On December 14, 1963, Ruth Lee Jones aka Dinah Washington died aged 39. She was musician (piano) and singer, known as the “the most popular black female recording artist of the ’50s”, and “Queen of the Blues”. Her music was mixture of R&B, and traditional pop, but she was primarily a Jazz singer. She performed and recorded with Fats Waller, Clifford Brown, Clark Terry, Cannonball Adderley, Ben Webster, Lionel Hampton, and Nat King Cole. In 1986, Washington was inducted in the “Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame”, and in 1993 was inducted in the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”. In 1959, she won “Grammy Award” for “Best Rhythm & Blues Performance”. As a leader Washington released 17 albums.
Tag Archives: R&B
David Bartholomew
On June 23, 2019, David Louis Bartholomew died aged 100. He was a musician (trumpet), bandleader, composer, arranger, and record producer, active in various musical genres, including rhythm and blues, big band, swing music, rock and roll, New Orleans jazz, and Dixieland. In his induction into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”, he was cited as a key figure in the transition from jump blues and swing to R&B and as “one of the Crescent City’s greatest musicians and a true pioneer in the rock and roll revolution.” His biggest success as a composer was in the partnership with Fats Domino producing some of his greatest successes. In the mid-50s they wrote more than forty hits for “Imperial Records”, including Ain’t That a Shame. Bartholomew’s other hit songs include I Hear You Knocking, Blue Monday” I’m Walkin’, My Ding-A-Ling, and One Night. He was a member of the “Songwriters Hall of Fame”, the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”, and the “Louisiana Music Hall of Fame”.
Percy Sledge
On April 14, 2015, Percy Tyrone Sledge died aged 73. He was singer, best known for the song “When a Man Loves a Woman”. The song was awarded a million-selling, Gold-certified disc in US by “RIAA”. Sledge received the Rhythm and Blues Foundation’s Career Achievement Award and in 2005, he was inducted into the “Rock & Roll Hall of Fame”.
Etta James
On January 20, 2012, Jamesetta Hawkins aka Etta James died aged 73. She was singer with powerful voice, performing blues, R&B, soul, jazz and gospel music She won six “Grammy Awards” and 17 “Blues Music Awards”; In 1993, she was inducted into the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”, in 1999 she was inducted in “Grammy Hall of Fame”, and in 2011 in the “Blues Hall of Fame”. “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked Etta James at number 22 on its list of the “100 Greatest Singers of All Time”.
Pops Staples
On December 19, 2000, Roebuck “Pops” Staples died aged 85. He was musician (guitar), singer and songwriter, regarded as one of the key figures of the gospel, soul and R&B scene of the 60’ and 70’, and was best known as founder and leader of The Staple Singers. As leader he released three albums, and one posthumously released under his name.
Earth, Wind & Fire: All ‘N’ All
On November 21, 1977, “Columbia” label released “All ‘N All”, the eighth Earth, Wind & Fire studio album. It was recorded August 1977, at “Hollywood Sound” and “The Burbank Studios” in California, and was produced by Maurice White The album won a “Grammy” for “Best R&B Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus” and the song “Runnin'” also won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Instrumental in 1978. “All ‘N All” was also the best selling R&B album of 1978, and was certified Platinum in the US by “RIAA”.
Personnel:
- Maurice White– vocals, drums, kalimba, original recording, mixing
- Larry Dunn– synthesizer, piano, keyboards, Moog synthesizer, Oberheim
- Verdine White– vocals, bass
- Philip Bailey– vocals, percussion, conga
- Eduardo del Barrio – piano
- Johnny Graham – guitar
- Art Macnow – direction
- Al McKay– guitar, percussion
- Terry Harrington – flute
- Fred Jackson, Jr. – flute
- Abe Most– flute
- George Bohanon– trombone
- Garnett Brown– trombone
- Louis Satterfield– trombone
- Michael Harris – trumpet
- Chuck Findley– trumpet
- Oscar Brashear– trumpet
- Steve Madaio – trumpet
- Don Myrick– alto, baritone and tenor saxophones
- Andrew Woolfolk – tenor saxophone, wind
- Alan Robinson – French horn
- Richard Klein – French horn
- Gale Robinson – French horn
- David Duke – French horn
- Marilyn Robinson – French horn
- James M. McGee – French horn
- Roger Bobo – tuba
- Richard Salvato – direction
- Dorothy Ashby– harp
- Haim Shtrum – violin
- Betty LaMagna – violin
- Sheldon Sanov – violin
- Carl LaMagna – violin
- Mary D. Lindquist – violin
- Barry Socher – violin
- Lya Stern – violin
- David Stockhammer – violin
- Blanche Belnick – violin
- Ruth Henry – violin
- Marcia Van Dyke – violin
- Harris Goldman – violin
- Jack Gootkin – violin
- Ronald Clark – violin
- Janice Gower – violin, concertmaster
- Barbara Thomason – viola
- Linda Lipsett – viola
- Renita Koven – viola
- Norman Forrest – viola
- Daniel Smith – cello
- Ronald Cooper – cello
- Jan Kelly – cello
- Meyer Rubin – bass
- Susan Ranney – bass
- Ralph Johnson– vocals, percussion, drums
- Skip Scarborough– percussion, piano
- Paulinho Da Costa– percussion
- Phil Ayling – drums
- Fred White – percussion, drums
- George Massenburg– engineer
- Paul Klingberg – mixing
- Cameron Marcarelli – mixing assistant
- Mark Wilder – mastering
- Shusei Nagaoka – cover art
Track listing:
- Serpentine Fire – Maurice White, Verdine White, Reginald “Sonny” Burke
- Fantasy – Maurice White, Verdine White, Eduardo DelBarrio
- In the Marketplace (Interlude) – Maurice White
- Jupiter – Maurice White, Verdine White, Larry Dunn, Philip Bailey
- Love’s Holiday – Maurice White, Skip Scarborough
- Brazilian Rhyme (Beijo) – Toninho Horts
- I’ll Write a Song For You – Philip Bailey
- Magic Mind – Maurice White, Verdine White, Freddie White, Larry Dunn, Philip Bailey, Andy Mckay
- Runin’ – Maurice White, Larry Dunn, Eduardo DelBarrio
- Brazilian Rhyme (Ponta de Areia) – Milton Nascimento
- Be Ever Wonderful – Maurice White, Larry Dunn
Bobby Womack
On June 27, 2014, Robert Dwayne “Bobby” Womack died aged 70. He was musician (guitar), singer and songwriter, with career spanned more than 60 years. He performed and composed in various music styles, rock and roll, doo-wop, gospel, and country, but he became famous for his R&B and soul period. He is also known as composer of the Rolling Stones’ first UK No. 1 hit, “It’s All Over Now”. As leader Womack released 23 albums.
Richard Street
On February 27, 2013, Richard Allen Street died aged 70. He was singer, best known as member of The Temptations (1971 to 1993).
Sam & Dave: Soul Man
On October 26, 1967,”Stax” label released “Soul Men”, the third Sam & Dave album. It was recorded August – October 1967, and was produced by Isaac Hayes and David Porter. The album featured the single “Soul Man” that became one of the R&B classics and won Sam & Dave a “Grammy” in 1967 for” Best R&B Group, Vocal or Instrumental”.
Personnel:
- Sam Moore- vocals
- Dave Prater- vocals
- Booker T. & the MG’sand the Mar-Key Horns – instrumentation
- Booker T. Jones- keyboards
- Steve Cropper- guitar
- Donald “Duck” Dunn- bass guitar
- Al Jackson, Jr.- drums
- Charles “Packy” Axton- tenor saxophone
- Don Nix- saxophone
- Wayne Jackson- trombone, trumpet
- Isaac Hayes- organ
- Loring Eutemey – design
- Jean-Pierre Leloir – photography
- Soul Man – Isaac Hayes, David Porter
- May I Baby – Isaac Hayes, David Porter
- Broke Down Piece of Man – Steve Cropper, Joe Shamwell
- Let It Be Me – Gilbert Bécaud, Mann Curtis, Pierre Delanoé
- Hold It Baby – Bonnie “Mack” Rice
- I’m With You – Lowman Pauling
- Don’t Knock It – Isaac Hayes, David Porter
- Just Keep Holding On – Alvertis Isbell, Booker T. Jones
- The Good Runs the Bad Away – Wayne Jackson, Andrew Love
- Rich Kind of Poverty – Isaac Hayes, Paul Selph
- I’ve Seen What Loneliness Can Do – Homer Banks, Allen Jones
Alexis Korner
On January 11,984, Alexis Korner died aged 55. He was musician (guitar, harmonica), singer and songwriter, regarded “The Founding Father of British Blues”, was a major force behind the British 60’s R&B scene. In the early 60s he formed the band “Blues Incorporated”, featuring at various times Jack Bruce, Charlie Watts, Terry Cox, Davy Graham, Ginger Baker, Long John Baldry, Ronnie Jones, Danny Thompson, Graham Bond, Cyril Davies, Malcolm Cecil and Dick Heckstall-Smith.
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