Tracy Chapman’s angry and touching self titled debut album quickly climbed to No. 1 on the pop music charts in 1988, catapulting the 24-year-old folkie to international fame and celebrity. Chapman’s powerful narratives, sparsely arranged music, and smoky contralto were a revelation — both a throwback to the protest music of the civil rights era […]

Tim Buckley regarded his voice as an instrument, incorporating jazz, psychedelia and soul into his avant-folk sound. Buckley had a tragically brief career spanning the late 60s and early 70s. His 1970 album Starsailor is considered a lasting document of his immense talent. In 1969 Buckley began work on three albums simultaneously: the abstract Lorca; […]

The Weavers were an influential American folk group based in New York City who sang traditional folk songs from around the world, as well as blues, gospel music, children’s songs, labor songs and American ballads. They sold millions of records at the height of their popularity. and inspired the commercial “folk boom” that followed them […]

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Fronted by Roebuck “Pops” Staples, the Staple Singers have left a mark of soul music, social action, religious conviction and uolifting “message music” since the release of “Uncloudy Day” in 1956. Pops formed the group with his children Cleotha, Pervis, Yvonne, and Mavis and they hit the Top Forty eight […]

Only 19 years old when she released her debut in November 1989, rapper Queen Latifah’s All Hail the Queen featured guest appearances from Stetsasonic, De La Soul, and KRS-One and contained her 1988 debut single “Wrath Of My Madness.” Latifah has since become a superstar of multimedia, and this release barely hinted at the possibilities […]

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998, The Mamas and the Papas were a major part of the Southern California pop scene of the mid to late Sixties. Along with the Byrds, the Beach Boys, the Turtles and the Association, they bombarded the Top Forty with superbly produced folk-pop songs delivered with lush harmonies. […]

Curtis Mayfield wasn’t just a singer. He wrote most of his material at a time when that was not the norm for soul performers. He was among the first, if not the very first, to speak openly about African-American pride and community struggle in his compositions. As a songwriter and a producer, he was a […]

Formed in 1956 in Detroit, Michigan, the Four Tops included Levi Stubbs, Renaldo ‘Obie’ Benson, Lawrence Payton and Abdul ‘Duke’ Fakir. They equal only The Temptations in Motown’s incredible history for an all male vocal group. In 1963 they signed to Motown and immediately the Motown songwriting team of Holland/Dozier/Holland began pumping out one hit […]

The Faces formed in 1969 from the remaining members of the Small Faces after Steve Marriott left to form Humble Pie with Peter Frampton. Ron Wood and Rod Stewart joined former Small Faces members Ronnie Lane, Ian McLagan and Kenney Jones. They released four of the grittiest and rocking albums between 1970-1973 and turned out […]

R&B history is more than full of its share with R&B, doo-wop and vocal harmony groups from the 50s, but none were as prolific and as long lasting as The Drifters from New York City. Over the course of their history together and starting with Clyde McPhatter, Drifters had several lead singers including Johnny […]