Many artists, musical and otherwise, use their craft to provide a visible platform for the issues they believe in. Their activism becomes interwoven with their art. The Indigo Girls have long been known for voicing their political and social views in song. Amy Ray teamed up with Emily Saliers while in high school, and soon the duo became a... [+] Read More

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In the '60s, when John Coltrane and Ornette Coleman were defining the concept of a jazz avant-garde, few knowledgeable observers would have guessed that in another 30 years the music's mainstream would virtually bypass their innovations, in favor of the hard bop style that free jazz had apparently supplanted. As it turned out, many listeners who... [+] Read More

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As a member of the groundbreaking Ornette Coleman-led quartet that launched the free jazz renaissance, Billy Higgins remains one of the most important and controversial drummers in music history. An uncommonly versatile and intuitive player, his nimble rhythmic patterns achieved a perfect balance between function and form, inspiring the great... [+] Read More

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Kim Simmonds, born in Newbridge, Wales, in 1947, is considered a legendary blues guitarist by almost any musical standard. He has even been called one of the founding fathers of British blues by some. Besides his mastery with the guitar, he can hold his own with vocals, piano, harmonica, and even Dobro. The strength of his talent and his... [+] Read More

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There's no denying the great string of classic albums the Rolling Stones issued during the late ‘60s and early ‘70s -- 1969's Let It Bleed, 1970's et Yer Ya Ya's Out, 1971's Sticky Fingers, and 1972's Exile on Main Street. But while Jagger and Richards received the lion's share of credit for these aforementioned albums, it was the guitar work,... [+] Read More

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Mike Garson, a true virtuoso, has had a very diverse career. Heard at his best with his own groups or with Free Flight, Garson has also toured with David Bowie and for a television movie on Liberace, he performed the music and had his hands used for the playing sequences of the film. He started playing piano when he was seven, studied classical... [+] Read More

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His career riddled by drug abuse and paranoia, Peter Green is still regarded by some fans as the greatest white blues guitarist ever, Eric Clapton notwithstanding. As he grew up in London's working-class East End, Green's early musical influences were Hank B. Marvin of the Shadows, Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Freddie King, and traditional Jewish... [+] Read More

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Born in 1950, Trevor Bolder's first real break in the music business was in 1971 when he played on David Bowie's Hunky Dory album. He also played with Bowie on his The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars. He also played on Dana Gillispie's album Weren't Born As a Man before joining the Mick Ronson Band in 1973. The band... [+] Read More

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