Espie Estrella is a lyricist, songwriter, and member of the Nashville Songwriters Association International.

There is still a need for Black History Month, but change as in all things must take place…. Rolling Stone ranked James number 22 on their list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time and number 62 on the list of the 100 Greatest Artists. The album was certified double platinum in 1997. He has recorded more than thirty U.S. top ten hits and received twenty-two Grammy Awards, the most ever awarded to a male solo artist, and has sold over 100 million albums and singles, making him one of the top 60 best selling music artists Wonder is also noted for his work as an activist for political causes, including his 1980 campaign to make martin Luther King Jr..‘s birthday a holiday in the United States.

Aiming to boost some of his own remixes, Knuckles bought his own drum machine and the sound of The Warehouse became known as "House music" for short. Her rendition of Nessun dorma at the 1998 GRAMMY Awards (where she stood in for Pavarotti) remains one of the most iconic moments music award ceremony history. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of Fame in 1993, the Blues Hall of Fame in 2001, and the Grammy Hall of Fame in both 1999 and 2008. The American blues singer-songwriter, who grew up on Stovall Plantation in Clarksdale Mississippi, began playing the guitar and Harmonica by the age of 17 and he was first recorded in the Library of Congress in 1941. Johnson’s shadowy, poorly documented life and death at age 27 have given rise to much legend, including the Faustian myth that he sold his soul at a crossroads near Dockery Plantation to achieve success, where today, stands a copper statue of Johnson himself. The break from 1970's Funky Drummer was one of the most sampled recordings of all time, with Brown associate Bobby Byrd's cover of Hot Pants forming the backbone of The Stone Roses' Fools Gold. Within months, Hendrix had earned three UK top ten hits with the Jimi Hendrix Experience: “Hey Joe”, “Purple Haze”, and “The Wind Cries Mary”.The world’s highest-paid performer, he headlined the Woodstock Festival in 1969 and the isle of Wight Festival in 1970 before his accidental death. While with ABC, Charles became one of the first African-American musicians to be given artistic control by a mainstream record company. READ MORE: The greatest Manchester bands of all time, Picture:

TOM’S TOP 10: John Lennon’s 80th birthday celebrations, Gord Downie’s final songs, and exactly ‘Who Let the Dogs Out,’ anyhow? In the early 1980s, Jackson became a dominant figure in popular music. Black History Month: Are these the 10 most influential black musicians of all time? In fact, Marvin Gaye is more relevant than ever, recently topping of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time with his What's Going On album, which knocked off The Beatles' Sgt. His landmark recordings from 1936 to 1937 display a combination of singing, guitar skills, and songwriting talent that has influenced later generations of musicians.

Shot dead by his own father on April 1 1984, the day before his 45th birthday, Marvin Gaye's life was senselessly cut short, but his impact on music and culture still remain today. Etta James (born Jamesetta Hawkins; January 25, 1938 – January 20, 2012) was an American singer-songwriter.

Artists to cite Nina Simone as an important musical influence include the likes of Aretha Franklin, David Bowie, Elton John, Bono, Lana Del Rey, Arctic Monkeys' Alex Turner, Jeff Buckley, Lauryn Hill, Matt Bellamy, Peter Gabriel and Adele. His playing reflected influences from country, barrelhouse and stride piano styles. Aretha Franklin's impact on the musical cannon cannot be understated. Brown was surprised when some of his grooves began to be sampled by hip hop stars and beyond in the 80s. Soon afterward, he moved to Clarksville, Tennessee , and began playing gigs on the chitlin’ circuit, earning a place in the Isley Brothers’ backing band and later with Little Richard, with whom he continued to work through mid-1965. Riley B. In 1994, Snoop released a soundtrack on Death Row Records for the short film Murder was the Case, starring himself. To celebrate Black History Month, I thought it would be appropriate to make a list of the greatest black music artists in history. 1am - 4am, Real Love Song

Frankie Knuckles died in 2014 aged 59, but his legacy lives on. Often cited as the godfather of modern Chicago blues, Muddy Waters and his band are known for their renditions of Hootchie Coochie Man, Baby Please Don't Go (which was covered by The Rolling Stones) I Just Want to Make Love to You and Got My Mojo Working.

The Tennesee-born and Detroit-raised star, who started off as a church singer, brought her unique brand of soul to the masses. His pioneering of house music led British bands like New Order and Pet Shop Boys to adopt the style, leading US DJs to take inspiration from them in turn.

But she didn't stop there.

He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with He also helped racially integrate country and pop music during the 1960s with his crossover success on ABC Records, most notably with his Modern Sounds albums. here are my Top 10 that have been a huge part of my upbringing as well as my favorite single by each artist. Without Chuck Berry's ground breaking work, rock 'n' roll would't have been so big. If it wasn't enough to have left such indelible mark on our culture, Aretha lived through some of the most memorable moments in US history and performed at both the inaugurations of President Bill Clinton and President Barack Obama.

Her death on 16 August 2018 prompted a tidal wave of tributes from all over the world and culminated in one of the most elaborate, star-studded funerals in music history. Carlton Douglas Ridenhour (born August 1, 1960), better known by his stage name Chuck D, is an American rapper, author, and producer. by kleurvision | Feb 26, 2014 | Blog | 0 comments.

Ed Caraeff/Getty Images, Rock and Grohl: Nandi Bushell creates original song for, Billie Eilish releases official video for No Time To Die, Pippa receives a lovely gift, but she can't quite work it, The stories behind every track on (What's The Story, The most famous rock star vegetarians - and why they gave, topping of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

TOM’S 10: A ticket scam to watch for, new Strokes for folks, and see some iconic photos of Elton John, Coronavirus and COVID-19 – All Concerts Postponed to 2021, TOM’S TOP 10: How ‘McLovin’ ended up in a music video with Hilary Duff, and the hip-hop band behind Milli Vanilli’s notorious hit song, TOM’S TOP 10: The Rock Hall’s shame, Nickelback’s 15-year look back, and may you rest in peace, Professor Peart. After moving to Chicago to become a full-time musician, he recorded his first records for Columbia and Aristocrat Records in 1946. The music videos for his songs, including those of “Beat It”, “Billie Jean”, and “Thriller”, were credited with breaking down racial barriers and with transforming the medium into an art form and promotional tool. 1999 was his big cross-over hit album - mixing in rock, pop, R&B and blues.

Starting out in 1963 with the group the Wailers, he forged a distinctive songwriting and vocal style that would later resonate with audiences worldwide. Her style spanned a variety of music genres including blues, R&B, soul, rock and roll, jazz and gospel Starting her career in 1954, she gained fame with hits such as “The Wallflower”, “At Last”, “Tell Mama”, “Something’s Got a Hold On Me”, and “I’d Rather go Blind” for which she wrote the lyrics. Frank Sinatra called Charles “the only true genius in show business”, although Charles downplayed this notion. The Wailers would go on to release some of the earliest reggae records with producer Lee Scratch Perry After the Wailers disbanded in 1974, Marley pursued a solo career which culminated in the release of the albumExRobert Nesta Marley (6 Februaodus in 1977 which established his worldwide reputation. He is considered one of the … Often referred to by the honorific nickname “The King of Pop” his contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty 4.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes him as “arguably the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music.” Born in Seattle, Washington, Hendrix began playing guitar at the age of 15. With tracks like Purple Haze, Foxy Lady and Voodoo Chile, Hendrix took the electric guitar to whole new, often psychedelic levels. Robert Nesta Marley (Bob Marley to me and you) considered to be one of the pioneers of reggae music. By the late 60s, songs such as Respect, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, Chain of Fools, Think and I Say a Little Prayer secured her status as one of the most prominent singers in US history and earned her the title of the Queen of Soul.

King continues to appear at 100 shows a year.

Aretha's impact on soul and R&B singers cannot be understated and everyone from Amy Winehouse to Adele (whose Rolling In The Deep song she herself covered) was heavily influenced by the icon.

Her enduring tracks include the likes of Ain't Got No, I Got Life, I Put a Spell on You, Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood, I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel To Be Free) and Feeling Good, which gave Muse an unlikely hit in 2001.

If his musical talent wasn't enough to stop you in your tracks, then his image would.

Enjoy and please feel free to comment with your own favorites! Stevland Hardaway Morris (born May 13, 1950 as Stevland Hardaway Judkins), known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American musician, singer-songwriter, record producer, and multi-instrumental.

Today marks the beginning of Black History Month in the UK. 6 on its 2011 list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time (previously ranked No. Thinking Outside the Box for Black History Month.

His music career began in 1992 when he was discovered by Dr. Dre.

He produced one of the key civilc rights songs of the era: Say It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud.

He died in 1970, aged just 27, but every rock guitarist who ever threw a shape - from Prince to Matt Bellamy - is trying to capture some of that Hendrix magic. The musicians above are named below in order, left to right. Black History Month Musicians.


Remember: This list isn't exhaustive nor is it in order of preference, it's just an acknowledgement of some of the artists who changed the course of music history and who we have to thank for some of the biggest artists today.

In years gone by, October has been the only time of year when the UK talks about the achievements of Black people in Britain. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band to boot.