Download
1 / 44
480 likes | 678 Views
20 th Century Musicians. Rock and Roll Still Standing After Fifty Years. Rock Facts!. Rock Music was invented in the 50’s Rock was made popular by the radio Rock was controversial: popular with the youth Rock was the original popular music
E N D
Rock Facts! • Rock Music was invented in the 50’s • Rock was made popular by the radio • Rock was controversial: popular with the youth • Rock was the original popular music • Rock was a blend of jazz, rhythm and blues, country, and gospel • Rock was most influenced by African American music • Rock was popular because it was simple, fast, fun, and you could dance to it.
Little Richard • American rock pioneer who helped make the transition between rhythm and blues and rock and roll in the early 1950’s • He influenced many other artists including Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles • He was known for his explosive exciting piano style and loud screaming vocals • His musical background was in gospel music • He was discriminated against as an African American musician • He was one of very few African Americans to earn a record contract in the 1950’s • He was one of the first musicians to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame • MOST FAMOUS SONGS: “Tutti Frutti”, and “Good Golly, Miss Molly”.
Elvis Presley • American Rock and Roll pioneer and actor • Played Rock and Roll and Gospel Music • He was most popular in the 1950’s and 1960’s • One of first performers of “rockabilly: a combination of country and rhythm and blues with a strong back beat” which came to be considered rock and roll • Elvis incorporated elements of soul music, which made him controversial to many white listeners of the fifties • Set records for concert attendance, record and movie sales, and television ratings • He was the first big “Rock Star” • One of most popular solo recording artists in the history of modern music. • Often referred to by his fans as “The King” • MOST FAMOUS SONGS: “You Aint Nothin’ But A Hound Dog”, “Jailhouse Rock”
The Beatles • British rock and roll band • Popular throughout the 1960’s • 4 members: John, Paul, Ringo, and George • Played many different styles of music (rock and roll, psychedelic rock, pop) • Part of the British Invasion: Which brought British Rock and Roll to the USA • One of the most popular rock bands of all time: Time Magazine listed them among “The most important people of the Twentieth Century” • They were one of the first rock groups to be popular all around the world • MOST FAMOUS SONGS: “Help!”, “In my life”, “Hey Jude”
Rolling Stones • English rock band that was popular during the 1960’s and 1970’s • Also part of “the British invasion” along with the Beatles and the Who • Began their career by covering American blues songs • Later began writing their own rock and roll songs • Were known as “badder” and darker when compared to the Beatles. • They had some of the biggest concerts in rock history • They helped make rock and roll a global phenomenon • Still performing together today • MOST FAMOUS SONGS: “Let’s Spend the Night Together” “Honky Tonk Women”.
Bob Dylan • American singer song writer • Wrote and played folk music, but his roots were in rock and roll and gospel music • Sang and accompanied himself on guitar and harmonica • Most popular in the 1960’s • Was a poet and social activist • Wrote anti war songs • Wrote songs that became popular in the civil rights movement • He wrote music that defined a generation of hippies in the 1960’s • MOST FAMOUS SONGS: “Blowin’ in the Wind”, “The Times They Are A’Changin’”, “Like a Rolling Stone”
Jimi Hendrix • Native American singer/songwriter • Played Rock and Roll Music • Named greatest guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine • Experimented with and popularized many new guitar techniques • Headlined 1969 Woodstock Festival • Played with Little Richard from 1964-1965, and said “I want to do with my guitar what he does with his voice.” • Was influenced by and had an influence on many other musical genres including blues, jazz, soul and rhythm and blues • MOST FAMOUS SONGS: “Star Spangled Banner”, “Purple Haze”
Soul Facts! • Purely American form of music • Combination of Jazz, Rhythm and Blues and Gospel Music • “funky, secular testifying” Rock Hall of Fame • Created in the African American community • Performed exclusively by African Americans • Began in the 1960’s • A reaction to rock and roll of the 60’s: they wanted to get back to their Gospel, Jazz and Blues roots • Found popularity on the radio and on records
Ray Charles • American singer and pianist • Played soul, country and gospel music • Became blind as a young child • Learned to play the piano by feel • Began performing publicly in the late forties, and continued performing until 2003. • Most popular in the 1950’s and 1960’s • Died in 2004 • Famous for his soul interpretations of country and pop favorites • Performed at the inaugurations for Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton • He was a pioneer in Soul music who was able play a lot of different genres of music that appealed to a lot of different people • Jamie Foxx portrayed his life and music in the movie “Ray.” • MOST FAMOUS SONGS: “Georgia on My Mind”, “America The Beautiful”
James Brown • American singer, songwriter, dancer and bandleader. • Performed soul and funk music • Most famous in the late 1950’s through the 1970’s • Known as “Godfather of Soul” • Helped create a new funk and soul sound in music of the 1950’s and the 1960’s • Was involved in the black civil rights movement • One of the first artists to incorporate “rapping” in his songs • MOST FAMOUS SONGS: “I feel good!” , “Say It Loud: I’m Black and I’m Proud!” “I got the feelin’”
Aretha Franklin • American soul singer, songwriter and pianist who was most popular during the 1960’s and 1970’s • Known as “The Queen of Soul” • Although most famous for her soul music, she was skilled in many other musical genres (jazz, blues, gospel, etc.) • First woman to be inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame • Helped pave the way for other African American women in the music business • Rolling Stone rated her as Greatest Singer of All Time • Sang in 2009 at the inauguration of President Obama • MOST FAMOUS SONGS: “R.E.S.P.E.C.T.”, “Chain of Fools”, “You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman.”
Musical Theater Facts! • Live theatre that uses singing, dancing, and spoken dialogue to tell a story • The biggest productions can be found on Broadway St. in Times Square, NYC • Big musical productions can also be found at London’s West End theaters • Musicals, as we know them today, were invented in the early 1900’s, in New York City on Broadway • Musicals evolved from operettas and vaudeville theater, both of which were popular in the late 1800’s • The Golden Age of musicals was from the 1940’s through the 1960’s • Musical productions have become widespread across the country and the world
Richard Rogers • American Musical Theater song composer • Wrote over 900 songs over his career • One of the most famous and successful Musical Theater composers • Wrote his most famous musicals in the 1940’s and 1950’s during the Golden Age of Musicals • Collaborated with the lyricists Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein • Collaborated with Lorenz Hart on the musicals Pal Joey and Boys from Syracuse • He is most famous for the musicals he wrote with Oscar Hammerstein. They wrote 11 musicals together, some of which included Oklahoma! and The Sound of Music • Rodgers and Hammerstein were the most important duo of writers during the Golden Age of Musicals
Oscar Hammerstein • American Musical Theater lyricist • Wrote lyrics for over 850 Musical Theater songs • One of the most famous and important Broadway lyricists of all time • Trained Stephen Sondheim as a lyricist early in Sondheim’s career. • Teamed up with Richard Rogers in the 1940’s and 1950’s to produce musicals such as: The King and I, Carousel, and South Pacific, to mention a few. • He helped build the popularity of musical theater with his smash hit musicals
Stephen Sondheim • American Musical Theater song composer and lyricist • Started out as a lyricist under the direction of Oscar Hammerstein • His career took off in 1957 when he wrote the lyrics for Leonard Bernstein’s groundbreaking West Side Story • After West Side Story, he began composing his own music and wrote both the lyrics and the music for his shows from the early 1960’s until his last show in 2003. • Wrote his most famous musicals in the 1970’s and 1980’s • Wrote popular musicals such as Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, and Company • He wrote about many controversial subjects in his musicals, and was one of very few people in music history to write both the music and the lyrics for musicals
Andrew Lloyd Webber • English musical theater song composer • Wrote his most famous musicals in the 1960’s, 1970’s, and 1980’s. • The wealthiest musical composer of all time • His musicals were performed at London’s West End, as well as on Broadway • Wrote famous musicals such as The Phantom of the Opera, Evita, and Cats. • His musicals helped make musical theater a global phenomenon • Phantom has been performed in dozens of countries all across the world
Jazz Facts! • Started in the African American community in New Orleans with Dixieland jazz • Spread up North to Chicago, Illinois and Harlem, in New York City • Jazz has it’s origins in Ragtime, Blues, and Spirituals • Jazz was a reaction to the European music that was popular at the time. African Americans thought it was too bland and wanted to create something more upbeat • Uses the upbeat syncopated rhythms that were common in ragtime and spirituals • Uses improvisation (musicians make up some of the music on the spot • Has evolved over the decades into many different variations: Dixieland, Swing, Big Band, Be Bop, Cool Jazz, Afro Cuban, Fusion, etc.
Louis Armstrong • African American jazz artist • Nicknamed Satchmo for his big mouth and cheeks • Played the trumpet, sang, and wrote music • Was famous for his gravelly voice • Was an accomplished scat singer (He improvised melodies, sounds and rhythms with his voice) • He was also great at improvising melodies and rhythms on the trumpet • Was most famous from 1930-1965 • Famous Songs: “When the Saints Go Marching In” “Hello Dolly” and “What a Wonderful World” • He helped to make jazz popular across America with his fun personality and catchy songs. Through radio and TV appearances, he was the most recognizable face of jazz for many years
Count Basie • African American jazz musician • Started out as a jazz pianist and played in jazz bands in Oklahoma and Kansas City in the 1920’s and 1930’s • Eventually became the leader of his own jazz band in 1936 • His jazz band was known for their jumping rhythms and drum section in the early years • Led the Count Basie Orchestra from the 1936 till his death in 1984 • Later the band played big band and swing music • Whereas a lot of bands would play by memory, Basie’s band played using elaborate written scores. • One of the most important jazz bandleaders of his time • Famous Songs: “One O’Clock Jump” “Oh Lady be Good” “April in Paris”
John Coltrane • African American jazz saxophonist and composer • Played the tenor saxophone • Most popular during the 1950’s and 1960’s • Famous for his unique and very complex improvisation • He was an innovative musician, who was always inventing new jazz styles and changing his sound • Collaborated with the famous trumpet player, Miles Davis and the famous jazz pianist, Thelonius Monk • Played experimental and free form jazz • Died at a young age from a drug addiction • Famous Songs: “Impressions” “Psalm” “My Favorite Things”
Miles Davis • African American jazz trumpeter and composer • Although he played from the middle 1940’s up until the early 1990’s, Miles was most famous in the 1950’s and 1960’s • Helped develop many new styles of jazz, such as bebop, free jazz, jazz fusion, and cool jazz • Famously collaborated with Saxophonist John Coltrane • Wrote the best selling jazz album of all time: “Kind of Blue” (it went quadruple platinum) • At the forefront of nearly every jazz innovation • Famous Songs: “ So What” “All Blues” “Freddie Freeloader”
Duke Ellington • African American jazz musician • Started out as a jazz pianist • Became a famous bandleader • Composed and arranged music for his Duke Ellington Orchestra • Led a jazz band from 1923 till his death in 1974 • Played big band and swing music • His band was most popular in the 1930’s and 1940’s during the Great Depression and WWII • His group was able to survive the depression through radio exposure and constant touring • He helped make jazz into an art form • Famous Songs: “It Don’t mean a thing (if it ain’t got that swing)” “Take the A Train” “Moon Indigo”
Ella Fitzgerald • African American jazz singer • She was most popular in the 1950’s and 1960’s. • Known for her ability to scat • Famous for singing duets with Louis Armstrong • Known as the first lady of song • She sang many different styles of music including jazz and musical theater • Had a very pure and versatile voice • One of the most influential and recognizable jazz singers of all time • Performed from the 1930’s to the early 1990’s • She won 14 Grammy Awards over the course of her career • Famous Songs: “Summertime” “My Funny Valentine” “Blue Skies”
Dizzy Gillespie • African American jazz trumpet player and composer • Most popular in the 1940’s and 1950’s • Very influential in the development of bebop jazz (very quick and lively jazz that was developed in the 1940’s), which came after the enormous popularity of swing and big band music in the 1930’s and early 1940’s • Also helped to create Afro Cuban jazz in the late 1940’s, which fused together Latin American music with jazz • Also known for his scat singing • Played in many important bands over his career • Performed from the late 1930’s till his death in 1993 • Famous Songs: “Manteca” “Night in Tunisia” “Anthropology”
Charlie Parker • American jazz saxophonist and composer • Most popular during the 1940’s and the early 1950’s • Nicknamed “Bird” • Pioneer in the bebop style of jazz, along with Dizzy Gillespie • Used very complex harmonies • Was an amazing improviser on the saxophone • Through his music and his lifestyle, he helped to redefine jazz musicians as artists and intellectuals • Performed from 1937 till his death in 1955 • Died early due to a drug and alcohol addiction • Famous songs: “Ornithology” “Yardbird Suite” “Lover Man”
Tin Pan Alley Facts! • A street in NYC where all the big music publishers were concentrated in the late 1800’s through the early 1900’s. • Publishing and selling sheet music was big business before the invention of the radio and the phonograph (record player) • They published all the popular songs of the day • W. 28th st. between 5th and 6th ave in lower Manhattan • Was know as Tin Pan Alley because all the different pianos on the street that were playing different tunes sounded like tin pans being banged together. • The music publishers could make or break your career in those days
Scott Joplin • Born in the late 1800’s, in Texas • Wrote his most popular music in the 1890’s and early 1900’s • Achieved fame and recognition by publishing his “Maple Leaf Rag” • African American composer and pianist • Wrote mostly ragtime compositions, but also wrote two operas • The most famous and influential ragtime composer • Nicknamed the “King of Ragtime” • Was very skilled in improvisation at the piano • MOST FAMOUS SONGS: “Maple Leaf Rag” and “The Entertainer”
Irving Berlin • Jewish American composer • Immigrated to New York City from Russia as a child • Taught himself how to play piano • Wrote over 1,500 songs over his 60 year career • Wrote his most famous music from 1910-1950 • He has been called “the greatest songwriter that has ever lived.” • Wrote popular songs for Tin Pan Alley and musicals for Broadway • Tried to write songs that would appeal to the average American • Was actively writing songs from 1907 to 1971 • Lived for over 100 years • MOST FAMOUS SONGS: “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” “God Bless America,” and “Blue Skies”
Cole Porter • American composer • Wrote songs for Tin Pan Alley, Musicals for Broadway, and Movie music • Wrote his most popular music in the 1930’s and 1940’s • His most famous musicals are “Anything Goes” and “Kiss Me Kate” • Was known for his witty, complex songs • Wrote both the music and the lyrics for his songs, unlike many Tin Pan Alley composers • Wrote music from 1915 to the mid 1950’s • MOST FAMOUS SONGS: “I get a kick out of you,” “Night and Day,” and “I’ve got you under my skin.”
George Gershwin • American composer and pianist • Very prolific songwriter • Wrote songs for Tin Pan Alley • Wrote Broadway musicals • Also wrote classical concert pieces • Made piano roll recordings early in his career • Wrote his most popular music from 1919 till his death in 1937 • Died at an early age • MOST FAMOUS PIECES: “Rhapsody in Blue” “An American in Paris” “Swanee”
Michael Jackson • American entertainer • He was most popular in the 1970’s-1990’s • Known as the “King of Pop” • Began his career with the Jackson 5 • The most successful entertainer of all time (13 Grammy awards and 17 #1 singles) • His album Thriller is the best selling album of all time • He died of cardiac arrest on June 25th, 2009 • MOST FAMOUS SONGS: “Thriller,” “Beat It,” and “Billie Jean”
Madonna • American entertainer • Was trained as a dancer before she became a singer • The best selling female rock artist of the 20th century • Built her popularity in the 1980’s • Was most popular in the 1980’s, 90’s and 2000’s • Constantly changes her style and music to stay relevant • Still making music today • MOST FAMOUS SONGS: “Ray of Light,” and “Material Girl”
Leonard Bernstein • American composer • World renowned for his orchestra conducting • Longtime conductor of the New York Philharmonic • Was also a famous music lecturer • He conducted orchestras, wrote music and gave music lectures from the early 1940’s till his death in 1990 • Was most famous in the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s • He was important because he was a world famous conductor and an inventive composer • Wrote three musicals as well as traditional classical music • MOST FAMOUS MUSICALS: West Side Story and Candide
Aaron Copland • American composer • Wrote both concert and film music • Incorporated American folk music in his compositions • Studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris • Was important because he helped create a uniquely American style of composition • Wrote classical music and conducted orchestras from 1917 into the 1980’s • Most famous in the 1920’s, 30’s, 40’s and 50’s • MOST FAMOUS PIECES: Billy the Kid, Rodeo, and “Fanfare for the Common Man”
John Philip Sousa • American composer • Wrote mostly marches for brass bands • Known as the “March King” • Started his career in the Marine Band • Formed his own Sousa Band, which toured the United States for almost 40 years • He was important because he popularized band music in America • Wrote band music and conducted bands from the late 1880’s to the early 1930’s • Was most famous from 1900 through the early 1930’s • MOST FAMOUS MARCHES: “Stars and Stripes Forever”(national march) and “The Washington Post”
Igor Stravinsky • Russian composer, conductor and pianist • His ballet, “The Rite of Spring” incited a riot • Was always creating new and different styles of music • Composed many different styles of music (neoclassical, serial, rhythmic vitality) • Lived in Los Angeles for the last 30 years of his life • Was most famous from the 1920’s through the 1950’s • Composed music from 1909 till the late 1960’s • MOST FAMOUS PIECES: “Rite of Spring” and “The Firebird”
