R&B

BIG JOE TURNER
One of the key figures, the vehicle we took from R&B to Rock N'Roll, was Big Joe Turner. Born in 1911 in Kansas City, Big Joe's dad was killed when he was 15. To help his family, Joe worked at a variety of odd jobs..from shining shoes to running liquor. In 1929 he began to play boogie-woogie with Kermit "Pete" Johnson in clubs around the Midwest. They were discovered and brought to New York to play Carnegie Hall. The next week they began recording for a label and a star was born. Joe was characterized by his incredible deep singing voice. He didn't play any instruments, his voice was all he needed. New York Times music critic Robert Palmer said: "...his voice, pushing like a Count Basie solo, rich and grainy as a section of saxophones, which dominated the room with the sheer sumptuousness of its sound." Big Joe died of kidney failure in 1985..
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ARETHA FRANKLIN
Born in 1942, Aretha Franklin was the daughter of Reverend C.L. Franklin. The Queen of Soul has earned her title with her incredible vocal technique and the relentless emotional urgency she imparts to her songs. The eldest of three daughters, she spent her youth traveling with her father singing gospel. Influenced by such notaries as Clara Ward, Sam Cooke and Rev. James Cleveland, she and her sisters made their recording debut in 1951. She signed with Columbia in 1960 and in six years she recorded 10 albums. She signed with Atlantic in 66 and her first release off that label went gold. Her fame only grew, even as she swung from R&B into Pop and then back to her Gospel roots. She still shines as one of the greatest vocalists ever.
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RAY CHARLES
Ray Charles Robinson was born in 1930. A towering figure in 20th century music, he managed to blend blues, gospel, jazz, country and R&B into his own unique brand of music. "It" is the genius of Ray Charles. He had begun playing the piano at age four and, having contracted glaucoma at age six, he was soon totally blind. His father died when he was 10 and his mother when he was 15. After his mother died, he joined a dance band . He later moved to Seattle and joined the McSon Trio. Achieving sucess with the trio, they moved to Los Angeles and Ray continued to record for the label which had been renamed Swingtime. His own sound did not really begin to emerge until 1954 when he formed his own band in Dallas. His eclecticism began to bloom in force as over the next years he released several jazz, R&B, pop and then country albums. His legend as an entertainer is worldwide, and he continues to be an enormous influence on all the music genres he's touched.
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OTIS REDDING
Born in 1941, Otis Redding was the ultimate R&B singer.His sound was deeply rooted in gospel and country blues, but he tempered it with the mellower pop sound of Sam Cooke. He first became interested in singing by participating in church choirs. He sang at clubs and dances, joining a band in 1959. He made had his first recording with that band in 1960 and at the end of the session he had the chance to cut two of his own songs. His soulful sound caught the ear of the president of Stax Records who signed him to a subsidiary label, Volt. Over the next two years he released several hits, and became an R&B star, but he never achieved overwhelming fame. Sadly, it was only after his sudden and tragic death in a plane crash at the age of 26 in 1967, that he became the legendary star that he is now. Volt released "Dock of The Bay" after his death and it was Otis's biggest record.
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STEVIE WONDER
Born blind in 1950, Steveland Morris was also born a musical genius. Able to play the piano, the drums and the harmonica at the age of 11, he was brought to Motown Records by Ronnie White of the Miracles and given the name Little Stevie Wonder. His hit-packed career since has earned him 17 Grammies and has had him inducted into the Soungwriters Hall of Fame with over 60 top 40 songs and 17 top 40 albums. He was the first artist to break with the Motown assembly line process, negotiating for his own publishing rights and higher royalties. Said Newsday critic Wayne Robbins in 1991: "Wonder's goal was to shatter the limitations Motown had imposed on its artists, whose albums were rarely more than one or two hits and 10 tracks of filler...(he) wanted to make fully concieved albums that reflected his political, spiritual and romantic philosphy.."
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MARVIN GAYE
Born in 1939, Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. was a rebel. He resisted the iron fist rules of his minister father and suffered through the beatings that were meant to keep him in line. He began singing in his father's church and also sang in various local groups including the Moonglows. In 1960 he moved to Detroit and found work as a Motown sessions drummer. Gaye was Motown's most successful male solo act. He racked up more hits than anyone else there. The label's leading sex symbol, he was paired with Mary Wells and then Kim Weston, but the duet concept didn't catch on until 1967 when he joined Tammi Terrell. The duo had six R&B chart toppers with their smoky sexual chemistry that had listeners convinced they were lovers. Unfortunatley, Tammi was diagnosed with a brain tumor after she collapsed on stage into Marvin's arms. She died 2 years later and Marvin was never the same. After her death, he went into seclusion, coming out four years later to record an album with Diana Ross..but the chemistry wasn't the same. Marvin was shot to death by his father while he was trying to stop his dad from beating his long suffering mother. He was 45.
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