Black artists and the music

[seaboy4hire]

Here is another wonderful artist http://www.shemekiacopeland.com/ I've seen Shemekia play a couple times at blues fest here in Chicago. She has an amazing voice and a very personable stage presence. She's orig from NY but Chicago has adopted her as one of own. Oh and she has that Koko Taylor growl down.

 

Hugs,

Greg

[jackjackjack]

Here is another wonderful artist http://www.shemekiacopeland.com/ I've seen Shemekia play a couple times at blues fest here in Chicago. She has an amazing voice and a very personable stage presence. She's orig from NY but Chicago has adopted her as one of own. Oh and she has that Koko Taylor growl down.

 

Hugs,

Greg

 

You knowing of some of these artists.... Etta James, etc. puzzles me, Greg. . Since you're not that old, you must have an old soul. Sweet.

[seaboy4hire]

You knowing some of these artists puzzles me, Greg. . Since you're not that old, you must have an old soul. Sweet.

 

Hahaha I grew up with Motown and myvtaste in music slowly slid back in time before Motown. My taste in music really though is all over the board. Music is the soul of existence. Without music, doesn't matter ones taste, I honestly feel that we'd perish. Music inspires us, it helps us celebrate, mourn and rebirth.

 

Hugs,

Greg

[seaboy4hire]

You knowing of some of these artists.... Etta James, etc. puzzles me, Greg. . Since you're not that old, you must have an old soul. Sweet.

Oh and I can be full of surprises at times. Just when one thinks they have figured me out I throw out a curve ball lol

 

Hugs,

Greg

[jackjackjack]

Oh and I can be full of surprises at times. Just when one thinks they have figured me out I throw out a curve ball lol

 

Hugs,

Greg

Oh, I wouldn't even try figuring you out. I like surprises.

[Mocha]

I know every generation has its music...,as it should be. Today it's rap, hip hop, etc. But I'm just thinking of the music of my youth....,some of the music of my generation. There were lots of wonderful musical artists in the late 50s-60s but I don't think anything can compare to the music and performers who came out of Motown.....

 

Well, i feel ya. I feel late 90s and early 2000s r&b artist's music is nostalgic (off the top of my sleepy head: TLC, 3LW, JAGGED EDGE, Joe, Aaliyah R.I.P., 112 ) However, i guess the good Lord knew i couldn't survive in a time of Jim crow and homosexual repression and no Internet, so I wasn't fortunate enough to be around in the motown Era.

 

But, that said. ..today's black artists i feel are derivatives of Motown and years past. Things are different now. Just think, michael Jackson. Cliche, but though no one in this day and age can replicate...he inspired talents like usher, ne yo, Chris Brown. Also, artists like sisqo are underrated but likely were very influenced by the artists of yesteryear.

 

My father was adamantly into motown, and as kids it would depress me when he'd watch the 4-5 hour motown video biographies every other weekend. But, as i get older i have grown to understand more the essence of black artist's music.

 

That said, times were different back then. I personally miss the 90s and early 2000s black sitcoms. Family matters, sister sister, the parkers, fresh prince. I think these days, America is trying to become so fucking "colorblind", and now you have these garbage bullshit fucking shows like Brooklyn 99 and scandal which are whacked out reality/drama...trying to be racially integrated by using white humor in everything, and usually geared towards a white audience. Instead of real life stuff. Black sitcoms didn't used to be afraid to show a bit of swag, yet they lasted. Nowadays, the cast members have to be so proper and intellectual acting.

 

Moreso, many gay bars fail to play enough music oriented to other than the Adele and whatever these other artists i don't even fucking know what they play nowadays. No diss to Adele, but that's the closest to a "slow jam" you can find in a gay bar.

 

America, get your life. This country is losing its culture and diversity. It's all a ploy.

[bigvalboy]

Posted without comment...

 

 

[+ WilliamM]

bigvalley, I attended the public events surrounding Lena Horne's 80th birthday at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City. So I remember her appearances at the end of the second video. There must have been a big donor event following, because I do not remember Liza Minnelli et al. Lena Horne was in the audience until the end when she sang a few songs. Peggy Lee was the main guest, but she was too ill to attend. I am very glad I had a chance to see and hear Lena Horne. She was one of the great, as was Peggy Lee.

 

I do see Peggy Lee at Carneige Hall in 1995, her 2nd last full concert. Her singing voice was almost gone, but she still had command of her audience. She may have been the best singer-actress of all the women singers. Peggy Lee could make average songs like "Touch Me In The Morning" and Judy Collins' "My Father" into short one act plays

[+ quoththeraven]

QTR, country, folk, classical and Broadway/Tin Pan Alley (I would add Hollywood, which is partly covered under Broadway/Tin Pan Alley) covers a huge amount of music, including most songs sung in concert or records/CDs by Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn and Billie Holiday. Frank Sinatra too, for that matter. Before rock music dominated in the mid-1950s, Broadway, and Tin Pan Alley produced many of the popular songs (I am including "How Much Is That Doggie in the Window"). Yes, there was a major black influence as well, which was compomined by Elvis Presly, Pat Boone et al.

 

The record companies, nightclubs, sheet music industries were controlled by whites. Some of the musicians were black, but mostly while. Also, many of managers, agents et al. were white.

 

I largely agree that you have a good point, but you have exaggerated to a degree.

 

Not about the source of the music. My point is that jazz, blues, gospel, rock, pop, soul, funk, hip hop, rap and all their offshoots originated in whole or in part with black music and black performers whose style and techniques were picked up, imitated, popularized and made money off of by white folks. That there were whites profiting off black music as club owners, label owners, agents and the like, some of whom ripped off the artists they were supposedly helping, as well as white people working with white performers -- many of them great, like the Rolling Stones, and some of whom put their own mark on popular music, like the Beatles (also great in a different way) -- only proves my point that the roots of much of American popular music are black, but that community has not benefited economically commensurate with its contribution.

[+ WilliamM]

Not about the source of the music. My point is that jazz, blues, gospel, rock, pop, soul, funk, hip hop, rap and all their offshoots originated in whole or in part with black music and black performers whose style and techniques were picked up, imitated, popularized and made money off of by white folks. That there were whites profiting off black music as club owners, label owners, agents and the like, some of whom ripped off the artists they were supposedly helping, as well as white people working with white performers -- many of them great, like the Rolling Stones, and some of whom put their own mark on popular music, like the Beatles (also great in a different way) -- only proves my point that the roots of much of American popular music is black

 

I agree that many of America's greatest songwriters, such as: George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen, Cole Porter et al., for Broadway and films were greatly influenced by black music. But, that's not necessarily true of the stars that originally sang their songs. Fred Astaire, Judy Garland, Mary Martin and Ethel Merman were products of vaudeville. That's not to say that vaudeville was untouched by black music; it certainly was.

 

It's understood that you excluded Broadway/Tin Pan Alley from your first post, but is it fair to then make these sweeping generalities in your current post. I realize that I am consierably older, and can vaguely remember as far back as the end of the big band era. Finally, perhaps this is something we should discuss directly, not on this forum, only because it's so complex