From eloquent ballads to jamming songs, R&B music will always have a special place in

people’s hearts for eons. The sounds of great artists and the rhythms of the beats will make
folks listen, dance, and have fun. Whether you talk about Whitney Houston, Sade, Anita
Baker, Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder, The Four Tops, The Stylistics, and Toni Braxton,
exciting R&B music is readily abundant. In our generation in 2020, you still find great R&B
artists around from Beyoncé, Chloe X Halle, St. Beauty, Nicole Wray, Corrine Bailey Rae,
Ella Mai, SZA, Solange, Ari Lennox, and other young people who make it their duties to
show the gift of music to the masses of the people. The best way to appreciate R&B is to live
rightly and enjoy the journey of living life.
The Supremes was the most successful group of
Motown. They inspire musicians to this very day with
their voices, talent, and charisma.

The Table of Contents

1. The Introduction

2. Spirituals and Jazz

3. More Facts on Unsung Jazz
Legends
4. Early R&B Music
5. Unsung Legends
6. Changing Times and a New Era
Growing
R&B music is part of the
lifeblood of world music in
general. It is the cousin to hip
hop, funk, disco, and other
genres that we know about. The
sultry voice of Anita Baker, the
powerful voices from the Four
Tops, and the soulful tunes from
Aaliyah make us realize that this
musical genre is here to stay.
From parties to being at home
alone, R&B music is a very
universal art form. Rhythm and
blues has inspired our
imaginations, made us dance on
occasion, and stirs up our souls.
If anyone wants to study
American music or music in
general, he or she must have a
great understanding of rhythm
and blues. It is music that has
existed for almost 80 years since
the 1940's. Early rhythm and
blues used pianos, bands, guitars,
bass, drums, saxophones, and
vocalists. Any great musician
then and now must have a
passion for the art and develop
their skills in an exceptional level.
By the 1960's, we saw Motown,
Staxx, and other record labels
dominating not only American
music, but music internationally.
It was another golden age of
R&B music filled with the
Supremes, the Temptations,
Marvin Gaye, Tami Terrell,
Aretha Franklin, and other
legends. Then and now, rhythm
and blues focused on many
messages like love, romance,
pain, overcoming adversity,
freedom, joy, etc. Mary J. Blige's
ballads about suffering
emotional pain and experiencing
great love are a testament to the
power of music.
Stevie Wonder is a total genius.
The following lyrics form Ma
Cherie Amour describes his
passion and the greatness of a
love for a woman:
"...My cherie amour, lovely as a
summer's day
My cherie amour, distant as the
Milky Way
My cherie amour, pretty little one
that I adore
You're the only girl my heart beats
for
How I wish that you were mine
In a café or sometimes on a
crowded street
I've been near you, but you never
notice me
My cherie amour, won't you tell me
how could you ignore
That behind that little smile I wore
How I wish that you were mine
Come on..."
 The legends of Janet Jackson, Mary Wilson, and Ashford and Simpson inspire us all.
You can't talk about rhythm and
blues without knowing about
the 2 Great Migrations of
African Americans. During both
migrations, black Americans
came into the industrial centers
of New York City, Chicago, Los
Angeles, Detroit, San Francisco,
Oakland, Pittsburgh,
Philadelphia, and other
locations. They came to escape
the tyranny of the Jim Crow
South in order to have better
economic and social conditions.
The irony is that the same racism
and oppression in the South
existed in the North, the
Midwest, and the West Coast.
The difference was that in many
of those places in the North, etc.,
legal segregation was banned.
New markets in those cities
focused on a diversity of music
from jazz to blues. Such music
was found deeply in the South
like New Orleans, Memphis, etc.
One of my favorite shows is TV
One's Unsung. Unsung did a
great service in outlining the
stories of some of the greatest
rhythm and blues artists in
history. I have learned a lot
about music, stories, and black
unsung lives in general by
watching that show alone.
Today, we have R&B music
influenced by hip hop, sound
cloud music, and other aspects of
youth culture. Bo Diddley, Otis
Redding, Ruth Brown, Della
Reese, ska artists, Sam Cooke,
The O'Jays, Janet Jackson, TLC,
Aaliyah, Beyoncé, Mary J. Blige,
Ella Mai, SZA, and other
musicians represent the long
history of this audacious,
powerful music.
Long before R&B was born, its ancestors involved
music like African music, jazz, and spirituals found in
America. Spirituals weren't just about joy and
celebration. Many spirituals back then were used a
coded message to escape into the North including
Canada from the bondage of slavery. Spirituals also
had an oral Christian tradition with Christian themes
while abhorring the evil of slavery. At first, spirituals
were unaccompanied monophonic or unison song.
Songs like the Gospel Train from the Fisk Jubilee
Singers (who lived during the late 19th century) are
very similar to the spiritual song. In fact, gospel music
is a descendant of the spirituals. African Americans
used the drum and the banjo as a means to express
themselves. The songs from the spirituals, the drum,
and the banjo came from West Africa. West African
blood is within me, because as an African American
my ancestors came from the Congo and Nigeria. The
call and response style of preaching came from
African tradition. This was when the speaker speaks
for an interval and the congregation responds in
unison in a continual pattern throughout the sermon.
People raising up hands, speaking in tongues, and
singing all have been utilized by the black community
for generations. Later, it developed into more
harmonized choral arrangements. R&B was born in
African American communities by the 1940’s. The
term rhythm and blues was used in Billboard as early
as 1943. Back in the day, it was music identified,
especially as shown by black Americans. R&B music
during the old days had gospel influences. Really,
gospel has influences throughout many genres.
During the First and Second Great Migrations of
African Americans, black people came into many
urban industrial centers like Chicago, Detroit, New
York City, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, etc. Black people
wanted to escape the terrorism and racism found in
the Jim Crow South, so they would gain economic
opportunities to provide for their families. The irony
is that in the North, Midwest, and West Coast, many
of the same racism and police brutality would exist.
Though Jim Crow apartheid was illegal in many of
those places of the North, the system of racial
oppression, housing discrimination, economic
exploitation and educational deprivation existed via
de facto segregation. From the 1920’s and 1930’s,
black people organized a lot of markets for jazz,
blues, and other types of music. This music wasn’t
just shown in concerts or bars. It was shown in
homes, mass gatherings, and other locations. The
mother of R&B was jazz and blues. To understand
music in general, you have to study jazz and blues,
because those art forms deal with the essence of
rhythm, pitch, notes, creativity, and power involving
music. Early blues artists back during the 1920’s and
1930’s were people like Lonnie Johnson, Leroy Carr,
Cab Calloway, Count Basie, and T-Bone Walker.
Bessie was famous.
To give credit to musical
excellence is to outline the stories
of unsung musical legends. Ma
Rainey was a black American
singer who was called, "The
Mother of Blues." She lived from
1886 to 1939. Columbus, Georgia
was the place of her birth. She had
an energetic voice with songs like
See See Rider Blues (1924) and
Soon This Morning (1927). Rainey
recorded music with Louis
Armstrong. She worked with the
Georgia Jazz Band until she retired
in 1935. Her song Prove it on Me
from 1928 had lesbian themes in
it. She ran three theaters of the
Lyric, the Airdrome, and the
Liberty Theater. She was inducted
in the Blues Foundation Hall of
Fame in 1983 and the Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame by 1990. Alberta
Hunter (1895-1984) was a jazz
musician and blues singer. She
wrote songs and worked as a
nurse. Memphis, TN was the place
of her birth. She resumed her
music career in 1977. Back in
1914, she learned jazz from the
jazz pianist Tony Jackson. Alberta
Hunter worked in the 1910's, the
1920's, and the 1930's as a great
singer. She wrote songs too like
the Downhearted Blues song of
1922. She was inducted to the
Blues Hall of Fame in 2011 and the
Memphis Music Hall of Fame in
2015. Josephine Baker was a
singer and performer. She lived
from 1906 to 1975. She helped to
defeat the Nazis in France. She
was a civil rights leader who
defended the human rights of
black people. She adopted
children of many colors to
promote human tolerance. Also,
Baker performed in a way long
before Madonna, Grace Jones, and
others.
Josephine Baker loved men and
women who were in love with
justice. Florence Mills (1896-1927)
was a genius in music, dance, and
showing comedy. She was born in
Washington, D.C. and was married
to Ulysses Thompson. She toured
with the black group called the
Tennessee Ten in 1917. She was in
the Broadway musical Shuffle
Along in 1921. She passed away so
young, and her pall bearers were
singers Ethel Waters and Lottie
Gee. Her song "I'm a Little
Blackbird" called for racial
equality, and she broke down
many barriers. Ethel Waters
(1896-1977) was one of the great
performers of the 20th century.
She made songs like Dinah, Stormy
Weather, Taking a chance on Love,
etc. She was the 2nd African
American to be nominated for an
Academy Award. She was the first
African American to star on her
own TV show. Also, she was the
first African American woman to
be nominated for a Primetime
Emmy Award. She was in the
movie Cabin in the Sky in 1943
too. She was born in Chatsworth,
California. Her great niece is the
famous singer Crystal Waters.
Ethel Waters married many times.
She worked with Count Basie and
other great artists. In 1933, she
appeared in a satirical all-black
film called Rufus Jones for
President, which featured the then
child performer Sammy Davis Jr.
as Rufus Jones. Before Ethel
Waters passed, she became a born
again Christian touring with Billy
Graham. She performed all the
way into the 1970's.
Bessie Smith (1894-1937) was
overt in who she was and what
she wanted. She was the most
popular blues singer of the 1920's
and the 1930's. She loved to
perform. She was born in
Chattanooga, Tennessee. She was
one of the greatest singers of her
time, and she inspired future jazz
including blues musicians. She had
a strong contralto voice. She
worked with many legends and
was popular on radio. She worked
with Louis Armstrong, Joe Smith,
Charlie Green, James P. Johnson,
and other legends. She was in the
movie St. Louis Blues in 1929. She
was in the swing era of the 1930's
too. She had romantic
relationships with diverse people
like Richard Morgan, Gertrude
Saunders, and Jack Gee. As time
went onward, more musicians
used the electric guitar, the piano,
and the saxophone.
Adelaide Louise Hall (1901-1993)
was a singer who worked with
Duke Ellington, Fats Waller,
Josephine Baker, Cab Calloway,
Lena Horne, and other musicians.
She was born in Brooklyn, NYC.
She lived in Britain by the time of
her passing. Adelaide Louise Hall
was one major entertainer of the
Harlem Renaissance who did scat
singing. She was one of the great
musicians of the 1920's. Nina Mae
McKinney was an actress and
performer (1912-1967). She was
born in Lancaster, South Carolina.
She moved into NYC during the
Great Migration. She was in the
musical the Blackbirds of 1928.
She was in the movie Hallelujah in
1928. Isabel Washington Powell
(1908-2007) was a singer, dancer,
and actress. She taught special
education students and was once
married to Adam Clayton Powell
Jr. Ella Fitzgerald (1917-1996) was
a great jazz singer who was born in
Newport News, Virginia. She used
intonation, scat singing, and
timing in her song. She was the
Queen of Jazz back then. She had
one child named Ray Brown
Jr. Her famous song "A-Tisket, A-
Taket" helped her grow in national
fame.
Valaida Snow (1904-1956) was a
virtuoso American jazz artist. She
loved the trumpet and people
compared her to Louis Armstrong.
She was born in Chattanooga,
Tennessee. She could play the
cello, bass, banjo, violin, mandolin,
harp, accordion, clarinet, trumpet,
and saxophone. She could dance
too. She toured the world. She
was the Queen of the Trumpet.
She married Earl Edwards during
the 1950's. June Richmond worked
in jazz for years. She was born in
Chicago and lived from 1915 to
1962. She worked with Cab
Calloway and others in
Scandinavia. Ivie Anderson (1904-
1949) was a member of the Duke
Ellington Orchestra and was a jazz
singer. She was born in Gilroy,
California. She went on tour with
the musical Shuffle Along. She
performed in the Cotton Club in
NYC, in Cuba, in Los Angeles, etc.
She loved scat singing, ballads,
and other songs. Billie Holiday
(1915-1959) was a legend. Lady
Day lived in Philadelphia and
Baltimore for years. She has
shown the song Strange Fruit to
oppose lynching and anti-black
racism. Billie Holiday spoke to the
streets of America about how we
have to confront evil in order to
promote goodness. We know how
Lady Day passed away, but it is
important to show that Billie
Holiday’s legacy was powerful and
influential. The Peters Sisters were
famous too. Cab Calloway (1907-
1994) was a singer, dancer, jazz
artist, and actor. He worked in the
Cotton Club of Harlem, NYC. He
sang during the swing era. People
respected his long career of mixing
jazz and vaudeville. He had many
children. He played basketball in
high school too.
OTHER OUTSTANDING JAZZ ARTISTS
For over 100 years, jazz has been the soundtrack of American
culture and international culture. These following men and
women stood up as innovators, classic artists, and human
beings who expanded the realms of human expression fully.

Thelonious Monk Melba Liston Miles Davis Shirley Horn

John Coltraine Betty Carter Dizzy Gillespie Nina Simone

No one can sleep on the singer Dinah

Washington (1924-1963). She could
sing and play the piano greatly. She
was the most popular black woman
recording artist of the 1950’s. She
could do jazz, blues, R&B, and pop
music. As an inductee of the Alabama
Jazz Hall of Fame in 1986 and the
Rock and the Roll Hall of Fame in
1993, her legacy is forever etched in
music. Modern day R&B and jazz
artists are heavily influenced by the
style of Sister Dinah Washington.
 Bessie Smith
Louis Armstrong (1901-1971) lived
for the love of music and for the
love of humanity. He was not only
a legendary jazz musician. He
collaborated with some of the
greatest musicians of the 20th
century including some of the
greatest musicians of all time like
Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington.
He played music before the
1920's. From the 1920's and
beyond, he traveled the world to
play the trumpet, to compose
music, to write literature, and to
stand up for the great valuable
essence of musical expression.
Music educates the soul, inspires
the mind, and makes enjoyment a
reality for those who live across
the globe. What a Wonderful
World was one of his many classic
songs. He had a great sense of
humor and a great personality.
Satchmo lived his life. He passed
away in 1971 at the age of 69 in
Queens, NYC. Armstrong was
Lena Horne Dinah Washington
posthumously awarded the
Grammy Lifetime Achievement
Award in 1972 by the Academy of
Recording Arts and Sciences. His
legend is eternal, and we all
appreciate his work in jazz and his
work in making life better for us
all.
Duke Ellington (1899-1974) was an
icon of jazz. Genius is an accurate
description to describe him,
because he has stood the test of
time with his artistry and powerful
music. Jazz is an architect of so
much of modern day American
music. Even hip hop have indirect
roots from jazz. Duke Ellington
was one of the most decorated
musicians in history. He spread his
music for over five decades. He
was born in Washington, D.C. He
could play the piano and compose
a band. Folks known of him from
his performances at Harlem's
Cotton Club. Also, he worked
around the world in order to
express the universal language of
music vigorously. His orchestra
included legends like saxophonist
Johnny Hodges. He had charisma,
great songwriting abilities, and
superb timing. His parents taught
him to respect his own people as
Jim Crow was very common back
then, even in D.C. Duke Ellington
learned to play the piano since he
was 7 years old. He worked with
many legends like Adelaide Hall.
Duke Ellington saw it all. He saw
the Harlem Renaissance, the Civil
Rights Movement, and the early
1970's. He revived his career
during the 1950's. He worked until
the day of his passing in 1974. We
know of Mozart. Duke Ellington
was the Mozart of the 20th
century without question. In fact,
he was one of the greatest musical
composers in human history.
For decades, Lena Horne (1917- Jackson, Mississippi (as she music. Lena Horne promoted anti-
2010) has been involved in worked with Evers before), lynching, and she believed in
theater, acting, and other Mississippi. Billy Strayhorn was a equality throughout her life.
endeavors of life. She lived to be great friend to her. Lena Horne Dionne Warwick is inspired by her
92 and she lived from 1917 to along with actresses and
2010. Even in her 90's, she actors. Lena Horne lived
looked very young. Always a in love, and she remains
social activist, she represented a legendary reminder of
class, honor, and great Black Excellence.
determination to achieve her
own goals. She was born in Hazel Scott (1920-1981)
Bedford–Stuyvesant, was an Afro-Trinidadian
Brooklyn, New York. She lived These women are Daisy Bates from Arkansas woman. She was born in
in Pittsburgh for a long time in Josephine Baker and was one of the greatest Port of Spain, Trinidad
her youth too. One of her Lena Horne at the black woman freedom and Tobago. She was
iconic performances was her 1963 March on fighters of all time. She is known for being a jazz
Washington. here speaking at the 1963
role in Stormy Weather. The and pianist legend in
March on Washington.
movie was about a romance America. At the age of 4,
between her and the famous she and her family
musician Bill Robinson. Creating had many children. Her strong moved into New York City. She
musical albums was part of her life spirit is an inspiration to all us. She sang jazz music in the 1930's, the
too. Making the manifestation of lived a life of activism and also of 1940's, and the 1950's. Her talent
joy was her calling from her role in elegance, care for people, and of captivated the world and
the Wiz to her numerous, courage. She reminds us that at audiences were in awe of his
exquisite theatrical plays. Always a any age, we should love the performances. She supported civil
lifelong advocate of civil rights, beauty of life and make sure we rights and did a lot. She passed
she was at the 1963 historic March execute a pristine role of bettering away at the age of 61 in 1981.
on Washington and vocally the state of our communities. I Hazel Scott worked to promote
advocated equality among all in remember watching Lena Horne positive representations of black
the human family. She worked on a Different World episode too. I Americans in film.
with the heroic man Paul Robeson love her sweet sound, her
and was at a Medgar Evers rally in resiliency, and her passion for
 Ray Charles, from the South, made the world know of the creativity of black Americans. Katherine
Durham inspired us to love Pan-African culture. Jackie Wilson was the man long before Sam Cooke.
Jackie Wilson could dance and had a voice that was ahead of its time.

Many 1940's artists helped to establish R&B as it is.

One such artist was Katherine Dunham (1909-2006)
worked in dance, singing, and wanted African
Americans to see their dreams fulfilled. She worked
hard in theater and was an outstanding
choreographer. She worked in the study of
anthropology. She was a civil rights activist. She loved
African people, Haitian people, and all black people.
Katherine Dunham fought for justice throughout her
life with her dance company and social activism.
Marian Anderson sang powerfully, and Bill Robinson
performed greatly. By 1948, RCA Victor marketed
black music with the name of “Blues and rhythm.”
During that year, Louis Jordan dominated the R&B
charts with many songs. These songs were based on
the boogie woogie rhythms that were popular during
the 1940’s. Jordan’s band was called the Tympany
Five. It was created in 1938. It has musicians on
trumpet, tenor, piano bass, drums, and saxophone.
Jordan’s music was called jump blues (like the music
from Big Joe Turner, Roy Brown, Billy Wright, and
Wyonoie Harris). Music from Paul Gayetn, Roy
Brown, and others had music called rhythm and blues
by the 1940’s. Wynonie Harris remaked the Brown’s
1947 recording of Good Rockin’ Tonight.
Back in the day, early R&B was criticized by some as
too risqué. Some of this music had an Afro-Cuban
rhythmic influence too. Jazz pioneer Jelly Roll Morton
said that the tresillo/habanera rhythm (or the
Spanish tinge) was an important part of jazz.
Habanera was a Cuban genre. Tresillio is part of the
duple pulse rhythmic cell in sub-Saharan music
traditions. There was blues in New Orleans and music
of the Mississippi Delta regions too. One of the
greatest artists of jazz that influenced future R&B
experts was Billie Holiday. Her songs like Strange Fruit
and I’ll be Seeing you were classics. Ray Charles’ Hit
the Road Jack certainly was very powerful. One of the
unsung artists of early rhythm and blues was Lionel
Hampton. Other R&B artists of the 1940’s are the Ink
Spots, Ella Fitzgerald, The Clovers, The Royales, Tony
Bennett, Louis Armstrong, The Delta Rhythm Boys,
The Ravens, Lead Belly, The Soul Stirrers, The Staple
Sisters, etc. Great 1950’s R&B groups were Ray
Charles, the Drifters, the Coasters, The Miracles, the
Isley Brothers, The Platters, The Impressions, The
Dells, The Del-Vikings, etc.
Carmen Jones (1954) describes the
story of a World War II era soldier
(played by Harry Belafonte) getting a
prisoner (played by Dorothy Dandridge)
to leave a place. They fall in love, and
then tragedy happens over insecurities
and jealousy.
Black Orpheus (1959) was ahead of its
time describing the life of Afro-Brazilians
in the favelas of Rio during Carnaval. It
featured young lovers of Orfeu (Breno
Mello) and Eurydice (Marpessa Dawn). It
is a film of danger and love among black
people. Marpessa Dawn lived in America
and France.
Cry the Beloved County (1951) dealt
with apartheid in South Africa. It starts
Canada Lee as a black preacher
defending his son against the accusation
of murder. Sidney Poitier was in the film
as a local clergyman. The film opposes
apartheid.
The Jackie Robinson
Story (1950) outlined the
life of Jackie Robinson. It
featured Jackie Robinson
and Ruby Dee in detailing
the historic career of the
first black MLB player of the
th
20 century.
Imitation of Life (1959)
described the story of a
black widow Annie Johnson
(Juanita Moore) being
friends with Lora Meredith
(Lana Turner). Annie deals
with the disrespect and
stubbornness of her biracial
daughter (Susan Kohner).
Mark of the Hawk (1957)
focused on the anticolonial
movement of Africans
against British imperialism.
Obam (Poitier) and his wife
Renee (Eartha Kitt) unite in
forming a peaceful
resolution.
No Way Out (1950)
showed Sidney Poitier,
Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis,
and Mildred Joanne Smith
involved in a film about a
black doctor trying to save
the life of a racist criminal.
Anna Lucasta (1958)
outlines the life of Anna
Lucasta (Eartha Kitt) who
suffers abandonment,
abuse, and turmoil. She
forms a love for Danny
(Sammy Davis Jr.).
Band of Angels (1957)
was historic in featuring
black Union soldiers for
the first time on film. This
movie was about slavery
and how the brutal slave
owner (Clark Gable) dealt
with another former slave
(Sidney Poitier) and his
biracial mistress (Yvonne
De Carlo).
Bright Road (1953) featured
Dorothy Dandridge and Harry
Belafonte again. The movie
showed first time teacher Jane
Richards (Dorothy Dandridge)
helping a young black student
(played by Philip Hepburn) to
succeed in the classroom.
Native Son (1951) deals with
one man’s fight against a racist
system in America. Richard
Wright stars in the film as he is
the author of the book entitled
Native Son too. Many of the
actors and actresses in the film
are Willa Pearl Curtis, Gloria
Madison, Lidia Alves, Nicholas
Joy, Jean Wallace, etc.
Take a Giant Step (1959)
detailed a young African
American teenager Spence
Scott (Johnny Nash) trying to
find himself. He lives in a
mostly white neighborhood,
finds advice from his
grandmother (Estelle Hemley),
prostitutes, and finally finds a
friend Christine (Ruby Dee) to
tell her own story.
Johnny Otis released the R&B mambo called “Mambo
Boogie” on January of 1951. It had congas, maracas,
claves, and mambo saxophone guajeos in a blues
progression. The Hawketts, Ike Turner, and other
musicians made their records. Bo Didley had his
music with the first true fusion of 3-2 clave and
R&B/rock n roll. Johnny Otis’s Willie and the Hand
Jive used the same blend of 3-2 claves and R&B. Early
R&B records were sold primarily in African American
markets. It wouldn’t be until the early 1950’s, when
more diverse people of different colors brought R&B
records on a high level. Rhythm and blues appealed
to especially teenagers. Many unsung artists in this
early era of R&B were Johnny Otis (with his songs like
Double Crossing Blues, Mistrustin’ Blues, etc.),
Clovers, and other people. Little Richard grew his
popularity in the 1950’s. He influenced a wide
spectrum of future artists like James Brown, Otis
Redding, and even Elvis Presley. Little Richard is right
to say that he originated a lot found in R&B and rock
and roll culture. Another item of sad news is that
Little Richard passed away many weeks ago at the
age of 87 years old. He was one of the great
innovators of rock and roll plus music in general. He
changed music with his style, music, and influence.
There is no Beatles, no Janelle Monae, no Elvis
Costello, no Stones, no Sam Cooke, no Jimi Hendrix,
no other artists as they existed without Little Richard.
He was one of the first people inducted in the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. He broke down
barriers. I send condolences to his family and friends.
Ruth Brown was known as the “Queen of R&B”
decades ago. She was on the Atlantic label. She made
many hits in the years from 1951 to 1954 like
Teardrops from My Eyes, Five, Ten, Fifteen Hours,
What a Dream, etc. Faye Adams’s Shake a Hand made
it to number two in 1952.
Ruth Brown is important to mention, because she is a
black woman that inspired future artists to have their
opportunities to express their God-given talents to
the world. The doo-wop group called The Orioles had
the #4 hit of the year with Crying in the Chapel. Fats
Domino, Ray Charles, and other people came into
prominence during the 1950’s. Chuck Berry and other
people had an extraordinary amount of
determination and musical talent. By the 1950's,
there was a powerful renaissance of black actors and
actresses including singers like Dorothy Dandridge,
Pearl Bailey, Eartha Kitt, Joyce Bryant, Clara Ward,
Dinah Washington, LaVern Baker, Sarah Vaughan,
Carmen McRae, Leslie Uggams (when she was very
young), and Sammy Davis Jr. Carmen McRae (1922-
1994) was one of the most influential jazz vocalists of
the 20th century. She had over 60 albums and
preformed worldwide. She was born in Harlem, NYC
and here parents were immigrants from Jamaica. Her
inspiration was Billie Holiday. Betty Carter was
another unsung jazz artist.
This photograph of Mahalia Jackson was
created in 1962 by Carl Van Vechten.
Mahalia Jackson (1911-1972)
The Greatest Gospel singer of all time and a Civil Rights Hero
From New Orleans, Louisiana to other
places worldwide, no one can forget
about her powerful voice. She was the
Queen of Gospel. Every gospel musician
that came out after her transition into
glory has been influenced by her
directly or indirectly. Her lyrics were
about praising the Lord, inspiring souls,
and bringing people together. Hope was
all about her mentality. Mahalia Jackson
loves to bring the good news to the
people in order for human beings to live
a better life. As a product of the Great
Migration, Mahalia Jackson lived in
Chicago by the time when she was 20
years old. Many of her relatives are
former NBA basketball player Danny
Granger and soul artist Scotty Granger.
“…I hope to bring
people to God with
my songs…”
-Mahalia Jackson
One of her signature songs was “Take My
Hand, Precious Lord.” One of her most
popular songs was the William Herbert
Brewster song, “Move On Up a Little
Higher” which was released by her in 1948.
The song sold 8 million copies. Her other
recordings are The Lord’s Prayer in 1950,
How I Got Over in 1951, Go Tell It on the
Mountain in 1950, I Believe in 1953, etc. She
sang at JFK’s inaugural ball in 1961, at the
1963 March on Washington, and at the
funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (who
was her friend). She worked with a young
Al Sharpton and fought for civil rights. She
gave concerts and gave her money for civil
rights causes. Her voice, legacy, and
strength are always greatly appreciated.
By the late 1950’s, culture was
changing. The modern day Civil
Rights Movement saw its birth
with the Montgomery Bus Boycott
after the evil assassination of
Brother Emmitt Till. There was a
large conservative culture in
American society, but that would
change with the rise of civil rights
activists, beats, and a growing
teenage youth culture that loved
music (especially black music).
While Eisenhower showed his
capitulation to the status quo as it
pertains to civil rights policies,
black people and other people
stood up in favor of freedom and
justice. By the year of 1956, the
R&B leaders of Al Hibbler, Frankie
Lymon and the Teenagers, Clark
Perkins, etc. were popular among
the public. Della Reese was
famous along with Chuck Berry,
Cathy Carr, Shirley and Lee, the
Cleftones, and the Spaniels. Many
of these musicians toured places
like Columbia (in South Carolina),
Annapolis (in Maryland),
Pittsburgh, Syracuse (in New York
State), Buffalo, New York City, etc.
Tours were filled with crowded
arenas. Movies saw artists like
Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Fats
Domino, Elvis, Joe Turner, the
Treiners, the Flamingos, and the
Platters.
Nat King Cole with his songs like
Mona Lisa and Looking Back
further added to his legendary
career as a musician, an actor, and
a TV host. A new era by 1959 was
starting. This was the same year
when 2 black owned record labels
were created (which showed R&B
music). They are Sam Cooke’s Sar
and Berry Gordy’s Motown
Records. Later, Motown would be
part of the one of the greatest
movements of musical expression
in world history. Artists like
Brooke Brenton was at the top of
the R&B charts in 1959 and 1960
with many songs. The 1960’s saw
an explosion of soul music.
Motown, Staxx Records, Columbia,
Septima Poinsette Clark
(1898-1987) was one of the
greatest civil rights leaders in
history as the Grandmother of
the Civil Rights Movement
(she was a member of both
the NAACP and SCLC). She was
a mentor to Rosa Parks, Dr.
King, and so many other
legends of the black freedom
struggle. She focused on
education, voter registration,
and grassroots organizing for
human liberation.
and other labels just had a large
amount of men and women who
would sing just magnificently.
Therefore, rhythm and blues came
from jazz, blues, and gospel. It
started in many urban areas in
places like New York City, Chicago, influenced the development of
and Los Angeles. In the near disco, funk, hip hop, the quiet
future, I will show more storm, and other genres of music.
information about the soul/R&B
music of the 1960’s. As we shall
see, the R&B of the 1960’s

By Timothy

This is the first part of this new, exciting series of R&B. Part 2 will describe R& B
music of the 1960's and the social movements that accompany that inspiring decade.
 REMEMBERING JOHN LEWIS (1940-2020)
John Lewis, who was a son of a sharecropping family, was a
courageous black man who stood the test of time with his social
activism. His homecoming took place on July 17, 2020. Always
humble and an icon, he took blows without using violence. His
valiant deeds helped to change the world for the better, and we
have a long way to go. During this time, it is fitting to celebrate his
life. His body was on a horse drawn carriage to cross the Edmund
Pettus bridge in Selma, Alabama (on July 26, 2020) where he was
assaulted by crooked police officers back in 1965 (many of cops
were on horseback). John Lewis' body was taken to the U.S. Capitol
Rotunda at Washington, D.C. on July 27, 2020 after passing
through famous Washington locations like the Museum of African
American History and Culture. He was born in the Deep South at
Troy, Alabama. His mentor and friend was Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr. Dr. King was his hero. As an organizer, Lewis worked with the
Nashville movement of the early 1960's (with Diana Nash and Rev.
James Lawson), and he was the Chairman of SNCC. SNCC stands
for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. SNCC was
founded by Ella Baker, who wanted total grassroots organizing and
civil disobedience in order for the people to eliminate Jim Crow
apartheid. Ella Baker loved democratic participation on social
justice movements. John Lewis was a Freedom Rider who wanted to
enforce interstate travel on an integrated basis. SNCC was heavily
egalitarian in its organization. Violence almost took Lewis' life
during the Freedom Rides era. John Lewis gave an inspiring speech
at the 1963 March on Washington where he didn't want patience
for freedom. He wanted black people to experience total freedom,
justice, and equality now. The whole 1963 march wasn't just about
civil rights, but it promoted the progressive, legitimate aims of
economic justice, labor rights, educational development, living
wages, and an end to police brutality. Later, John Lewis and so
many unsung legends like Bernard Lafayette, Amelia Boynton, etc.
participated in the Selma movement for voting rights. John Lewis
had a cracked skull during Bloody Sunday, so we could vote in any
election. The Selma movement concluded with a victory. The
Voting Rights Act was passed by August of 1965. The time of the
end of 1965 was a time of transition, and civil rights leaders
debated on what to do next for the movement. By 1966, the Black
Power movement grew with the influence of Kwame Ture. Lewis
was Chairman of SNCC from 1963 to 1966.
John Lewis left SNCC in 1966, and Kwame Ture was the
new Chairman of SNCC. John Lewis was later involved
in registering voters, working on the 1968 Robert
Kennedy campaign, and was involved more in politics.
He won political office as a House member by 1986 after
defeating his friend Julian Bond. He continued to
advance progressive causes of being against the Iraq War,
fighting for voting rights, opposing police brutality, and
being one leader involved in causing the National
African American Museum of History and Culture to be
in existence. Congressman John Lewis was one of the last
surviving members of the old school Civil Rights
Movement. None of us are perfect, and Lewis wasn't
perfect. We know of the neoliberal capitalist domination
of the Democratic Party leadership. We know of the
extremist, reactionary policies of the extremist, bigoted
Donald Trump. We know that imperialism is wrong (as
the assassination of American citizens overseas, the
expansion of the military industrial complex, and the
police state actions of some federal police in Portland
represent reprehensible deeds). Yet, John Lewis' heroism
in Congress and outside of Congress from protests to
giving inspirational speeches about the world house
motivate us to continue in his cause. Lewis mentored
young people of the Black Lives Matter movement, and
defended the human dignity of all people, regardless of
one's background. John Lewis always condemned the
Republican backed voter suppression laws in various
states.

Also, John Lewis would be the first to say that he didn't do these things alone. We have to honor Ella Baker, Fannie Lou
Hamer, Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Mahalia Jackson, and other heroes too. The best way to honor John
Lewis is to promote voting rights by promoting a law to strengthen the Voting Rights Act, vote an extremist like Trump out of
office, and treat our neighbors as ourselves. Also, we should honor John Lewis' memory by promoting environmental justice, by
eliminating structural racism, by eliminating structural economic oppression, wanting social justice, and celebrating the beauty
of our Blackness. John Lewis' great kindness and strength are always celebrated by us.

Rest in Power Brother John Lewis.

 “Get out there and push, and stand up, and speak out, and get in
the way the same that my generation go in the way. Get in trouble.
Good trouble. Necessary trouble. “

-Representative John Lewis

1 2 3

6
4 5

The top section of images shows the following events: (1) Civil rights leaders meet with President John F.
Kennedy after the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, 1963. Lewis is fourth from left. (2) John Lewis
was at the 2017 Women's March in Atlanta. (3) John Lewis lying in state at the United States Capitol (on July 28,
2020).

The bottom section of images shows the following events: (4) The Presidential Medal of Freedom was awarded by
President Barack Obama to John Lewis in 2011. (5) John Lewis with Frederick Reese and Terri Sewell were at a
2016 Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony honoring the March on Selma. (6) On July 30, 2020, the funeral of
John Lewis took place at Atlanta, Georgia’s Ebenezer Baptist Church. Rev. Bernice King, former President Barack
Obama, his staff members, former President Bill Clinton, former President George W. Bush, Rev. James Lawson,
and other people.