Showing 301 - 325 of 1450
Artist: C.L. Blast
A traditional gospel-tinged Southern soul singer from Birmingham, AL C.L. Blast has never been able to generate much interest outside the South, and enjoyed only limited recognition within that region. He grew up doing gospel before switching to soul and singing with several local and regional groups. He did the song "I Take The Case" and then... [+] Read More
Artist: The Ugly Americans
In 1993, cast-offs from several alternative roots outfits (Cracker, Mojo Nixon, Poi Dog Pondering) formed the Ugly Americans in Austin, TX. Bassist Sean McCarthy had organized Atlantic Soul jams at the legendary Antone's club, where he met drummer Dave Robinson, lead guitarist Max Evans, rhythm guitarist Bruce Hughes, and vocalist Bob Schneider.... [+] Read More
Artist: Ella Washington
An outstanding Southern soul vocalist, Ella Washington was another performer whose style was so raw and intense that it had little chance of attracting any attention outside the R&B world. She also recorded for various small labels who were never able to break her songs, even within the soul arena. Her best material was done in the late '60s and... [+] Read More
Artist: Bent Fabric
Although pianist Bent Fabric (born Bent Fabricius-Bjerre) formed his own jazz combo after WWII and his own label (Metronome) in 1950, it wasn't until 1961, when Fabric's Alley Cat single hit his native Denmark's airwaves, that he really became known in the music world. The song proved infectious, and was released worldwide in 1962, even... [+] Read More
Artist: K-Solo
K-Solo, aka Kevin Self Organization Left Others, is a New York MC best known for a style of rhyming that involves spelling out words. Originally from Brentwood, Long Island, K-Solo (born Kevin Madison) grew up with EPMD's Parrish Smith and -- along with Redman and Das EFX -- was a part of the Hit Squad family. He had a guest spot on EPMD's... [+] Read More
Artist: Prince Phillip Mitchell
A veteran composer, vocalist, guitarist, and pianist, Prince Phillip Mitchell's roots are in vintage R&B, although he's better known for soul tunes. Mitchell sang with both The Premiers and The Checkmates in the late '50s and early '60s. He was also a dancer with The Bean Brothers in Los Angeles. Mitchell had hits recorded by Mel & Tim, Millie... [+] Read More
Artist: Troy Seals
He recorded two albums as a '70s solo artist and played guitar on many famous sessions, but Troy Seals is best known as a country songwriter. During the '70s, he recorded with Doug Kershaw and Lonnie Mack, and released an album each for Atlantic and CBS as well. His hit compositions include "Rattle the Windows" (Shenandoah), "I Won't Need You... [+] Read More
Artist: Chuckii Booker
A very capable musician, Chuckii Booker was prominent on the urban contemporary front as an instrumentalist, bandleader, songwriter, and performer. Born in Los Angeles, he was proficient on guitar and drums by age 14, but for a while preferred graphic art to music. His godfather, Barry White, signed him to a deal with White's production company... [+] Read More
Artist: Cyrus Chestnut
Cyrus Chestnut first studied piano with his father at the age of five, with official lessons beginning two years later. By the age of nine, he was enrolled in the prep program at the Peabody Institute. He graduated from Berklee with a degree in jazz composition and arranging. Chestnut took his time, working with a number of top-notch musicians... [+] Read More
Artist: James Luther Dickinson
The name James Luther Dickinson may not be well known but the sound of his piano and organ certainly are. Together with his group, the Dixie Flyers, house-band at Atlantic-owned Criteria Recording Studios in Miami, Florida, Dickinson accompanied such stellar artists as Aretha Franklin, Carmen McRae, Delaney & Bonnie, Dee Dee Warwick, Jerry Jeff... [+] Read More
Artist: John Duffy
John Duffy is a full-time news journalist and part-time music critic from Baltimore, MD. He is a regular contributor to Music Monthly, an independent paper covering local and regional music in the Mid-Atlantic region, and Blues Rag, monthly journal of the Baltimore Blues Society.
He is also the crime and courts reporter for the Gazette... [+] Read More
Artist: Colin Escott
Colin Escott is a Toronto-based music journalist whose book, Good Rockin' Tonight: The Sun Records Story, is published by St. Martin's Press. He has written many liner notes for Polygram, Rhino, MCA, CBS, Bear Family, RCA, Atlantic, Rounder, and Time-Life music.
Desert Island Picks
The Blue Sky Boys The Blue Sky Boys
Jimmy Giuffre Three Train... [+] Read More
Artist: Bill Inglot
Not a producer in the traditional sense, studio whiz Bill Inglot was instead responsible for reintroducing pop music history to contemporary audiences, digitally remastering classic recordings to fit the exacting standards of modern listeners accustomed to the clarity and punch of digital technology. Typically working in conjunction with... [+] Read More
Artist: Bettye LaVette
A perennial cult favorite in Northern soul circles, singer Bettye LaVette was born in Muskegon, MI, on January 29, 1946. Raised primarily across the state in Detroit, at 16 she cut her first sides for the local Lupine label, with a test pressing of the disc making its way to Atlantic Records. After signing with Atlantic, she scored an R&B Top... [+] Read More
Artist: Danny Mixon
Danny Mixon is a talented pianist who gained some attention in the 1970s but never broke through to gain much fame. He began playing music in Atlantic City in 1966. After working with Joe Lee Wilson from 1967-70, Mixon played regularly with Betty Carter from 1971-72. He had his own trio, recorded with the Piano Choir and worked with a variety of... [+] Read More
Artist: DJ Pooh
DJ Pooh (born Mark Jordan) began his musical career in the mid-'80s, when he produced LL Cool J's Bigger and Deffer. For the next 10 years, he continued to produce other hip-hop artists, and he also made cameos in films and videos, where he usually accompanied Ice Cube. In 1992, Pooh founded Da Bomb label. Three years later, he became an... [+] Read More
Artist: Yomo & Maulkie
A talented but little known hardcore rap duo, Yomo & Maulkie were down with the members of N.W.A. but had more in common with Public Enemy lyrically. Despite the N.W.A. association, Yomo & Maulkie were far from gangsta rap. The MCs both came out of L.A., where they signed with Eazy-E's Ruthless label in the early '90s. In 1991, Eazy served as... [+] Read More
Artist: James Smith
Trumpeter James Smith is a member of reggae giant Burning Spear's horn section, affectionately known as the Burning Brass. His compatriots in this aggregation include fellow trumpeter Chico Chin as well as saxophonist Howard Messam. These players can be sampled in action on recordings such as the superb Live in Paris editions as well as a... [+] Read More
Artist: Russell Gunn
Trumpeter/multi-instrumentalist Russell Gunn was born and raised in Illinois; weaned on rap, he turned to jazz in his professional pursuits, although hip-hop remained a primary influence on his work. First attracting the attention of critics and audiences through his contributions to Wynton Marsalis' Blood on the Fields, Gunn also backed the... [+] Read More
Artist: Beth Hart
Los Angeles-based blues-rocker Beth Hart began playing piano at age four, later attending L.A.'s High School for the Performing Arts as a vocal and cello major. By 1993 she was a regular fixture of the local club circuit, by 1993 collaborating with bassist Tal Herzberg and guitarist Jimmy Khoury; with the addition of drummer Sergio Gonzalez... [+] Read More
Artist: The Upsetters
The Upsetters were one of the hottest, yet sorely undervalued and poorly chronicled, bands in R&B and rock history. They backed Little Richard on some of his singles, and were also featured on Don Covay's debut Atlantic single "Big Bop Bip" in 1958. Richard served as lead vocalist for some Upsetters singles issued on Gold Star in the early '60s,... [+] Read More
Artist: The Braids
Dance-pop duo the Braids comprised vocalists Zoe Ellis and Caitlin Cornwell, both members of the Bay Area funk unit the Mo'fessionals. In 1996, they teamed with producer Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind to record a R&B-themed cover of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" which later appeared on the soundtrack to the comedy High School High, narrowly... [+] Read More
Artist: Naked Blue
The singer/songwriting team of Scott and Jennifer Smith compose the Americana outfit Naked Blue. The two paired up in 1992 and have gone on to write over 100 songs and play nearly 1,500 shows. Their first album Treasure and the Pearl (1994) garnered Naked Blue many accolades in the mid-Atlantic region, and four years later some of their work... [+] Read More
Artist: Country Teasers
The Country Teasers would eventually win audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. Crypt was the first label responsible for the group's American exposure, thanks to distribution of a self-titled 1995 ten-inch. The album Satan Is Real Again was released the following year. After 1997's Anytime Cowboy EP, the Teasers moved to Fat Possum/Epitaph... [+] Read More
Artist: Treadmill Trackstar
Treadmill Trackstar is an acoustic-oriented adult alternative pop band based in Columbia, South Carolina. Angelo Gianni (vocals, guitar), Chris Grgg (bass), Katie Hamilton (cello) and Tony Lee (drums) formed Treadmill Trackstar in 1994 and quickly became local favorites. The following year, they releasedtheir debut album, Excessive Use of the... [+] Read More
