Black HIstory in Rock
February is Black History month, so while we are remembering some notable people from our history, we can't forget the rock icons that have made history in the world of rock.
Chuck Berry
The late, great Chuck Berry is, without a doubt, the Father of Rock. An early pioneer of rock'n'roll he is remembered for hits such as Maybelenne, Johnny B Good (often re-quoted many generations later), My Ding-a-Ling, Roll Over Beethoven, and Rock and Roll Music - the latter two of which were covered by the Fab Four in the 1960s.
Little Richard
Chuck Berry is to guitar as Little Richard is to piano. His frantic piano playing and raspy voice helped build the foundation for the future generations to come. His most notable hits include Tutti Frutti, Long Tall Sally, and Shout. In the early 1960s Richard toured Europe with the soon-to-be Fab Four on the supporting bill.
Jimi Hendrix
What's a discussion about African-American rock if it doesn't mention "Jimmy" once? A key player in the psychadelic scene in the mid to late 1960s, Hendrix is most remembered for being a member of the Jimi Hendrix Experience with Noel Redding and Mitch Michell as well as briefly Billy Cox. The 1960s and early 70s saw a string of hits including Purple Haze, Little Wing, the cover of Bob Dylan's All Along the Watchtower, Fire, The Wind Cries Mary, and Foxey Lady.
A highly influential guitarist, he has influenced many other contemporary artists such as Eric Clapton. He was knowing for tuning guitars and even replacing strings mid-show without stepping off stage to do it. Also did I mention that his memorial is a top tourist destination?
Marvin Gaye
A star that helped to shape the Motown scene, Gaye began as a session player, but soon went solo with hits such as How Sweet it Is, Ain't no Mountain (with Tammi Terrell), I Heard it Through the Grapevine, among others. These hits were covered in the decades to come. In the 1970s he released two signficant LPs, 1971's What's Going On and 1973's Let's Get it On.
Folks, before anybody wonders, the reason there's an "e" in his last name is because he was born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. He added the "e" before his first meeting at Motown to avoid suspisions of homosexuality.
Stevie Wonder
Another Motown rock/funk star, Wonder's early hits included If You Really Love Me and Everything is Alright (Uptight). In the 1970s, he devloped a combination of rock, pop, and soul with a string of hits such as Sir Duke, You Are the Sunshine of my Life, Supersitition, Higher Ground, and I Wish. IN the early 1980s he also had hits with Ribbon in the Sky and Do I Do, as well as his collaboration with Michael Jackson, That Girl. Wonder also played the harmonica solo on Elton John's I Guess That's Why They Call it The Blues.
George Clinton
Another "un-rock but more funk" artist Clinton is the brainchild behind Parliament-Funkaledic (P-Funk) consisting of Parliament and Funkaledic - the latter leaning more rock. Clinton's first band was The Parliaments - derived from the name brand cigarettes. Clinton and his friends, in the late 50s and early 60s, serrenaded customers at the Silk Palace, before the two bands would form ten years later or so. Parliament was known for hits such as Flash Light, and One Nation Under a Groove among others. In 1982, Clinton released a solo LP, Computer Games with the 1983 hit Atomic Dog, and do I need to mention that Parliament, among other funk rock bands of that day, played a massive part in shaping the hip hop scene including sampled songs.
Lenny Kravitz
Call him modern, but Mr. Kravitz is sure a virtuoso! Known for playing all instruments on his recordings, he has combined rock with soul and funk. In fact, his 1991 hit, It Ain't Over Till It's Over, was written on the basis of Earth Wind and Fire's 1975 hit That's the Way of The World. He has since been known for hits such as Fly Away, Dig In, Are You Gonna go my Way, and his cover of the Guess Who's American Woman for the Austin Powers film The Spy who Shagged Me.
Bo Diddley
An early player in the blues game, Diddley became known for his rectangle-shaped guitar and hits such as Who do You Love, which years later was covered by George Therogood and the Destroyers.
Billy Preston
He is known as a household name for his 1974 hit, Nothing from Nothing, but he is perhaps more widely recognized as a session player for artists such as Sam Cooke, Little Richard, and the Beatles. In fact, Preston was once considered an "unofficial fifth Beatle." He is responsible for playing that Rhodes piano on hits such as Get Back and Don't Let me Down.
As we've seen here, there are many more genres than just rock; however, the other genres portrayed here all had an influence on the rock scene as a whole. There are many more stars, but these, I feel are the highlights.
Chuck Berry
The late, great Chuck Berry is, without a doubt, the Father of Rock. An early pioneer of rock'n'roll he is remembered for hits such as Maybelenne, Johnny B Good (often re-quoted many generations later), My Ding-a-Ling, Roll Over Beethoven, and Rock and Roll Music - the latter two of which were covered by the Fab Four in the 1960s.
Little Richard
Chuck Berry is to guitar as Little Richard is to piano. His frantic piano playing and raspy voice helped build the foundation for the future generations to come. His most notable hits include Tutti Frutti, Long Tall Sally, and Shout. In the early 1960s Richard toured Europe with the soon-to-be Fab Four on the supporting bill.
Jimi Hendrix
What's a discussion about African-American rock if it doesn't mention "Jimmy" once? A key player in the psychadelic scene in the mid to late 1960s, Hendrix is most remembered for being a member of the Jimi Hendrix Experience with Noel Redding and Mitch Michell as well as briefly Billy Cox. The 1960s and early 70s saw a string of hits including Purple Haze, Little Wing, the cover of Bob Dylan's All Along the Watchtower, Fire, The Wind Cries Mary, and Foxey Lady.
A highly influential guitarist, he has influenced many other contemporary artists such as Eric Clapton. He was knowing for tuning guitars and even replacing strings mid-show without stepping off stage to do it. Also did I mention that his memorial is a top tourist destination?
Marvin Gaye
A star that helped to shape the Motown scene, Gaye began as a session player, but soon went solo with hits such as How Sweet it Is, Ain't no Mountain (with Tammi Terrell), I Heard it Through the Grapevine, among others. These hits were covered in the decades to come. In the 1970s he released two signficant LPs, 1971's What's Going On and 1973's Let's Get it On.
Folks, before anybody wonders, the reason there's an "e" in his last name is because he was born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. He added the "e" before his first meeting at Motown to avoid suspisions of homosexuality.
Stevie Wonder
Another Motown rock/funk star, Wonder's early hits included If You Really Love Me and Everything is Alright (Uptight). In the 1970s, he devloped a combination of rock, pop, and soul with a string of hits such as Sir Duke, You Are the Sunshine of my Life, Supersitition, Higher Ground, and I Wish. IN the early 1980s he also had hits with Ribbon in the Sky and Do I Do, as well as his collaboration with Michael Jackson, That Girl. Wonder also played the harmonica solo on Elton John's I Guess That's Why They Call it The Blues.
George Clinton
Another "un-rock but more funk" artist Clinton is the brainchild behind Parliament-Funkaledic (P-Funk) consisting of Parliament and Funkaledic - the latter leaning more rock. Clinton's first band was The Parliaments - derived from the name brand cigarettes. Clinton and his friends, in the late 50s and early 60s, serrenaded customers at the Silk Palace, before the two bands would form ten years later or so. Parliament was known for hits such as Flash Light, and One Nation Under a Groove among others. In 1982, Clinton released a solo LP, Computer Games with the 1983 hit Atomic Dog, and do I need to mention that Parliament, among other funk rock bands of that day, played a massive part in shaping the hip hop scene including sampled songs.
Lenny Kravitz
Call him modern, but Mr. Kravitz is sure a virtuoso! Known for playing all instruments on his recordings, he has combined rock with soul and funk. In fact, his 1991 hit, It Ain't Over Till It's Over, was written on the basis of Earth Wind and Fire's 1975 hit That's the Way of The World. He has since been known for hits such as Fly Away, Dig In, Are You Gonna go my Way, and his cover of the Guess Who's American Woman for the Austin Powers film The Spy who Shagged Me.
Bo Diddley
An early player in the blues game, Diddley became known for his rectangle-shaped guitar and hits such as Who do You Love, which years later was covered by George Therogood and the Destroyers.
Billy Preston
He is known as a household name for his 1974 hit, Nothing from Nothing, but he is perhaps more widely recognized as a session player for artists such as Sam Cooke, Little Richard, and the Beatles. In fact, Preston was once considered an "unofficial fifth Beatle." He is responsible for playing that Rhodes piano on hits such as Get Back and Don't Let me Down.
As we've seen here, there are many more genres than just rock; however, the other genres portrayed here all had an influence on the rock scene as a whole. There are many more stars, but these, I feel are the highlights.
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