly/Country Music: comes from folk and utilizes the Blues Mode. These jazz modes are derived for African American Utilized less complex rhythms than Jazz Jazz: music utilities improvisation, syncopation Blues: music utilizes, slow and sad.

Elvis Presley

Argument: Despite having the title as "The King of Rock n' Roll, many of the innovations that he is credited for were appropriated from african americans. 149 Top Forty in Billboard He got signed to his record label on the basis of cultural appropriation: Sam Phillips of Sun Records said that if he could find a white boy who could sing the African American musicians were, then he could make millions. This ended up being true He clearly drew on African American performance styles, such as the way he moved his body on stage - It was very similar to Chuck Berry. He adopted the instrumentation of country music and was also driven by pop tendencies that were entirely consistent with Tin Pan Alley values. Took Western/Country and played it as R&B "Rockabilly" 1956 - Elvis performed Hound Dog, a song originally performed by Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton, who was never credited with inspiring Elvis's performance. People laughing At first, took his physicality and sex appeal as a joke - later played a huge role in what made him such a popular icon. This sex appeal has been a common stereotype of african american men, but he made it marketable because he was white. Sun Records sold him to RCA He charted 149 Top Forty hits on Billboard's Hot 100 and 92 long-playing records (LPs) on the album charts

Public Enemy and the Bomb Squad

Argument: Despite their trouble to initially breakthrough into the mainstream music scene, their lyrical eloquence influenced the topics that rappers began to rap about. Public Enemy along with Boogie Down Productions, and Stetsasonic, participated in "Self-Destruction," : the anthem of the "Stop the Violence" movement, which protests black-on-black crime. Historical Context: The emergence of this type of rap was aided by mega-events, such as Live Aid. Overall, these events had but progressive side effect on the music industry itself. Because these performances included a broad range of artists, the outlets that carried the performances helped undermine the segregationist logic of the industry's traditional formats, which were fragmented by class, race, age, and ethnicity. PE sought to advance black nationalism and Afrocentricity with tracks as compelling and technically advanced as they were controversial. On Nation of Millions, they positioned themselves among the great black leaders throughout history, including Malcolm X, MLK, and Nelson Mandela. Public Enemy also helped with the emergence of women in hip-hop, which had been stifled since the beginning of the genre. They helped bring Sister Souljah into the scene. It Takes a Nation of Millions helped position them towards stardom. Who did they influence then? A Tribe Called Quest, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Queen Latifah Who do they influence now? Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z The Bombsquad's contribution: They produced for Public Enemy, laying down the "hip=hop" sound of the 1980s. Powerful sounds. Deep bass The sound had been codified into the G-funk production style that emphasized slow beats underpinning lengthy samples of traditional late-1970s funk.

Frank Sinatra

Argument: Frank Sinatra was the first pop vocalist to engender hysteria among fans. Called the Sultan of Swoon According to legend, his 1942 appearance at the Paramount Theater with Benny Goodman unleashed a veritable teen frenzy. At his return engagement two years later, 25,000 screaming bobby-soxers blocked the street in what was referred to as the Columbus Day Riot. From 1943 to 1945, Sinatra was the top vocalist on NBC's Your Hit Parade. Sinatra used his power He was Sinatra was also unique among the pop vocalists of the day because he was socially engaged. He supported Roosevelt for president and spoke out against racial and religious intolerance When he was accused of having both communist and Mafia ties, his career faltered; it was revitalized by his Oscar-winning performance as Maggio in the 1954 film From Here to Eternity, a role he allegedly landed through Mafia influence. Sinatra's early success is perhaps the strongest indicator of the rise of the solo vocalist. Context: 1942 was the transition year from big bands fronted by singers, to vocalist's backed up by big bands. As rock 'n' roll historian Charlie Gillett has noted, "Records by the big bands dominated the best selling lists from 1937 to 1941. During this period band recordings accounted for twentynine of the forty-three records that sold over a million copies each." With the rise of the vocalists, however, the pop market was taken over by figures such as Bing Crosby, Dinah Shore, and Vaughn Monroe. Although a number of pop-sounding black vocal acts scored major hits in the pop market in the postwar era— Nat "King" Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, and the Mills Brothers. The rich tradition of heart-wrenching emotionality that had long been part of Italian popular song seemed quite well suited to American popular styles in the 1940s and 1950s.

MTV

Argument: From its start in the 1980s, MTV was responsible for prolonging the divide in music that was based on race. The channel was roundly trashed in the popular press for its racism, which People magazine summed up in one line: "On MTV's current roster of some 800 acts, 16 are black."20 all they would show is white rocker music videos Bowie confronted one of the employees of MTV in an interview about their lack of representation, stating, the only black artists that they ever showed was Prince, and it was not until the late hours in the night. Although they claimed that it was because of the rock audience that they were trying to appeal to, this still clearly caused a racial divide When RunDMC finally got out on the maps of MTV, it was because of the rock influences they added to their songs. Ex: "King of Rock" Historical context: MTV was created right at the tale-end of the punk vs. Glam vs. disco era. The release of Michael Jackson's thriller in 1983 was the first video by an African American artists to come on consistently, during daylight/primetime hours. This was a turning point for MTV

Sam Phillips and Sun Records

Argument: Helped bring R&B into the mainstream/white households, by utilizing Elivs' image. The person usually credited with this discovery is Sam Phillips, who founded Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1953. Quote he made: "If I could find a white man who had the Negro sound and the Negro feel, I could make a billion dollars." When he found Elvis after the Sun Records secretary recorded him, he knew that this would be the turning point. At first, many people actually believed that Elvis was black when they heard him. For a while, this made it hard for him to breakthrough at first, however, once he finally got showcased, he blew up All of his major artists were poor whites who had not only lived in constant contact with black people all their lives but had obviously absorbed a great deal of their culture." Phillips's strategy earned Sun Records a place in the history of rock 'n' roll, but it also begged the question of whether or not he was ripping-off blacks and racist. Jerry Lee Lewis

Hip-Hop -- The Three Founding Fathers

Argument: Hip-hops found Fathers, contributed greatly to the genre's worldwide takeover. Kool Herc Played live with a turntable. He began MC-ing over his music because he noticed that it brought up energy during the party. "Merry go round" was a technique he used to combine instrumentals from different records to create a lasting danceable beat. James' Brown "Give it up, turn it loose" live at the Apollo Incredible Bongo Band "Bongo Rock" Grandmaster Flash Invented "backspinning" "scratching" and "clock theory." He essentially took Kool Herc's ideas and made them more polished and slick. Afrika Bambaatta Expand's hip-hop's vision. His song "planet rock" kickstarts a whole host of genres. Electro-funk. He ascended to godfather status with "Planet Rock," the 1982 hip-hop classic that blended the beats of hip-hop with techno-pop futurism inspired by German pioneers Context: Not only did they put out some of the first hip-hop records, but their records were so influential that artists from even today are still using their sampling and rap techniques. Jay-Z "empire state of mind"

Jazz (Origins and Evolution of)

Argument: Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Jazz developed from roots in blues and ragtime. As jazz spread around the world, it drew on national, regional, and local musical cultures, influencing many different styles and the popular music of its time. Jazz is characterized by swing and blue notes, call and response vocals, polyrhythms and improvisation. New Orleans jazz: began in the early 1910s, combining earlier brass-band marches, French quadrilles, biguine, ragtime and blues with collective polyphonic improvisation. In the 1930s, heavily arranged dance-oriented swing big bands, Kansas City jazz: a hard-swinging, bluesy, improvisational style and Gypsy jazz (a style that emphasized musette waltzes) were the prominent styles. Bebop emerged in the 1940s, shifting jazz from danceable popular music toward a more challenging "musician's music" which was played at faster tempos and used more chord-based improvisation. Cool jazz: developed near the end of the 1940s, introducing calmer, smoother sounds and long, linear melodic lines. Free Jazz: The 1950s saw the emergence of free jazz, which explored playing without regular meter, beat and formal structures, and in the mid-1950s, hard bop emerged, which introduced influences from rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues, especially in the saxophone and piano playing. Modal jazz: developed in the late 1950s, using the mode, or musical scale, as the basis of musical structure and improvisation. Jazz-rock fusion: appeared in the late 1960s and early 1970s, combining jazz improvisation with rock music's rhythms, electric instruments, and the highly amplified stage sound. Smooth Jazz: In the early 1980s, a commercial form of jazz fusion called smooth jazz became successful, garnering significant radio airplay. Afro-Latin Jazz: Other styles and genres abound in the 2000s, such as Latin and Afro-Cuban jazz.

Leiber & Stoller

Argument: Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller were a songwriting duo who heavily influenced the popular music scene by writing many crossover hits during the 50s, creating a new form of "black pop" that would have an early influence on music in the 60s, creating a sound of soul. Their contributions to music were instrumental in shaping the RnR/R&B genre. Context: R&B covers by white artists were popular during this time. L&S appealed more to black audiences and wrote with them and their influences in mind. were American songwriting and recording producers Crossover hit: 'Hound Dog' sung by Big Mama Thornton Later covered by Elvis The Coasters: An American R&B/R&R group- 'Young Blood' 'Searchin' The Drifters: 'There Goes My Baby' Ben E. King "Stand By Me" Inspired Phil Spector who played guitar on their sessions two young white Jewish writers/producers sufficiently immersed in African American culture to achieve credibility. The productions of Leiber and Stoller were so elaborate—often involving dozens of takes, complex arrangements, and significant editing to achieve the desired effect They must be seen as the moment of transition from the innocence and pontaneity (and amateurishness) of classic doo wop to the calculated products of the producer as an artist in his own right. Leiber once observed, "The thing to remember is you're not writing a song but a record." This outlook separates the recordings of the early doo wop groups from the vocal harmony groups (chiefly, the "girl groups") of the 1960s Nowhere was the incorporation of Spanish Caribbean influences more integrated or better executed than in the work of writer/producers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller with the African American vocal harmony group the Drifters. History: Stoller became heavily involved with young, working class Mexican American hipsters known as pachucos, who were into cutting-edge r&b and current Spanish Caribbean styles. Leiber then added content to Latin musical influences when he teamed up with Phil Spector in 1960 to write "Spanish Harlem"—which provided vocalist Ben E. King with his first solo hit after leaving the Drifters. Because of their work with many different artists and with incorporating different influences into their music, they were able to create audience crossover, merging the two markets of the segregated music industry

Jim Crow -- the artist, the song, the legal era: 1830's

Argument: Jim Crow catapulted minstrelsy into the mainstream, making it the first form of popular music that was considered distinctly "American." The Artist Thomas Dartmouth Rice Rice took the characteristic, clothing, and bodily movements from an impoverished black man named "Cuff" to create Jim Crow The Character "Jim Crow" typified the contradictions that ran through minstrelsy: a slow-witted, lackadaisical plantation slave with great physical charisma and hidden wit This character also almost glorified slave owners and made them feel less guilty about having slaves because this character made them feel as though they were needed The Song: Forty-four verses in duration One verse found "Jim Crow" announcing, "I'm for freedom/An' for Union altogether/Aldough I'm a black man/De white is call'd my broder". This character and song not only gave him great success in the US, but parlayed his fame into a well-received yearlong tour of the British Isles, thereby introducing foreign audiences to the first form of popular music that was considered distinctly "American." The Legal Era: the Jim Crow stereotype proved persistent, becoming the unofficial name given to the legislation that was used to deprive African Americans of their civil rights. All of a sudden other immigrants who were discriminated against became labeled as white because of this boom in blackface, segregating the US as black and white.

Lee Abrams

Argument: Lee Abrams' incorporation of demographic targeting starting in Chicago further instilled racism and segregation within the airwaves that still exists today. - the idea of demographics with AOR The founder of A.O.R. in the 1980s (album oriented radio, which was essentially white rock for white males). Lee Abrams helped radio station increase their ratings. Superstars of rock 'n' roll format. Play music that is the favorite of adult white men. A.O.R. is the most conservative and segregated format in radio Women disappeared and so did black artists on radio stations. Context: In 1983 Urban contemporary stations and MTV playing new music contributed to a decline in A.O.R. Lee Abrams, under stress, created a new format called Superstars 83. It included, by the end of 1983, black cross over acts like Lionel Richie, Donna Summer, Prince, and Michael Jackson. The appearance of black artist on A.O.R. stations suggested some new developments in the music industry. However, his format had already done substantial damage by this time

Little Richard

Argument: Little Richard was essential in dissolving the barrier between white and black music, during the 1950s. He was one of the first African American Artists to bring in white audiences, specifically white teenagers. Although Pat Boone covered his song, "Tutti Frutti", singing the song in a more boring, polished, and frankly, white way, while also getting his version to chart #1 on pop radio, Little Richard was able to show that these white covers were losing their ability to out-do original records by black artists. Why was he successful? Much of his success came from the way he appealed to black archetypes. The archetype of Zip Coon became famous from American Minstrelsy. This character was a free African American from the North who was uneducated and humorous. Many would argue that Little Richard's flamboyant, loud energy fed into this archetype, and helped push him to the success he had. Before Little Richard, not many African American vocalists received the success and attention that he did. His success is particularly interesting, because it came at a time with Rock n Roll was starting to make its way into the mainstream. At this time, it was still unpopular among audiences, especially older white people. His ability to gain some access into the Rock scene is very admirable. Additional Facts: 1951 landed a recording contract with RCA Victor which failed to ignite his career Eye popping costumes, mascara Fashion influenced Elvis Quit music in 1958 to join the ministry

Louis Armstrong

Argument: Louis Armstrong was not just an incredibly talented Jazz musician, but a pioneer of popular music. He remains today still one of the most influential vocalists and composers of music. He is originally from New Orleans, which is basically the home of American Jazz. His involvement in many groups and growing up in the area heavily affected his artistry and life path to becoming a jazz musician. Not only did he establish himself as a solo artist, which was not common for jazz musicians, he established swing and uneven rhythm, the "American Singing voice" and a blues tonality (flat 3rd and 7th). He made vocal Improv famous, under the name scatt singing. Essentially, this is just playing the words with one's voice. His scatting can be heard in the song "Heebee Jeebies" How did he achieve success despite being black? Armstrong presented himself as non-threatening and non-sexual. Sadly, these are stereotypes that are frequently placed upon black men. His non-threatening nature helped him gain access to the jazz/popular music scene. "West End Blues" is among one of his most important songs, for its complicated melodic-al line and swung rhythm. Songs: "Cheek to Cheek" "La vie en Rose" "What A Wonderful World" Who did he collaborate with? Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday

Thriller

Argument: Michael Jackson and the incredible success of Thriller finally blew MTV's format argument out of the water. Jackson had already demonstrated his crossover appeal as a member of the Jackson 5 on Motown and as a solo artist on Epic.- Thriller had thirty seven weeks in 1983 and generated an unprecedented seven Top Ten singles. It accounted for a record twelve Grammy Awards in 1983. Thriller set so many records that a consideration of its artistic merit can easily get buried under its impressive statistics. Musically, Thriller was well well crafted. Its production was crisp and uncluttered, its dance grooves were positively infectious, and Jackson's vocals were flawless. On Thriller, Michael Jackson demonstrated the versatility that should have earned him the title King of Pop, but given the racial politics of fame, he could only capture it by crowning himself a decade later. It is important to note that Thriller was the first music video seen on MTV primetime by a black artist. MTV basically could not deny the success.

Michael Jackson

Argument: Michael Jackson was rightfully so deemed the King of Pop. It is not only his true genius songwriting and performance abilities, but his crossover potential and success during the 1980s that makes him the rightful owner of this term. He was able to catch the attention and appreciation of millions in a way never before seen by a black artist. First started off with the Jackson 5 at MoTown. His first Epic album, Off the Wall (1979), produced by Quincy Jones, sold multi-platinum, yielded four Top Ten singles, and signaled Jackson's shift from child star to grown-up dance-pop artist for whom disco was one point of reference among many. The incredible success of Thriller finally blew MTV's format argument out of the water. Jackson had already demonstrated his crossover appeal as a member of the Jackson 5 on Motown and as a solo artist on Epic.- Thriller had thirty seven weeks in 1983 and generated an unprecedented seven Top Ten singles. It accounted for a record twelve Grammy Awards in 1983. Thriller set so many records that a consideration of its artistic merit can easily get buried under its impressive statistics. Musically, Thriller was well well crafted. Its production was crisp and uncluttered, its dance grooves were positively infectious, and Jackson's vocals were flawless. On Thriller, Michael Jackson demonstrated the versatility that should have earned him the title King of Pop, but given the racial politics of fame, he could only capture it by crowning himself a decade later. It is important to note that Thriller was the first music video seen on MTV primetime by a black artist. MTV basically could not deny the success. Michael Jackson "Thriller" video forced mass media to accept popularity of black music BS had to threaten to pull their whole catalogue off MTV to get MTV to play Billie Jean

Minstrelsy -- origins, entrepreneurs, and famous songs

Argument: Minstrelsy was America's first form of popular music that was considered distinctly "American." Elements of minstrelsy can still be found in Today's music industry. Context: It wasn't until the appearance of Dan Emmett and the Virginia Minstrels in the early 1840s that the genre began to take shape as a self-contained ensemble performance of its own. By the postbellum period (1860s), minstrelsy had become so overpowering that even African Americans composed minstrel songs and joined minstrel troupes, complete with blackface performances. At that moment, minstrelsy offered black entertainers the most lucrative opportunity available to them; they may have felt that they had no better. Jim Crow and Zip Coon were the two main characters of minstrelsy Entrepreneurs: Dan Emmet and the Virginia Minstrels, Thomas Rice, Stephen Foster, George Washington Dixon Origins: Instrumentation consisted of strings such as violin and banjo for melody, and a rhythm section comprising the two "endmen" (a tambourine and bones or castanets). The banjo, an instrument derived from West African string instruments and strongly associated with black slave musicians in the North American & Caribbean colonies from the early 18th century forward, carried great symbolic weight as a primary icon of minstrel music's purported "African" tendencies, even as its use among white minstrel performers made it a more fully Americanized medium. Songs: "Oh! Susanna", "My Old Kentucky Home", "Old Uncle Ned"

Motown Records (and artists associated with it)

Argument: Motown was instrumental in the success of balck artists in the mainstream pop industry, by presenting non-threatening artists and utilizing a songwriting formula that appealed to the pop charts. o Motown Records was founded by Berry Gordy in the 1950s, and was a significant studio because it introduced the philosophy of creating, making, selling, in addition to starting artistic development. o Berry used songwriters and producers, like Smokey Robinson, then quality control with managing and booking, then choreography and etiquette in order to appeal to white markets. Motown success = black success · DETAILS: o Berry Gordy was a black middle-class jazz buff from Detroit who ran a small jazz record store in the mid 1950s o He founded Motown Records and launched Motown Empire during the civil rights movement infancy; the largest black-owned corporation in the United States until its 1988 purchase by MCA and other mergers o Simple drum beat + simple lyrics = Berry Gordy's formula; he evolved a production technique aimed at maximum crossover; he multi tracked compelling leads and rich gospel harmonies over strong rhythm and horn tracks and bass lines o Gordy appealed to black solidarity and pride to secure whatever protection and preferential treatment the few blacks with power in the industry could offer; he would shrewdly use race as one of the tools of his entrepreneurial ambitions; contracts were mean and restrictive; people wondered if Gordy was enabling black paternalism o Gordy went to hugely creative lengths to give his performers the opportunity to make it with white audiences; he adopted the Brill Building aesthetic that controversial issues had no place in Motown songs o Key Artists & Songs: § The Miracles - "Shop Around" § The Marvelettes - "Please Mr. Postman" § Marvin Gaye - "Pride and Joy" § Stevie Wonder - "Fingertips - Part 2" § The Supremes - "Baby Love," "Stop! In the Name of Love" · CONTEXT: o Motown developed in the context of the early civil rights movement, where assimilation into the mainstream of American life was desirable o The metaphor for the early civil rights era was upbeat black pop that was irresistibly danceable and threatening to no one- the Motown Sound, or "The Sound of Young America;" Motown illuminates both the nature and dilemmas of black entrepreneurial capitalism and the routine misrepresentation of the label's achievements and racial credentials. o The climate of the civil rights movement encouraged the success of Motown, but the company never became a voice for the cause; social commentary was found in the folk and jazz genres at this time

Phil Spector

Argument: Phil Spector was one of the most innovative music producers of the 20th century. He coined the phrase "the wall of sound"; this formula for popular music is essentially the idea of having multiple musicians play at the same time to create a fuller and more dynamic sound. With the 'Wrecking Crew' he was able to create the "Wall of Sound". Credited for creating the perfect marriage between R&B and tech. The songs were recorded live with several musicians playing at the same time, often the same lines to create a fuller sound. Often he would double a line with another instrument (a bass line with a piano, for example). The signal was sent to an echo chamber at Gold Star Studios and mic-ed back to the studio booth where it was recorded. Examples of wall of sound are Be my Baby, by the Ronettes, You Lost That Loving Feeling, by the Righteous Brothers and River Deep Mountain High, by Ike and Tina Turner. Exploited the possibility of studio recording to create an unusually dense orchestral aesthetic wrote, co-wrote, or produced records for acts such as the Ronettes and the Crystals, and later, John Lennon and George Harrison of the Beatles. While other companies issued multiple releases simultaneously, Spector labored over and thoroughly promoted only a few records per year. Spector did ever ounce of the work, except for playing instruments and singing on the tracks. He was very stingy and strict with being in control. Clearly his egotism gave the industry something special, but this is interesting to note. Treating his artists as one more element in the creation of a total sound, Spector's work encouraged the notion of girl group singers as interchangeable entities on the pop assembly line. Ex: He did not credit Darlene Love properly on songs, seeing her as a mere object or tool in his recordings. He credited her under group names, although she largely sang lead. This should that he had the tendency to submerge the noteworthy talents of these women singers beneath a consideration of their producers' overall sound.

Prince

Argument: Prince pioneered the late 1970s Minneapolis sound, a funk rock subgenre drawing from synth-pop and new wave. A guitar virtuoso known for his genre-crossing work, falsetto singing voice and flamboyant stage appearances, Prince is regarded as one of the greatest musicians of all time. His innovative music integrated a wide variety of styles, including funk, rock, R&B, new wave, soul, psychedelia, and pop. Warner Brothers refused to release more of Prince's music Prince rebelled against Warner Brothers and became "the artist formerly known as Prince"

Ragtime

Argument: Ragtime was a musical craze. Tin Pan Alley sounds often appealed to ragtime tropes that were incorporated into popular songs. Ragtime was significant because it was the first music that emerged from Black and middle class parliculture. (1895-1919) What was it? polyrhythms coming from African music. It was usually written in 2/4 or 4/4 time with a predominant left-hand pattern of bass notes on strong beats (beats 1 and 3) and chords on weak beats (beat 2 and 4) accompanying a syncopated melody in the right hand. According to some sources the name "ragtime" may come from the "ragged or syncopated rhythm" of the right hand. A rag written in 3/4 time is a "ragtime waltz." The rise of Tin Pan Alley paralleled the emergence of ragtime Ragtime began as a syncopated, African American music with structural ties to European marches. "the polymeric... approach of the African native forced into the simple 2/4 pattern of European marches." Began in conjunction with the dance the cakewalk which involved blacks imitating the grand entrance of whites to society balls Go to Irving Berlin It was a self conscious art form Songs: "The Entertainer", "Maple Leaf Rag", "Alexander's Ragtime Band" "Pineapple Rag" Context: Rags swung time and complex melodic lines went on to influence the jazz and blues genres that gained popularity in the coming decade of the 20s and 30s.

Madonna

Argument: She is one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, not only because she innovated the music scene in the 1980s, but from her achievements as a businesswoman as well. Artistry : She put herself at the forefront of female empowerment. Many dissed her, saying that she objectified herself by. She defended the practice on the basis that she was in control of her image, and critics and her audience have since claimed her as a progressive rock star. She challenged the traditional roles of men and women. One of the first women to speak up about her political views and apply them to her artistry. She turned the objectification of women in the 1980s on its head. Madonna combined good promotion, danceable material, engaging choreography, and visual appeal into just the kind of superstar package that the industry wanted. Between 84-87, she had twelve Top 10 hits in a row. Songs: "Holiday," "Borderline," "Lucky Star," "Like a virgin," and "Material Girl." Through her music, she has continued to push sexual expression to the limit of public acceptability and sometimes beyond. She also displayed the influence of gay subcultures in the song and video for "Vogue" that was based off of the NYC ball scene. Entrepreneurship : She created her own record label, Maverick. Many artists usually got deals to own and run their own label, but few were able to truly make an impact on the music industry as she did with her label. She found Alanis Morisette who went on to be alt-rocks most well-known female performer. Alanis Morisette sol around 14 million copies of Jagged Little Pill under Maverick. Madonna does not just slap her name to the ownership of the label. She has proven to be very involved with the record company as well as run her own career. Her discovery and guidance of Alanis is an example of that. Additional artists under Maverick: G-Eazy, Miley Cyrus, Lil Nas X, U2. The Weeknd

Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Argument: Sister Rosetta Thorpe pioneered the technique of creating a heavily distorted guitar sound. This sound has been utilized since the beginning of Rock. She attained popularity in the 1930s and 1940s with her gospel recordings, characterized by a unique mixture of spiritual lyrics and rhythmic accompaniment that was a precursor of rock and roll. One of her hits: "Rock Me She attained popularity in the 1930s and 1940s with her gospel recordings, characterized by a unique mixture of spiritual lyrics and rhythmic accompaniment that was a precursor of rock and roll. "the original soul sister" and "the Godmother of rock and roll" Her influence: Tharpe's 1944 release "Down by the Riverside" was selected for the National Recording Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress in 2004, which noted that it "captures her spirited guitar playing and unique vocal style, demonstrating clearly her influence on early rhythm-and-blues performers" and cited her influence on "many gospel, jazz, and rock artists" Context for why it took her so long to receive recognition, despite the claims that many have made about her great influence: Black A woman Queer Sang/played in more of a rock style that many were not familiar with and that did not seem very womanly

Big Band Jazz/ Swing

Argument: Swing/Big-Band Jazz revolutionized the already existing jazz genre. Not only did these sub-genres provide new tropes to jazz music, but integration and collaboration between black and white artists became more common with the rise of big band and swing. Louis Armstrong and Fletcher Henderson were both influential in the construction of these sub-genres. With these two subgenres: Swing/uneven time became frequently utilized, as well as a louder sound and more complex harmonic relationships between multiple instruments. Fletcher Henderson: is recognized inaugurating the "Big Band Era" The first African American musician to successfully combine performing, composing, and arranging His jazz orchestra at Roseland Ballroom grew to be 16 players. He made 100 recordings just between '23-'24, including "Cpenhagen," and "King Porter Stomp" defied all stereotypes of black performers Louis Armstrong: known for his influence with timing, vocal performance and jazz tonality. Louis' performances at theSavoy club allowed for both african american and white audiences to dance together, creating integrated enjoyment of entertainment for one of the first times. Big Band examples: Count Basie. Historical Context: The great depression was underway during the 1920s. The sound of the south traveled with those who migrated north, in hopes of economic prosperity

Beatles (The) detail 3 aspects of their success:

Argument: The Beatles were the most successful act of all time. Though their primary goal was to get a record on the charts. Their reign was essentially from 1962 (first single) to 1970. In the 6 months between Kennedy's assassination and the passage of the civil rights act of 1964, the Beatles were transforming music. The Beatles were from Liverpool. They were from the middle class but scrubbed clean and thrown into suits. They all had their own characteristics and were memorable (no band leader): Paul McCartney—bass guitar, cute George Harrison—solo guitar heartthrob Ring Starr—drums, cheeky and irresistible John Lennon—guitar and fearless Many people thought that the Beatles were overnight sensations but they were not. They came from playing small venues in England. They were like brothers and could play all their own music. Supporting Details (how and more of above) Brian Epstein was their manager. He made the Beatles famous. He heard about the Beatles from a customer in his parent's record shop. Because Brian was well-spoken and put together the Beatles trusted him. He dressed the Beatles up in suits and ties so they came across as clean-cut entertainers. George Martin was their producer and also the person who signed the Beatles to EMI (he was a comedy producer at the time). EMI's Abbey Road was the place for the Beatles. The Beatles loved the studio. That's where they experimented. It was a purposefully built studio. Used experimental mic placement and flanging (ADT) when feeding voice is doubled. Their first song "Love Me Do" (1962) went to #22 on the charts Their second song "Please Please Me" (1963) went to #1 in the UK. after this record, Brian Epstein decided to take the Beatles to the USA. Veejay Records (black record label) introduced the Beatles to the USA. In 1964 the Beatles arrived in NY while "I want to hold your hand" was #1 in the states. "Strawberry Fields" was a good example of an experimental piece for the Beatles. Lennon asked George martin to combine two different recorded sections despite being in two different keys. They pushed the boundaries of what was successful. In "A day in my life" abbey road's ambiophonics system was used to create a larger sound for the orchestral section. Also, Lennon's vocals were altered with STEED (send tape echo echo delay). They invented the music video. Revolutionized music on film with director Richard Lester. A Hard Day's Night. Context (deeper why, conditions + consequences) The Beatles were the best selling act of all time. Also more #1 hits (20). They had a phenomenon named after them: Beatlemania...a huge group of female fans. Hysteria. This occurred in country after country. They elevated rock songwriting. Lyrical wit influenced by Motown and tin pan alley. Lennon and McCartney were the primary songwriters in the Beatles. They established recording as a primary function of a musical artist. They married avant-garde recording and pop music. They experimented and took musical risks, especially in Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. After it's release it rose to #1 in the US and UK and remained in the album charts around the world for the next 3 years. Rolling Stone voted it the greatest album of all time in 2012. They established the idea of a pop act with an evolving aesthetic. The Beatles kept changing. The iron law of stardom which requires an act to change every 3 years to continue to be a star. The first public divorce of any band. They simply grew apart. In 1970 it was publically announced that the Beatles were breaking up.

The Bristol, Tennessee Sessions, the "Big Bang" of Country Music

Argument: The Bristol Sessions led to the rise of country music in the mainstream. Ralph Peer recorded both Jimmie Rodgers (folk) - popularized yodeling and the Carter Family (popular country) in the same session at a makeshift studio in Bristol, Tennessee, known as the Bristol sessions This momentous event could be described as the genesis of country music as we know it today With these sessions, it was now possible to introduce the world to the music of the Central U.S.

ASCAP vs BMI

Argument: The dispute between writers striking against the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers over music royalties, brought music once relegated to local audiences to national radio; this spurred the popularity of blues, country, and, ultimately, rock 'n' roll. they kept putting extra royalties on things so they would make money American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers: ASCAP is a performing rights organization founded by irving Berlin. They collect royalties, between copyright holders and parties who wish to use copyrighted works publicly in locations such as shopping and dining venues. What happened? they kept putting extra royalties on things so they would make money Broadcasters boycotted ASCAP catalogs 5$ a day royalty fee Then tried to double it and people went on strike NAB created BMI Broadcast Music Incorporated comes in and replaces them Publishers and broadcasters had been at odds ever since the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers' (ASCAP's) members made their first demand for a $5-a-day royalty fee in 1922, and radio formed the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) in reaction. Throughout the first two decades of radio broadcasting, the major publishers had complained about declining profits... all the way to the bank. when ASCAP mailed out a new contract that would have doubled its revenues when the existing contract expired on December 31, 1940. ASCAP's divide-and-conquer strategy did not work; instead, the broadcasters closed ranks. Some 256 stations raised close to $1.5 million to capitalize Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI), launched on October 13, 1939 broadcasters responded to ASCAP's demands by boycotting the entire ASCAP catalogue - BUT 1941, ASCAP music on the radio was replaced by authentic regional music and some international styles, supplemented by melodies in the public domain. Then ASCAP initiated investigation to see if BMI and radio had any secret connections / deals - NO EVIDENCE Then ASCAP had a senate bill introduced to prevent broadcasters from owning BMI stock Sinatra defended bill Bill died in committee even with 1200 pages of testimony !!! the Tin Pan Alley/Broadway/Hollywood monopoly on public taste was being successfully challenged by BMI writers like Huddie Ledbetter (Lead Belly), Hank Snow, Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup, Roy Brown, Ivory Joe Hunter, Hank Williams, Ernest Tubb, Johnny Otis, Fats Domino, and Wynonie Harris. DID THIS OPEN UP DOORS FOR BLACK ARTISTS TO BE HEARD ON THE RADIO? I would argue that it did, because it provided better access for not only black artists but country and R&B artists as a whole.

Def Jam

Argument: The record label, Def Jam, was instrumental in bringing forward hip-hop and its many artists into the mainstream music scene at the start of the 1980s DefJam was created by Rick Rubin in his NYU dorm. He was interested in NYC's growing hip-hop scene. He later began working with Russell Simmons who became the co-owner of DefJam. DefJam grew to supplant Sugar Hill as the key rap label of its day. Rubin brought his rock influences to many hip-hop tracks, which actually helped with the push of hip-hop into the mainstream. → Ex: Run-D.M.C.'s album Raising Hell (1986), for example— which went to number three on the charts and sold 3.5 million copies—was again put out by Profile, but was produced by Rubin. Their hard, boastful rhymes combined with rock influences helped bring rap to the attention of the mainstream audience. DefJams first major success was discovering LL Cool J. Def Jam would release records by many leading rap artists from the mid-1980s forward, and the shared sensibilities of Simmons and Rubin would play a major role in fostering rap's move toward crossover success on a large scale— even for music that wasn't released on Def Jam. Artists: Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Public Enemy Songs: "Rebel Without a Pause", "You Gotta Fight For Your Right to Party", "Rock the Bells", "Children's Story"

Breakbeats

Argument: The use of Breakbeats became essential in the creation of hip-hop. Its use in hip-hop then influenced the likings of many more genres. Beginning in 1973 and continuing through the late 1970s and early 1980s, hip hop turntablists, such as DJ Kool Herc began using several funk breaks in a row, using irregular drum patterns from songs such as James Brown's "Funky Drummer" and The Winstons' "Amen Brother", to form the rhythmic base for hip hop songs. DJ Kool Herc's breakbeat style involved playing the same record on two turntables and playing the break repeatedly, alternating between the two records. Grandmaster Flash perfected this idea with what he called the "quick-mix theory": he would mark the points on the record where the break began and ended with a crayon, so that he could easily replay the break by spinning the record and not touching the tone arm. This style was copied and improved upon by early hip hop DJs Afrika Bambaataa. Extremely popular in clubs and dancehalls because the extended breakbeat provided breakers with more opportunities to showcase their skills. In the 1970s, hip-hop was all about the break. Then, in the 1980s, the evolution of technology began to make sampling breaks easier and more affordable for DJs and producers, which helped nurture the commercialization of hip-hop. Through techniques such as pausing tapes and then recording the break, by the 1980s, technology allowed anybody with a tape recorder to find the breakbeat Context: At the beginning of hip-hop, it was all about the DJ playing and their skills. Breakbeast allowed DJ's to show off their skills in DJing and finding new music. It's influence: In the late-1980s, breakbeat became an essential feature of many genres of breaks music which became popular within the global dance music scene. DJs from a variety of genres work breaks tracks into their sets. Breakbeats are used in many hip hop, jungle/drum & bass and hardcore songs, and can also be heard in other music, from popular music to background music in car and clothing commercials on radio or TV. Today: With the advent of digital sampling and music editing on the computer, breakbeats have become much easier to create and use. Now, instead of cutting and splicing tape sections or constantly back-spinning two records at the same time, a computer program can be used to cut, paste, and loop breakbeats endlessly. Digital effects such as filters, reverb, reversing, time stretching and pitch shifting can be added to the beat, and even to individual sounds by themselves. Individual instruments from within a breakbeat can be sampled and combined with others, thereby creating wholly new breakbeat patterns.

Differences between European and African Music

Argument: There are many distinctions in European and African music. However, during the slave trade many slaves brought over from Africa brought their musical culture with them. Looking at popular music in America from the late 1800s to today, it is evident that popular music has been heavily influenced by the elements of African music more than European music really. European: Art is separated from everyday life (Artifact as a noun), audience watches, diatonic scale (half tone), standard/straight rhythm, tonal precision, fixed in notation, and rules for harmony African: Art is apart of everyday life and the community (Art as a verb), audience participates, micor-tonal, improvisation, slurs vibrato melisma, cluster tones, and syncopation/emphasis on the back beats Examples: Billie Holiday: Melisma Louis Armstrong: Improvisation and Swing (Modern Time) However, we also see Black artists taking on more European elements to appeal to a broader audience Example: Soul in the 70s based on African elements to switching to more straight tone and rhythm during the 80s era of music

Billie Holiday and "Strange Fruit"

Argument: Through her first performance of "Strange Fruit" she truly established the idea of a performer connecting with music/connecting with the art. John Hammond found Billie Holiday "Strange Fruit" became a top hit and was released in 1937. It is in my opinion that with this records success despite the push back it initially received from music execs that this song is the first great protest song. Because of its success despite the subject matter, this song has been regarded by many as the song of the century The song was highly regarded and the 1939 record sold a million copies, in time becoming Holiday's biggest-selling record. Written by a white, Jewish high school teacher from the Bronx and a member of the Communist Party, Abel Meeropol wrote it as a protest poem, exposing American racism, particularly the lynching of African Americans. This song was about lynchings in the south. I believe that the songs ability to hit the charts despite its taboo subject matter showed that there was an ability for change. Holiday approached her recording label, Columbia, about the song, but the company feared reaction by record retailers in the South, as well as negative reaction from affiliates of its co-owned radio network, CBS. Even John Hammond, Holiday's producer, refused. She turned to friend Milt Gabler, whose label, Commodore, produced alternative jazz. Holiday sang "Strange Fruit" for him a cappella, and moved him to tears. Her career spanned from 1929-the 40s Before this point, there had not been a protest song to receive more success Additionally Through her first performance of "Strange Fruit" she truly established the idea of a performer connecting with music/connecting with the art.

The Source

Argument: When there was not a single platform for hip-hop, the source became one of the first magazines to write about hip-hop music seriously. It gave opportunities of exposure to not only hip-hop as a whole but undiscovered artists as well. Founded in 1988. Started by David Mays, a Jewish Harvard University. He hired his 3 other friends who, too, became shareholders in the business. The magazine's offices were moved from Massachusetts to New York City in 1990, a move that was made with the intention to expand the magazine into a mainstream market publication. The world's longest running hip-hop periodical The Source is one of the few magazines that wrote seriously about hip-hop. The Village Voice, and Vibe also did so. Unsigned Hype is a column in the The Source devoted to identifying promising new rappers who do not have record deals. Many famous or successful rappers were once featured, including The Notorious B.I.G., Eminem, DMX, 50 Cent, Immortal Technique, Common (rapper)Common, Mobb Deep (appearing as Poetical Prophets), Bishop Lamont, Ya Boy, Joell Ortiz (rapper)Joell Ortiz, Lil Flip, Streetz & Young Deuces, DJ Shadow, Percee-P, Rasco, Proof, German Ramos, and Pitbull.

Malcolm Cecil, Boba Margouleff and TONTO:x

Argument: in the 1960's Cecil and Margouleff's invention of the TONTO changed the music scene. The TONTO was the synth they invented. It was the world's largest synth. It had polyphonic capabilities. Prior to the TONTO, synths were monophonic, meaning that harmonization was not possible. Stevie Wonder, the king of harmony himself, came to them, looking to create music with them, as he was very interested in this instrument's abilities. Wonder became known for his use of synths in music What was so different about the way Stevie Wonder's music incorporated the synth?: Synths were woven into the fabric of the music, as opposed to just being decorative sounds in the recording. We see a lot of wonder, cecil, and Margouleff's work using these synths has had an extreme impact on popular music, especially in R&B. For example, if you listen to 90s R&B, you will hear synth lines noticeably influenced by Wonder's music. Examples from Stevie: the entire album, Music of my Mind 90s song Examples: "My Love is Your love" Whitney Houston, "Melt Away" by Mariah Carey, "Brown Sugar" D'Angelo Current Examples: "Heartless" The Weeknd, "Sextasy" Swan Lee

Altamont/Gimme Shleter

Argument: the festival gone wrong that reflected the deterioration of political movements and served notice of the counterculture's impending demise. Some say the four months between Woodstock and Altamont seemed to signal that the apocalypse was approaching, and the violent events at Altamont only seemed to confirm that. After Altamont, antiwar activists and hippies were being attacked in the streets of NY by cops, the U.S. military bombed Cambodia illegally, and the repression of the antiwar movement would reach a pinnacle with the killing of student demonstrators at Kent State and Jackson State. Biker gang as security Rolling stones free concert Context and Prior To Altamont The Weathermen tore up Chicago's upscale Gold Coast in October On Nov. 15th, Pete Seeger led three-quarters of a million antiwar activists in a chorus of John Lennon's "Give Peace A Chance" Dec. 4th, Chicago police shot Black Panther Fred Hampton dead in his bed. Two days after this was Altamont Hell's Angels treated the area as a military stronghold, exuding an unnecessary amount of violence lead singer of Jefferson Airplane, Marty Balin, was punched in the face. Meredith Hunter, a black student, was stabbed multiple times by an Angel at Altamont and clubbed to death during a Rolling Stones performance. The When and Where: a concert originally slated for Golden Gate Park in San Francisco was shifted to Altamont speedway. A free concert that the Rolling Stones had planned as the climax to their 1969 U.S. tour promoting their Let It Bleed album. Was held in an area a fraction the size of Woodstock

Thomas Dorsey & Mahalia Jackson

Argument:Original pair of creative and business coming together in the blues genre. Both of them heavily influenced the gospel genre, along with making contributions to popular music as well. Dorsey is responsible for discovering and nurturing the career of the world's first gospel superstar, Mahalia Jackson. He discovered her at the age of seventeen. Together they ushered in what became known as the "Golden Age of Gospel Music". She had the perfect blend of Blues presence and spirituality to sing his new more emotive gospels. Mahalia's two biggest songs and future gospel standards "Precious Lord" and "Peace in the Valley" were composed by Dorsey. Thomas Doresey ("The Father of Gospel"): Argument: He was a gospel composer in the 50s. His work not only influenced African Americans and church goers, but also white, non-secular audiences. His song "Precious Lord" was recorded by Albertina Walker, Elvis Presley, Mahalia Jackson, Aretha Franklin, B. B. King, Clara Ward, Dorothy Norwood, Jim Reeves, Roy Rogers, Tennessee Ernie Ford, and Johnny Cash, among many others It was known to be MLK's favorite song. Mahalia Jackson even sang it at MLK's funeral. He has over 400 jazz and blues compositions. He was a great influence on not only local Chicago-based gospel artists, but the likes of Elvis, who utilized a black, soulful sound in most of his music. Elvis Presley's rendition of "Peace in the Valley" as delivered on his third appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, on January 6, 1957, was seen by approximately 54 million television viewers. With Elvis' help, the songs was able to be heard by millions. Additional songs: "Take My Hand Precious Lord", "Peace In the Valley" "Take My Hand, Precious Lord Mahalia Jackson ("The Mother of Gospel") She became one of the most influential gospel singers in the world and was heralded internationally as a singer and civil rights activist. She was described by entertainer Harry Belafonte as "the single most powerful black woman in the United States" In 1947, Jackson signed up with the Apollo label in 1948, recorded the William Herbert Brewster song "Move On Up a Little Higher", a recording so popular stores could not stock enough copies to meet demand, selling an astonishing eight million copies Became first gospel singer to perform at Carnegie hall Her leadership in civil rights: she literally used her voice to promote change and get people to listen: At the March on Washington in 1963, Jackson sang in front of 250,000 people "How I Got Over" and "I Been 'Buked and I Been Scorned"

Thomas Edison & Emile Berliner

Arguments: The invention of the phonograph by Edison and its reinvention as the gramophone reinvented the art of music and the industry, because now people could actually listen back to their music and changed the way music could be made. Context: culture was that you had a piano and you learned how to play it in order to entertain your guests, making sheet music the most lucrative part of the music industry at the time. (Edison) phonograph- the speaking phonograph company. This is what re-ignited the sparked, because now people could actually listen back to their music, but the poor sound quality of the wax cylinders was replaced by Berliner's gramophone. (Berliner) gramophone- American Gramophone Company. Mass recordings. Used discs for gramophone, as opposed to wax cylinders which were used before and hard to store. Context: a German immigrant and developed the flat recording disc who envisioned the contours of the modern music industry. These inventions led to the creation of the royalty system, he knew what this invention would lead to in the popular music industry. The tipping point in how we perceive music. Both men created record companies, so that they had artists to pull from. This is how the idea of signing artists was invented. All in all, these inventions did not just lead to a new way of consuming music; these inventions led to the foundations of what the music business is still based on today.

Irving Berlin

Became one of the most prolific songwriters of the twentieth century. Since he could play piano in only one key (F sharp), he compensated by using a piano with a moveable keyboard that could transpose into many other keys. Context: lived in extreme poverty on the Lower East Side, exposing him to a melting pot of different kinds of music coming from Jazz, Latin, Country, Blues, and Ragtime interests. He could play piano in only one key, using a piano with a moveable keyboard that could transpose into other keys. He founded ASCAP. Argument: If one had to choose a single artist who epitomized the Tin Pan Alley ethos, it would be Irving Berlin. He defines pop music. The father of songwriters, He wrote classics such as "God Bless America," "Puttin' on the Ritz", "Easter Parade", and "White Christmas", which has made Berlin a household name for generations. He realized that writing Christmas music was something he could make a profit off of as well as popular music people would enjoy. Until he was unseated by Paul McCartney, Berlin was easily the most successful songwriter in history. - Some take on a bit of the flavor of ragtime, of the blues, of country-western, Latin-American, or jazz. His appropriations of ragtime and jazz in particular speak volumes about the ways in which European "ethnic" Americans could find their way into the American mainstream by drawing on African American music and culture, using black racial difference to lay claim to a whiteness otherwise denied them. He founded ASCAP. His appropriations of ragtime and jazz in particular speak volumes about the ways in which European "ethnic" Americans could find their way into the American mainstream by drawing on African American music and culture.

Run DMC

Bridged hip-hop and hard rock, first rap superstars First to be offered a brand partnership (ADIDAS); popularized hip-hop fashion trends Included on MTV because put "rock" in song titles, overdubbed hard rock guitar in their songs Made rap accessible to white fans with cover of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way"; "Rock Box" Sound: stripped down with drum machine, electric guitar, tough/minimalist rap Clever with their delivery rather than early hip hop where they sounded like radio deejays Managed by Russell Wilson (Run's brother); 1st rap act with 2 videos on MTV; 1st involved in holdout Strike from Profile Records under advisement of Simmon; believed they weren't paid fairly

George Clinton / P- Funk

Clinton was the missing link between the 1960's focus on mind expansion and 1970's preoccupation of the body. Psychedelic guitars, costumes, and silliness appealed to a younger generation of blacks "P-Funk" represented the first black "cartoons" and black sci-fi through their costumes To funk what glam is to rock The Parliaments had the straight soul hit "I Want To Testify" in 1967 on Berry Gordy's label Clinton found his way to psychedelic drugs and music of the heavy rock scene Asserted a postmodern black aesthetic Funkadelic was infused with Hendrix guitar solos and P-Funk brought black styles back into rock Played down the guitars in favor of keyboards and the horns Emphasis on the one from James Brown Impressive sales figures at the height of the disco craze, 6 albums of P-Funk on the top 30

Corporatization

Corporatization of rock music in the 1970s Headline (who, what, where + why care) In the 1970s, Columbia, RCA, MCA, Capitol, and Atlantic/Warner;Elektra existed. Indie labels, however, from the 60s were squished to two in the 70s, just AM Records and Island records. Motown, Stax, Stlanitc, and Mercury from the 1960s were bought by the larger majors and other corporations.

Crossover

Crossover in the 1980s: Showed American audiences that black music was too popular to ignore. Early 80s showed little American music on the charts AOR (American Oriented Radio) started putting black crossover artists on radio The Commodores "Brick House" (#4/#5) southern accent, "Blackness", west African "Hello" (#1/#1) Europen (Lee Abrams) "Disco Duck" -> "Disco Sucks" Michael Jackson "Thriller" video forced mass media to accept popularity of black music

Appropriation -- Identifying it, defining it, measuring it:

Defining it: Appropriation is adopting elements of a culture that isn't one's own and then profiting off of it without giving credit to its origins. Argument: The problem with appropriation of culture comes down to equity. In the music industry, white people often have easier access than POC to opportunities because of their skin color. However, throughout the decades, they have borrowed parts of African American culture and integrated it into their art without giving credit. When their resulting creations are successful, they are the one's profiting and receiving credit, while the Black culture they stole from is not credited and does not receive the financial profit. Identifying it: When determining what cultural appropropriation is exactly one should look at research, respect, identity, and credit. Not Appropriation Example: Eminem is a white rapper, but he does not necessarily appropriate african american culture. Eminem grew up poor and gravitated towards hip-hop because of his tough upbringing. He is very transparent about his struggles and upbringing, and he does not try to rap or present himself in a way that appeals to african american/rapper stereotypes. Appropropriation Example: Iggy Azalea had a privileged upbringing in Australia. However, she raps about her "struggles" of growing up in Miami, puts on a blaccent, and wears her hair in cornrows. She denies accusations of appropriation and has continuously failed to give credit to Black culture and Black women for influencing her musical style and appearance. Example: Miley Cyrus Measuring it: There are levels to cultural appropriation: the Invader, the Tourist, the Interpreter, the Guest, the Participant.

Ambivalence

Definition: Co-existence within a person of both strong negative and positive feelings towards something or someone. Racial Ambivalence The idea that throughout American history many whites have held ambivalent attitudes towards Black people Slave masters were fascinated with the rhythm, dance, and music of their slaves and often asked them to play music for them Especially evident in the music industry since the days of minstrelsy White performers developed characters, caricatures of Black people Represented their fascination with the music and dance of black people At the same time represented their fear because they could only appreciate this music when it was being parodied as to diminish the true talent of Black people Stuck around as popular music develop and Black music continued to influence popular music Genres like Jazz, Blues, R&B were based on the foundation Black people however White artists had easier access to the mainstream in these genres When Black artists did access the mainstream is was often because they appeared "non-threatening" or held elements of minstrelsy (ex: Fats Domino and Little Richard) representing once again the fears of White people

Bessie Smith

Empress of the Blues Most popular blues singer of her era- 1920's Argument: Characteristics of Bessie Smith's vocal performance, such as the way she smooths over phrases and wails and belts out notes, are still common techniques used in today's age. It is no doubt that her vocal performance has influenced other popular music vocalists. Supporting Details: Other singers of Bessie's time, like Louis Armstrong embraced the type of raw and raspy sound that seemed to originate from Bessie's performances. The vocals belts heard today in contemporary music, from Ariana Grande to Adele, from R&B to country -- that style of singing is derived from the emotional, soulful, wailing singing the Bessie Smith became known for. Although she could not re-establish her career after the Great Depression, she is still known as one of the most successful singers of all time, garnering herself the title the "Empress of the Blues". Her singing: "combined the emotional fervor of country blues with the vigorous appeal" Saved Columbia from bankruptcy; "Alexander's Ragtime Band", 'Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do" Person of color and a woman showing power Fearful temper, "sang like the devil", during her tent show she chased off the KKK from intruding her show Allowed those audience members to feel a sense of pride, defined some of the power of colored people as well as early signs of feminism

Harvard Report

Essentially the harvard report gave columbia 3 recommendations to become more successful financially Acquire companies with rosters (STAX, PIR (philly international records) Internal A&R for soul/r&b music (black executives) Develop a soul music group (a division) or department for soul. But this was segregation and created an access issue for black artists. Re-segregation of record labels in the 1960s to 1970s. Context (deeper why, conditions + consequences) Rock and pop music in the late 1960s proved to be commercially successful so large corporations, whose businesses were not geared to the music industry, wanted in. They started buying everything they could to increase their market share.

Alan Lomax

Folk music curator Argument: He is one of the most pivotal figures in 20th century music, because he is essential in curating american folk music. Responsible for codification of folk music. Began work with his father, both academics, john, his dad, started a project collecting music untouched by mass media, aka folk, hillbilly, cowboy, and prison music for instance. Alan and dad introduced leadbelly and woody guthrie. When the Roosevelt administration came, he advanced work, and created a system where he could be taught in public schools. He had to leave for Europe in the 50s due to Mccarthyism. When he got to britain he created a skiffle radio show. That went on to inspire the beatles. He ignites Woody Guthrie who helps create Bob dylan. He started the first Newport folk festival. With John Hammond, he curated the first concert to celebrate african american culture. Folk music probably would not be a genre without him, and artists such as Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, and Woody guthery may have never seen the success they had without Lomax's work to collect folk music and establish it as a genre. He brought Folk music to the mainstream with the help of John Hammond, who helped him curate a folk music concert at Carnegie Hall. This elevated folk music to high culture. He was black listed because of his progressive political views that involved mccarthyism. However, Lomax can still be regarded as one of the most prominent figures in music history, as he collected work that abides as a priceless sonic chronicle of recondite beauty and historic weight, from work songs, ballads, playground rhymes, street ditties, folk tales and personal histories. These songs have made their way into popular culture. the collective output of which made him the prime mover of a truly popular music that eventually ignited a counterculture and remains in force today in the broad commercial field called Roots music: traditional blues, Americana, Bluegrass, and old time country. Lomax discovered and recorded more musicians, traveled more miles, got the most attention, and made greater claims for folk music's beauty and importance, than any other song collector Controversy: Lomax's 1993 memoir, The Land Where the Blues Began, presents some problems for informed readers Who did he record: recorded substantial folk and jazz musicians, including Woody Guthrie, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton and other jazz pioneers, and Big Bill Broonzy

Les Paul

He invented solid body electric guitar, overdubbing, and the 8-track recorder Argument: Les Paul was one of the most innovative sound recording engineers in recorded music history. Paul demonstrated that a record could be something much different than a direct representation of a performance. He used a key innovation, the solid body electric guitar, to achieve a level of tonal purity that made the instrument sound dramatically different from its acoustic counterpart. He filtered it through a range of effects that Paul created through his equally use mult. track recording techniques. A major breakthrough to a new sensibility concerning multiple track recording, heard to best advantage in the wave of successful records created by Les Paul starting With his '47 release "Lover" he layered eight tracks of his own guitar work, one on top of the next, by connecting two disc recording lathes together It could produce sounds that were physically impossible to create through more conventional means. With multiple tracks at their disposal, recording artists could let their audio imaginations run wild as never before. Following the example set by Paul and others, rock 'n' roll incorporated the capabilities of advanced recording technology into the creative process itself. R'n'R records consciously used the technical features of echo, editing, overdubbing, & multitracking to alter the reality of the performance. From this, rock ventured toward art and tech innovation in the 1960s. Les Paul heavily influenced artists such as Phil Spector, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys and the Beatles and George Martin.

Monterey Pop Festival

In 1967, a festival that became a non-profit, artist run event, Monterey was the first huge rock festival, and pointed the way for others, and confirmed the counterculture's commercialization when Janis Joplin is signed by Clive Davis at CBS at the festival and Reprise, a sector of Warner that is Frank Sinatra's label signed Jimi Hendrix and The Grateful Dead at the festival. It also provided a platform for its "anti-establishment" views. Monterey included an array of artists such as The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Animals, The Who, Simon and Garfunkel, and Otis Redding. Provided Otis Redding with crossover success Made Jimi Hendrix an icon because he took Pete Townshend's guitar-smashing routine to a whole new level.

CBGBs and the bands whose careers began there

In 1975, CBGB's was the heart of the New York rock underground, hosting the scene that would yield Patti Smith, Blondie, the Ramones, and the Talking Heads. Founded by Hilly Kristal The Ramones and Blondie made their debuts at CBGB

Folk Music and Civil Rights

Just talk about the artists of this era and how we discussed the political themes of the time in their work. Aretha Franklin, Nina Simone, Bob Dylan Talk about counterculture Then talk about the influence this had on music Ex: soul music's rise bc of the feeling civil rights brought about, jimi hendrix combo of the two "Mississippi ********" - Nina Simone Dylan Was proclaimed a leader of the civil rights movement through songs such as "Oxford Town" about racism in a Mississippi town, and "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" a story about the killing of a black woman Performed "Only a Pawn in Their Game" a song about the murder of civil rights leader Medgar Evers at the March on Washington where he stood next to MLK Pete Seeger in including African American artists on his album that soon made them voices of the civil rights movement

Tom Wilson

One of the first African Americans to be hired for A&R at Columbia. He added drums and electric backing to Simon and Garfunkel's acoustic " Sounds of Silence", shooting it up the charts and making him a part of the introduction of electric backing to folk music. In 1963, he took over Bob Dylan's project and signed an eclectic mix of artists such as Frank Zappa, the Mothers of Invention, and The Velvet Underground, which became the first "protopunk" record. flok

John Hammond

One of the first big musical entrepreneurs (30s): a talent scout in the jazz age starting in the 1920's. Argument: John Hammonds access from being a white male in the music industry gave him the opportunity to break-down racial barriers and garner black artists that he worked with more exposure. He bridged the gap between blakc and white musicians by giving black musicians a platform to expose their talents. Sacrificed his own privilege by giving poor, black jazz musicians the opportunity to record and get them on the radio as well as organized jam sessions where he paid his musicians out of pocket He talked a British label into recording his musicians Made sure they had theaters to play in He wrote for Melody Maker Wanted black musicians to have equity He was a progressive, but unaware of his privileges He was not involved with Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit" in 1939 - Context: came from wealth and lived in NYC. Dropped out of yale to write about music seriously. Moved to the village to pursue his appreciation for jazz musicians. Became a staunch civil rights activist, and an aficionado of African American music. In 1939, he became a full-time producer at Columbia; his years at the label spanned generations. Hammond was widely respected among African American musicians for his attempts to break down racial barriers, although he could also be heavy handed in his judgment about what counted as "authentic" black jazz. It was Hammond who convinced Benny Goodman to add Teddy Wilson to his band. He was clearly more attuned than most to the sounds that would eventually transform the character of popular music. Worked with British Label, Decca, to help find Jazz musicians Artists: Produced Bessie Smith, Jimmie Rodgers, The Carter Family, Bob Dylan, Billie Holiday, & Bruce Springstien; Recorded Louis Armstrong

Clive Davis

President of CBS Founded Arista records; responsible for RnR and folk rock becoming pop music Helps CBS records through law firm, goes to work in house at CBS/Columbia Columbia anti-rock n roll; Clive rises to presidency, converts to rock when Clive goes to Monterey American record producer, A&R executive and music industry executive From 1967 - 1973, president of Columbia Records. founder and president of Arista Records from 1975 - 2000 until J Records. Arista Records: Daft Punk, Grateful Dead, Marshmello, Billy Joel Signed Janis Joplin, Aerosmith, Whitney Houston Commissioned the Harvard report

R&B + C&W = R&R (the merits of this equation)

Rock 'n' Beat + Country and Western Argument: There is some truth to the formula but it suffers from a number of shortcomings that can easily distort the contributions of participating groups. In an age in which the virtues of multiculturalism challenge the limitations of a narrowly Eurocentric worldview, it is fashionable to focus self-righteously on the culturally diverse influences that gave birth to rock 'n' roll. Rock n Roll was very multicultural Unfortunately, the origins of rock 'n' roll are often described in a way that could be represented by an algebraic formula: r&b + c&w = r&r. "The limited focus on broad marketing categories, coded as black and white, avoids crucial issues of class, ethnicity, and gender and also ignores the influences that comprise rhythm and blues and country and western themselves, as well as other stylistic elements that exist outside these categories" EXAMPLE: In such a narrow formulation, Latinos, for example, can easily be erased from rock 'n' roll history, even though almost all descriptions of the music, mention Latin influences prominently. A final limitation of the algebraic formula: from it, one might infer that r&b and c&w contributed equally to the new genre. Such an inference invariably undervalues the African American contribution. With performers like Elvis sharing the stage with Chuck Berry, people thought "From 1955-1958, the roster of popular rock 'n' rollers was more racially equal than at any time before or since then" BUT, "Most of the first rock 'n' roll styles were variations on black forms that had taken shape before the white audience moved in." GIVES TO MUCH CREDIT FOR INTEGRATION WHEN THERE WAS STILL A LOT OF APPROPRIATION THAT HAD TO HAPPEN BEFORE BLACK ARTISTS WERE ACCEPTED INTO ROCK AND ROLL CULTURE THAT WHITE AUDIENCES FUELED

Glam (masculinity/ambiguity)

Sexuality, androgyny to mainstream, celebrated flamboyance, frivolity 1970s genre, David Bowie, Elton John, Prince; feminine outfits: platforms; elaborate costumes, stage Contrast to women being pushed into grittier role, continued breakdown of 1960s gender roles Straight men acting like gay men - many fans straight, embraced sexuality; glitter! Discuss Bowie, Kiss, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and the conditions of New York at that time and how this genre was reflective of it "Walk On The Wild Side" Lou Reed lyrics are a great example: "shaved her legs now he's a she" - "in the backroom she was everybody's darlin"

David Mancuso

Started The Loft Argument: David Mancuso is essentially the creator of the disco culture. Disco historians have pointed to the loft, a private dance party on 647 Broadway started in 1970 by DJ David Mancuso in his New York loft apartment as a founding moment for disco in the underground. Established a racially and sexually inclusive environment Early disco was a part of the continuing development of black dance movement Disco gave black artists their first international hits Forced to remain underground but popularized by creative disco djs such as Mancuso Capable of selling upward of 100,00 copies with no radio play Representing that disco was not just a fleeting underground party culture Go into disco Provided a safe space which led to Stonewall, etc.

Aretha Franklin

Stax Argument: Known as the "Queen of Soul," Aretha Franklin was a performer and recorded artist who transformed the industry by explicitly voicing black womanhood and African American female musicianship. Inspiring millions during 60s. Originally signed with Columbia but didn't find success, until working with Jerry Wexler and signing to Atlantic in 67 after working with him in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where she found her sound after one session with "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" later that year, "Respect" (originally by Otis Redding). Aretha and her team marketed their music to middle-class whites, but black audiences loved it too She projected a presence that embodied the slogan "black is beautiful;" her music was a celebration of expression, not anger. She used the piano to create high drama "When it is used most effectively, the melisma exudes sheer visceral power and can ignite existential catharsis "Remains one of the most critical figures to ever walk the pop landscape" o Aretha taught us about the preciousness of our emotions, inner worlds, and desires through her connection with music and performance She provided the soundtrack to the resistance that shook and transformed a nation. She grew up with gospel music but started singing easy jazz. Franklin sounded out the rhythmic interiors of modern black womanhood to the beat of history; she pioneered and innovated a kind of palpable musicality that called on listeners to respond to her immanent humanity and in consequence, discover their own She was so powerful and so successful that it caused the Grammy's to create the award for "Best Rhythm and Blues Recording" She was the first woman inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame First woman with the most million selling singles of any female. Context: o Civil Rights Movement was underway and 1965 was an important year with the march from Selma to Montgomery happening; Black Panther party was founded in 1966 o Themes of black pride and self-determination gradually started the call for integration while Motown's hegemony over black pop was challenged by R&B in the South between Atlantic, Stax in Memphis, and Fame in Muscle Shoals, AL o After MLK Jr. died, they stopped their studio session, it really affected them because "the dreamer died," he inspired this era of music so much; it was a turning point for black music BUT then funk started its rise

Duke Ellington

The Father of Harmony: Argument: Ellington introduced a new harmonic structure to Jazz, created a sound of Jazz called "Jungle Music" and Brought a Spanish tinge to Jazz. He composed dissonance and harmony in his music that was never heard before. Additionally, he had a way of voicing instruments. He envisioned parts for specific (or solos) players, rather than for the entire band. Conducted Four most colored jazz orchestras in America He was the first black composer/musician to receive a nationwide following CBS broadcast one of his performances, making him the first jazz musician who reached the largest audience and middle America. Moreover: Ellington's unique style incorporated everything from the exuberance of New Orleans to the sweet jazz of the white society orchestras. The growling trumpet solos of Bubber Miley provided Ellington's band with its fabled "jungle sound," Ellington's piano playing was influenced by the Harlem "stride" pianists. Above all, Ellington's talent as a composer and arranger won him widespread acclaim; His genius led him to create an orchestra style marked by rich and daring harmonies, by subtle contrastings of color and timbres, and by an ingenious handling of solo and ensemble relationships. Songs: Over the course of his career, he composed and/or arranged more than 2,000 songs, many of which live on as jazz classics, from "Black and Tan Fantasy", " "Satin Doll" , "Take the 'A' Train." , "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)

James Brown

The Godfather of Soul and The Undisputed Father of Funk who initiated the rise of funk and eliminated gospel from black music, creating "rhythm and blues without rules" and a new form of social freedom and social protest for black music, enjoying high success without sacrificing his black identity and incorporating famous tropes that identified the Funk genre. First crossover single "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" He wanted to be an all around business person, not just a performer; established his own imprint with King record label. Echoed cultural nationalism He created the famous trope of funk in which he focused emphasis on the first downbeat, creating tension that rolls downhill until it hits "the one" His approach to music was influenced by his ability to dance; Every dance movement in his performance was code in which he was directing the band Harnessed theatrics and raw emotional energy of the Church and transformed it into performance art. Ex: the cape performance in which he acts as though the force of funk is so overcoming that he collapses to the floor and has to be wrapped in a cape which is symbolic of when you are touched so strongly by the spirit of the Lord in church that you collapse He became a hero for his success without sacrificing his black identity His song "Say It Now", which includes the phrase "I'm black and I'm proud", employed the word "black" in a positive context when up until then, it was considered the improper term.

David Geffen

a business executive in the music industry, intensely loyal, arrogant, fearless Produced Broadway shows and films After dropping out of college he became an usher for CBS Worked in mailroom in talent agency, lied about having a college degree Signed Joni Mitchell Worked with Laura Nyro and sold their publishing company for 4 million to CBS records Started Asylum Records and Management company Geffen-Roberts Jackson Browne, Joni, Eagles Sold that in 1972 to Warner for 7 million Merged it with Warners Elektra labels Became one of Warners most profitable companies of all time A lot of sexuality struggles Diagnosed with bladder cancer Started Geffen Records Lennon, Elton, Nirvana, Guns n Roses Sold that in 1990 for 10 million shares of stock David Geffen Foundation fighting against AIDS Started Dreamworks How does David Geffen's story parallel the corporatization of the music business? His story parallels the corporatization of the music business. He didn't care about the music or the people, he just wanted to get rich - as seen by his hopping around companies and medias to whatever he thought would be the most profitable.

Bob Dylan

an artist who openly challenged the ongoing debate of whether folk was commercial or authentic and ultimately rendered it useless. Born into a middle class Jewish family listening to a 1950s mixture of rhythm and blues, c&w, rnr, and pop Inspired by Woody Guthrie and moved to New York where he began to write folk music Signed by John Hammond to Columbia in 1962 Was proclaimed a leader of the civil rights movement through songs such as "Oxford Town" about racism in a Mississippi town, and "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll" a story about the killing of a black woman Performed "Only a Pawn in Their Game" a song about the murder of civil rights leader Medgar Evers at the March on Washington where he stood next to MLK Was transforming popular music's lyrical content He incorporated electric backing at the Newport Folk Festival where he was booed off of the stage because it called into question his authenticity among folk purists, but it brought him a mass audience in the end Marked a turning point in the history of rock's relationship with the folk revival Folk offered an alternative to rock 'n' roll's lyric vacuity "Subterranean Homesick Blues", his first electric song, became his first Top 40 hit "Like A Rolling Stone" 1965

Nina Simone

black power Started as a pianist and had to sing to make money Occupied an important part of politics with her song "Mississippi ********" Her backlash blues predicted the reaction to it The tenor of the times: form, tone, lyrics, production style which influenced the musical capstone for black women in power during the Civil Rights Movement

Fats Domino

born New Orleans 1928 Argument: The artist image of Fats Domino Offered white audiences an "Easy first step" - he wasn't threatening - similar to the appeal of the Jim Crow character dating back to minstrelsy - started opening doors to white people accepting black artists Never a sex symbol or a musical iconoclast, Domino managed to transcend, to a great degree, the racism that cheated so many other African American artists. He didn't change his blues style to appeal to rock n roll In addition to his ability to break into mainstream music scene despite the industry's racist tendencies, he was innovative in combining country and rhythm and blues. Domino began recording for Imperial at Matassa's studio in 1949. His rock 'n' roll breakthrough came in 1955 when Pat Boone's version of "Ain't That a Shame" went to number one on the pop charts and Domino's original followed it to number ten. Domino quit school at eleven and began performing in his teens, first at his family's Sunday house parties and then graduating to clubs like the Hideaway, where he drew the attention of Dave Bartholomew and Lew Chudd, founder of the Los Angeles-based Imperial Records, who was in New Orleans looking for talent. From 1955-1963 - he charted 36 top 40 hits Never changed his style, was always an old time r&b artist, but he crossed over as a rock and roll artist

British Invasion (60s and 80s)

came at a time when America needed an elevation outside of America's own music culture due to the assassination of Kennedy and was the precursor to the Civils Rights Act being passed The Beatles came at the perfect time to capture the cultural life of a nation. British artists rejuvenated the music industry when by the end of the decade it had almost doubled its revenue Two dozen British groups appeared on the U.S. charts The Rolling Stones, The Animals, the Kinks, Cream, the Who British Invasion recalled the early enthusiasm of rock 'n' roll and pointed the way for numerous future developments in popular music as such as Sgt. Pepper The Byrds: Argument: The Byrds turned folk rock into a full-fledged genre. Formed in LA The Byrds drank heavily from the well of Dylan's creativity, recording rock versions of four of his songs on their first album. When the group's version of "Mr. Tambourine Man," the title song from their debut album, became a number one pop hit in 1965, folk rock became a "thing." And the Byrds had a number one folk-rock hit with his "Turn! Turn! Turn!" in 1965 Until the Byrds, the very notion of a group of folk singers strengthening their sound with rock devices was unthinkable. Folk was high-minded, pure and untouched by sordid commercial values. Rock was something you played for a quick buck. The most important thing the Byrds ever did was to recognize that rock could revitalize folk—with a finished product that was considerably more than the sum of its parts.32 Songs: "It Ain't Me Babe", "All I Really Want to Do,"

Joni Mitchell

captured the vulnerability that defined soft rock. Intricate melodies and instrumentation and elegant lyrics Explored the exquisite pain of her amorous ups and downs Judy Collins covered "Both Sides Now", giving her her first Top 10 hit Signed to Reprise records and soon switched to Asylum

Folk Rock

concocted by The Animals, but it was The Byrds in 1965 by recording a rock version of Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man" which charted number one who turned it into a full fledged genre. They evolved a self conscious sound based in a rock aesthetic. This was unthinkable, seeing as folk was supposed to be high minded, pure, and untouched by commercial values. The Byrds recognized that rock could revitalize folk, with a finished product that was considerably more than a sum of its parts. known as "thoughtful protest"; brought forth folk poetry and left wing politics. Ex: "Eve of Destruction" by Barry McGuire in 1965 Folk rock was transforming popular music's lyrical content be it about romantic relationships or social commentary with leaders in the genre such as Bob Dylan. Pivotal artists: Simon & Garfunkel, The Byrds, Bob Dylan, the Mamas and the Papas, the Lovin' Spoonful

Schlock rock & the Philadelphia labels

created to counteract the fear in rock n roll of no longer having a space for white-middle class values, themes, and images. Alternative to hard rock n roll in the 1950's Teen pop without talent Clean teen idols of the white middle class; "visual appeal was more important than musical ability" Epitome of what parents wanted Franky Avalon Valued by labels Chancellor, Cameo, and Parkway Rose from Philadelphia Argument: Schlock Rock rose in popularity as the new orientation for RnR because of its commercial value. The industry was realizing that music with no particular feel for the music's roots or subtleties could still turn out commercially viable approximations. This new reality brought forth a new generation of white, middle-class teen idols— Fabian, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell, and others—whose roots barely scratched the surface of pop. Schlock Rock basically curated their artists out of ANYONE Frankie Avalon's label reportedly worked with him for months, teaching them how to walk, talk, and act onstage, before making a first record. It was less about the art, and more about how much money could be made. Alternative to hard rock n roll in the 1950's Teen pop without talent Clean teen idols of the white middle class Epitome of what parents wanted Ex: Chancellor could turn Fabian, a sixteen-year-old high school student, into a star. As Marcucci said of Fabian: "He looks a little bit like both Presley and Ricky Nelson. I figured he was a natural. It's true that he couldn't sing. He knew it and I knew it." By the time the rest of the world found out, however, Fabian had racked up eight Top Forty hits. The labels that valued this came out of Philly These labels: Cameo, Parkway and Swan Songs: "Lonely Boy", "Turn Me Loose", and "Tall Paul"

The Who 1964

established as the first art rock band, combining image and art with rock English Rock band Blistering performance of "My Generation" representing the generation gap A part of the British Invasion Brought art into rock Leader, guitarist co founder Pete Townshed: applied what he learned about theater, poetry, and film into The Who's stage act DIY type of feel Experimented with noise and destroyed instruments and sound systems They had a distinct image of targets, metals, and badges Mastered the power chord

Jimmie Rodgers

first singular star out of the Hillbilly genre - represents white poor/blue collar - hillbilly Argument: Though he usually performed solo, Rodgers featured a broad range of players and instruments in his recordings, including ukuleles and pianos, as well as brass and the one instrument that became a defining characteristic of certain strains of country music —the steel guitar. He was inducted as an early influence into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. Rodgers's influence on country music was incalculable. Following his success, groups like Roy Hall's Blue Ridge Entertainers and Roy Acuff's Smoky Mountain Boys established the steel guitar as a staple in country music. Songs: "T for Texas/Blue Yodel No. 9" He thrived through recorded music Recorded within days of the Carter Family - both ends of the spectrum Represented classic "ramblin' man" Carter family couldn't get into the Pop industry - that's "where Jimmie came in". His folk influence probably helped. As a boy accompanying his father, a rail crew foreman, he learned the language and culture of the railroad men Joined a minstrel group - performed blackface Asked to come record Folk Blues in New Jersey Following his success, groups like Roy Hall's Blue Ridge Entertainers and Roy Acuff 's Smoky Mountain Boys followed, establishing the steel guitar as a staple in country music.

New Wave

genres splintered and blended, New Wave is the blending of punk, glam, and disco late 80s Post-punk, Acted as a sort of combo of vigor of punk and colorful glam and disco aesthetics Came out of second wave of punk rock artists with more in common to punk pop and art. The Police, Chrissie Hynde, Elvis Costello Elvis Costello bridged the gap between punk and new wave and embodied all the contradictions contained therein. more commercially viable than punk, like lighter side of 60s pop w/ electronics, danceable Complex production (use of synthesizers, effects on guitars, and electronic instruments) Broadcasted as Urban Contemporary, nameless music from different sources, hard to label as a genre

Ray Charles

he brought the gospel sound to R&B in the 50's; combined the blues and gospel, allowing him to assert his own voice and individuality, making him a pivotal figure in what soul is truly supposed to be about: affirming individual worth within the context of black collective identity and pride. "Celebration of music from the church, but lyrics about love and romance" Beginning of soul and Motown His concept became the backbone of black music for the next decade and a half. Hits: "Don't You Know", "Come Back Baby", and "Hallelujah, I Just Love Her So" He often mined the gospel repertory directly from new material: "Talkin' Bout Jesus" became "Talkin' Bout You"; "This Little Light of Mine" became "This Little Girl of Mine" Top Ten classic "What I'd Say" (1959) - culmination of the gospel blues style he had virtually created, complete with the evocation of an actually church service with moaning, groaning, and speaking in tongues but instead of a celebration of religion, a celebration of a profane love

George Gershwin

hit songwriter for Tin Pan Alley Argument: the most famous Tin Pan Alley writer to have the closest association with jazz. Thoroughly conversant with the European classics as well as with popular styles, he also had a genuine affinity for and personal interest in the music of African Americans. He sought to bridge the gap between art music and popular music. One of the earliest and most familiar fruits of this interest was his Rhapsody in Blue, written for "jazz band and piano. Gershwin's sensitivity to the subtle nuances of African American music led to the acceptance of his work among black as well as white audiences. His -Songs: "Summertime," originally written for the opera Porgy and Bess in 1935, quickly passed into the realm of a jazz classic, while "I Got Rhythm" from five years earlier became foundational to the subsequent evolution of jazz harmony. Yet Gershwin's identification with jazz was exceptional. Overall, Tin Pan Alley took a largely isolationist stance toward the music and especially toward its black practitioners. Gershwin sought to bridge the gap between art music and popular music

Heavy Metal

in the 1980's, was the dominant expression of youth culture and represented an absolute rejection of the peace and love ethos. Power expressed through sheer sound volume Known for the distinct "power chord" - a chord that is drenched in distortion and volume and held to maximum sustain Basis lied in blues-based rock and psychedelic music Iron Maiden, Def Leppord, Diamond Head, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath Fine tuned guitar playing coined the term "shred" Van Halen: successful commercially due to shorter, catchier songs, sophisticated drum techniques, and higher technical standards LA Metal New Wave: Motley Crue and Ratt Prompted bands such as Guns n Roses to relocate to LA MTV exposure led to increasing programming on radio "Headbangers Ball" was the most popular program on MTV Metal's massive expansion pressured it to be commercialized Lite Metal: Favored by MTV, programmed more on radio and was more inept to fill arenas Took subculture to mass culture Bon Jovi: mixed metal with romance Slayer: underground speed metal group Metallica: best known speed metal group Lite Metal helped female metal bands break through such as Heart and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts Was sexist and a very exclusively male dominated genre until the rise of lite metal, pinning women at metal shows as "groupies" Songs: "Livin' On A Prayer" and "Jump" and "Welcome To The Jungle"

Funk

known as rhythm and blues with no rules, a form of social protest and a new freedom for black music Go to James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone and how it was instrumental in black protest Early 1970's, funk was the new standard for black music. Earth, Wind, and Fire, the Funkadelics/George Clinton (see below)

Bing Crosby

launched solo career in 1931 Argument: Bing Crosby was the first multi-media star and one of the most successful vocalists of the 20th century. *talk about his life leading up to success of White Christmas* Received the first grammy Originally stepped in to the entertainment industry with minstrelsy Crosby began his singing career in 1926 as one of the Rhythm Boys in the Paul Whiteman band. In 1931, he launched his solo recording career and landed his first radio show. He recorded with everyone from Al Jolson and Louis Armstrong to Paul Whiteman and Duke Ellington. Crosby pioneered a style of singing called "crooning," a laid-back, more personal approach that allowed for greater vocal nuance and feelings of intimacy between artist and audience. Crooning was made possible when the microphone replaced the acoustic megaphone and singers no longer had to project their voices to the far reaches of a nightclub or concert hall to be heard. Inventing a new style of singing helped him make a name for himself His recording of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" from the 1942 film Holiday Inn sold more than 30 million copies and entered the pop charts eighteen years in a row and is one of the most well known songs of all time

Jimi Hendrix

redefined what the electric guitar could do by incorporating high volumes, feedback, and vibrato. known as the "acid purist." Played with influence of jazz, blues, and funk He started his musical career by backing Little Richard and The Isley Brothers. His music was perfect for a time when everyone was on LSD. He had four British top hits in 1967. He broke the American market through his famous performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in which he lit his guitar on fire onstage. Jimi was an African American artist who broke through to, and was adored by, a white audience.

Counterculture (1960s)

represented the progressive direction of music through the blend of culture and politics into its music, the rejection of a competitive, achievement-oriented society in favor of free-living, free-loving lifestyles and shared communities, and the mark of political and philosophical developments such as the mass availability of the birth control pill and the explicitly anti-war movements against the war in Vietnam. SECOND ARGUMENT: paved way for second counter culture of glam rock Context Unifying element of the widespread use of mind altering drugs "The power of psychedelics to release users from their inherited history and their cultural training Counter culture was appealing to an adolescent generation seeking a radical reconfiguration of the relation of their self to the world. A part of the 2nd wave of feminism and anticapitalism Introduced revolutionary artists such as The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix, and Jefferson Airplane Music was coined as "acid rock", efforts to reproduce psychedelic experiences through swirling posters and album cover art, light shows with colorful pulsating images that became an integral part of the music and its live setting. The When and The Where: The mid 1960's The Mecca was Haight Ashbury in San Francisco

Cominsky Park Riot

signified the end of disco (Altamont of disco) At height of the anti-Disco movement (1979) Chicago White Sox riot ("Disco Demolition Night," disco records burned on field, riot police called in) Deejay Steve Dahl told people to bring disco record between double header games to destroy them Racism and homophobia (Disco notorious for being musical style for gay community, blacks, latinos)

Otis Redding

singer/ songwriter who was a successful soul artist in appealing to the counterculture or "the white flower children", posed a threat to the dominating record company Motown, and "subverted previous notions of what a black performer could/should be." / known as the King of Soul and the heart and soul of Stax Style of singing gained inspiration from Gospel and his singing style influenced artists in the 1960's Started by backing Little Richard Influenced Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin "These Arms of Mine" 1962 Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 gave him maximum crossover Influenced by Southern soul such as Sam Cooke From memphis Sold the most records out of anyone in stax + sold the most records Had a "closer to the roots" sound that challenged Motown Songs such as "I've Been Loving You Too Long"; raw, basic, less-produced, and represented the anger in African American culture.

Carole King

songwriter whose hit song by The Shirelles "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" was one of the first songs to be written from a woman's perspective, initiating a feminine sexual freedom into the girl group era of the popular music scene in the 1960's. She did not appeal to societal norms: Carole King was neither consumed by politics nor driven to share the intimate details of her private life. And she never tried to become either "one of the boys" or a sex kitten. She seemed at home with herself—forthright, genuine, and content. Even though she defied society, her image was not about that, and it was not meant to be "in your face". She was just herself, and showed women that it was okay for them to be themselves. Wrote a song originally titled, "Tomorrow," and the Shirelles worked with King and recorded it (Scepter 1211). It was a masterpiece. After the first pressings of the single, no doubt due to deejays introducing it as "Will You Love Me Tomorrow," the title was changed. It rocketed to #1 in the nation, establishing both the Shirelles and Scepter Records. "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" was such a huge hit that the single broke internationally, making #4 in the UK. A group of aspiring musicians heard the flip side, "Boys," and added it to their repertoire, later recording it. Those who didn't know the song by 1963 were introduced to it by none other than the Beatles. Her work showed that there was a place for females in the music industry and that they had the power to successfully defy societal norms. Songs that see wrote had a large part to do with the success of Brill Building. This is important to note, because brill building was widely known as the Tin Pan Alley of the 60s, bringing some of the best hits in popular music. She did not need to "look like a movie star to get a record deal" "Tapestry" sang about women's issues, making her the most authentic of the crossover artists from the singer/songwriter movement, she sang and wrote conversationally. "Tapestry" ended up in nearly $5 million homes. She began her own solo career that was largely based around her songs regarding perseverance and female empowerment. Songs: "Beautiful', "I Feel The Earth Move", "Natural Woman" Production elements: naked sound, light R&B piano influence, soulful vocals that matched her raw songwriting.

Florence Greenberg

started Scepter Records formed in 1959 and Tiara (Wand) Greenburg was an American record label owner, music executive and a record producer. Argument: Despite the lack of recognition that Florence Greenburg receives, her work in the music industry shows that there was a space for women executives, and that women could also be successful in this industry. She was the first woman to own a major label. Greenberg was the founder and owner of Tiara Records and Scepter Records. She made her way from New Jersey housewife to a bad-ass music exec. She discovered the Shirelles through her daughter, who had seen them perform at a High School performance. The first song recorded and released on the Tiara Records label was "I Met Him On a Sunday" the Shirelles' talent show song that grabbed the attention of Greenberg in the first place. Worked with: Dionne Warwick, the Shirelles Chuck Jackson and others Songs: "Walk on By", "Twist and Shout", "I don't want to cry" Greenburg rarely gets a spotlight cast on her for the precedent she set and the goals she met. It can be proved that although there was at the time progress being made to include women in the industry during the 60s, since she is largely ignored in music history, there is still MUCH work to be done in achieving accurate and adequate representation for women and appreciation for the work they have done to innovate the music industry. Argument: Female Entrepreneur in the 1950's-70's who executive produced one of the first songs "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" by The Shirelles that was written and performed from the woman's perspective, introducing female sexual freedom into the popular music scene. The Shirelles Chuck Jackson: Gospel singer Tommy Hunt: R&B vocalist B.J Thomas - The Triumphs

Psychedelic Rock / Bay Area

subgenre of rock based on the use of hallucinogenic drugs During the counterculture of the 60's Woodstock Psychedelic music At the time of the Beatles, Janis Joplin Literally just talk about the counterculture

Woodstock

summed up an era of rock styles as it capped the counterculture and was the largest group of people ever assembled in one place, proving that half a million kids can get together and have three days of fun and music and nothing but. Took place in August 1969 on Max Yasgur's 600-acre farm in Bethel, New York Despite a solid financial base and considerable advanced planning, the festival was a prime example of Murphy's Law - everything that could possibly go wrong did so. Seven or eight times the expected audience showed up Organizers: Michael Lang and Artie Kornfeld Were forced to enterprise it a free festival, losing hundreds of thousands of dollars Spirit of cooperation infused the entire event, being the counterculture's finest hour Three accidental deaths, three births, and bad acid to be avoided was announced from the stage Only four female headliners, only 3 African American acts for three days of morning to evening performances

Ralph Peer

the father of country music" Argument: Ralph Peer going out of his way to record artists like Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter family, led him to become an instrumental figure in establishing country music. First field recorders Recorded Fiddlin' John Carson in Atlanta. Unimpressed with the songs, it was the record sales that convinced him of their value. First person to list the band as "Hill Billies", which soon became the generic term for commercial country music. He was a recording engineer and music publisher in the 1920s to the 1930s He is credited for recording what is often called the first country music. he recorded both Jimmie Rodgers and the Carter Family in the same session at a makeshift studio in Bristol, Tennessee, known as the Bristol sessions. He coined the term "race records" These sessions garnered him the title as "The Father of Country Music" Some songs he recorded: "Bury Me under the Weeping Willow" by the Carter Family, "Single Girl, Married Girl" by Jimmie Rodgers. ^^^^^^ (these terms are heavily related) ^^^^^^

Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club

the first concept LP (an album designed as a coherent whole, with each song segueing seamlessly into the next) and established a new plateau in record production. Epitomized all of of the creativity of the counterculture Built on earlier examples such as Beach Boys' Pet Sounds and Dylan's Blonde and Blonde Utilized special effects so sophisticated the music could not be performed live Connection between music and psychedelics Production represented an alternate way of life Demonstrated the commercial possibilities of the counterculture itself Innovations in songwriting, production and graphic design Bridged cultural divide between popular music and high art and reflected the interests of contemporary youth and the counterculture

Alan Freed

the most famous of all R&B deejays Argument: During the 1950's Rhythm Revolution, Alan Freed became one of the most famous R&B deejays of all time while hosting many popular radio shows at the start of music desegregation because airwaves could not be controlled. He helped magnify African American artists and styles at a time when this was not fully accepted. While Freed was initially turned off to country music/R&B because of his jazz background, he was convinced by Leo Mintz, a record store owner in Cleveland who sponsored WJW's Record Rendezvous program, to take on the job at an R&B radio show, 1951 Became iInternationally known for promoting of the blues, country, rhythm and blues music on the radio in the United States and Europe under the name of rock and roll. White teenagers began to gravitate towards an interest in R&B because of Freed. Freed claimed to have invented the term rock 'n' roll for music. His gravelly voice and colorful announcing style were well suited to his new material. His show was so popular that he ended up moving to NYC to work for WINS. this show ended up becoming the #1 most popular music station in the city He was breaking the law by hosting integrated concerts. His career was destroyed by the payola scandal that hit the broadcasting industry in the early 1960s. (he was getting paye

Stevie Wonder

was the first person to incorporate the synthesizer into the fabric of his music. A child star who was signed with Motown, he resigned after collaborating with Malcom Cecil and Bob Margouleff who created the TONTO, the first harmonizing synthesizer. Some of his famous tropes: Rhodes and synth bass Multi lined synths Synth lead lines Acoustic guitar that inspired 90's R&B Incorporated Latin Rhythms Used bass lines to reharmonize chords Incorporated the clavinet which took over 1970's music Synth vamps Harmonic tensions - makes complicated jazz chords sound normal

Jann Wenner / Rolling Stone

was the first publication "by rock n roll fans for rock n roll fans and was the first publication to take rock seriously, attracting the first generation of rock critics. Berkeley dropout and rock 'n' roll fanatic who found himself immersed in eruptions of mid-1960's San Francisco. After a few meetings he joined a group that was planning on making a counterculture magazine called Straight Arrow and shortly after a few meetings stole the groups mailing list to start Rolling Stone. Attracted a formidable first generation of writers including Michael Lydon, Jon Landau, Greil Marcus, Langdon Winner, and Jim Miller.

Wrecking Crew (The) & Gold Star Studios

without this group of musicians, we would not have most of the hit records we recognize today. loose group of musicians played for the Beach Boys, Sonny and Cher, Peggy Lee, Nat King Cole and worked with Phil Spector musicians behind so many hit records Ex: Carole Kaye (bass), Tommy Tedesco (guitar), Hal Blaine (drums), Steve Douglas (sax), Ray Palman (bass) Not credited enough in music history Multi-faceted musicians Clicked well Played for so many different people with so many different sounds Argument: The Wrecking Crew were the musicians who played for Phil Spector at his Gold Star studios. They were influential, not only because they collaborated with an impressive roster of artists, but because they helped in the creation of the production practice known as "The Wall of Sound" Often times, they are not credited properly for their work on many hit records, because phil spector took most of the credit. What did they work on/with who?: "He's A Rebel" The Crystals, "I Get Around" The Beach Boys, "Mr. Tambourine Man" The Byrds, Sonny & Cher, The Righteous Bros. Multi-faceted musicians, many trained professionally in jazz and or classical Clicked well Played for so many different people with so many different sounds ** Talk about what the wall of sound is and how it helped shape popular music/music advancement. Despite their lack of recognition, one cannot deny that the Wrecking Crew made significant contributions to popular music through their playing skills/participation in the creation of the wall of sound.