The History of Pioneer Black Musicians Music Influence on that of Michael Jackson Michael Jackson was a great singer in his time and one of Americas’ prolific singers to ever grace the music scene. From the time he graced the music scene, he would go on to become a great singer that inspired other great singers during his period and in the future generation. Music has got a unique element that is so unifying and touching depending on the type of music one could be listening. In the history of the United States, black musicians from way back in the early days of singers such as James Brown, Prince, and Smokey Robinson have had an influence on the music culture. There are many genres today that can be traced from black musicians who popularized …show more content…
This kind of music was the source of inspiration for most of the black artists who also played a big role in influencing Michal Jackson and his numerous works. Soul music would be perceived as having an influence on almost every facet present in popular culture. It has its history from Back Power and Civil rights movements that were seen in the 1960s (Soul: a Historical Reconstruction of Continuity and Change in Black Popular Music, 21). Some of the popular genres include blues that are deeply embedded in the black tradition. Blues and specifically country blues has its origin or essence from socially isolated communities in the antebellum period (Soul: a Historical Reconstruction of Continuity and Change in Black Popular Music, 22). It is a vocal genre emphasizing the vocal idiom. There were also urban blue forms that included Dancehall Blues Bands. The migration of the blacks to urban settings during the two World Wars was a period that would see the blacks development preference for blues-derived dance Music (King of the Queen City: The Story of King Records, 64). It was then that Jazz bandleaders such as Luck Millender, Todd Rhodes, Buddy Johnson and Tiny Bradshaw, created a type of dance music that would suit them (Soul: a Historical Reconstruction of Continuity and Change in Black Popular Music, 24). Their …show more content…
It was clear that from the very beginning of Jackson’s career that he was one of his favorite artists. Brown engaged in the Rock ‘n’ Roll style of music, and Jackson idolized him as his godfather even though he did not fully get to match Brown’s level of the style. Jackson was more popular in pop music but in later years, it was not hard to see elements of Brown style in some of Jackson’s rock music such as You Rock My World and Give in to Me where the vocal techniques and performances could indeed be traced to those of Brown. Brown was also credited with providing a new direction for R & B that would later evolve into soul in the 1960s (Soul: a Historical Reconstruction of Continuity and Change in Black Popular Music, 33). The style applied vocal and instrumental elements. A little later he would develop his style where the entire instrument accompaniment supported and reinforced his vocal style. The vocal lines were accentuated by instrument arrangements with emphasis placed on the backbeat (Soul: a Historical Reconstruction of Continuity and Change in Black Popular Music, 33). The bass, horns, voices, and drum added the multilayered and polyrhythmic effects (Soul: a Historical Reconstruction of Continuity and Change in Black Popular Music, 33). In essence, his music structure was percussive and rhythmic. Some of these elements would be seen in Jackson’s
[the black musician] improvises, he creates, it comes from within” (Gerard 28). Despite Malcolm X’s criticism of the classically-trained musician’s inability to improvise, the European-influenced creole musicians began to learn to create variation within ragtime’s syncopated form. Likewise, blues musicians adopted parts of the genre of ragtime and implemented it into their call-and-response based music. The merging of these two styles of music occurred as a result of external socio-political pressure of Jim Crow segregation, but ultimately helped establish an innovative and swinging genre of jazz
Influences african community Janet jackson was the most significant
Many people think of Prince and Michael Jackson as two of the world’s greatest music entertainers. They were both African American singers, songwriters and philanthropists. Everyone considered them musical icons. They have entertained music fans all around the world. Their musical styles has influenced other famous entertainers and artist such as Beyoncé, Usher, Chris Brown and others.
Those who were once dominating the charts began to fall. According to Peter Grendysa, one of America’s leading R&B historians, “For the first time, a bunch of new acts on new labels began to dominate the R&B tallies at the same time black artists were vanishing from Pop charts” (qtd. in Bjorn and Gallert 170). Labels during this time period were focused on creating names for white artists such as Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly.
James Brown was known for many nicknames such as ‘’Soul Brother Number One’’, ‘’the Godfather of soul’’, ‘’the Hardest Working Man in Show Business,” “Mr. Dynamite” and even “the Original Disco Man.” As a child Brown picked cotton, danced for spare change, and would even shine people shoes. At the age of 16, Brown was caught and convicted for stealing, and he landed in reform school for three years. While incarcerated, Brown met Bobby Byrd, leader of gospel group that performed at his prison. While Brown tried semipro boxing and baseball, but a career-ending leg injury inspired Brown to pursue music fulltime.
While Micheal Jackson was the leading pop star in music, outselling every
The genre of blues exploded into the blues craze during the 1920’s. During this time, white record producers saw the untapped goldmine that was blues music performed by people of color. Ma Rainey was one of them, and to some, one of the first, giving her the title, ‘The Mother of Blues’. The 1920’s was not only an era of continuing homophobia from the past (although that would change, briefly, into a mild form of acceptance until the more conservative 1930’s), but also of harsh racism. And yet, one singer, Ma Rainey’s, broke these restrictions.
Motown was a transformative sound that arrived just at the height of the civil rights movement. Such success coming from a black business and black artists forced the rest of America to reexamine their racial prejudices that they still clung to. It seemed that it’s founder, Berry Gordy, knew from the start that Motown was something special when he hung a sign that read “Hitsville USA” above the recording studio’s headquarters. The success was almost instant for most Motown artists with song after song becoming number one hits on major music charts. However, the success was not easy, as it took strenuous amounts of work to mold the artist’s looks and sounds into something that would popularize them among the white population.
On January 8th, 1935 one of the greatest influences to pop and country was born. Elvis Aaron Presley changed the way people heard and saw music through his songs and the way he performed them. Elvis’ music was stunning, he had eighteen American No. 1s and hundreds of gold records from around the world. He brought a way of performing that people had never experienced before, he was electrifying when he performed on stage. Elvis Presley was the first rock'n'roll star, he brought rebellion to the youth of that time and was able to grasp the listener and draw them into his songs which few artist have ever been able to accomplish.
Arguably one of the very best is Louis Armstrong. Known to be well versed in not only trumpet but also vocals and even composition. Louis Armstrong inspired many people across a wide range. He was so actively involved in everything going on around him. He was one of the only African American musicians who spoke up against political issues, he publically talked about the wrongness of school segregation (Harris).
Then in 1971 Michael Jackson started his solo career. During this he made tons of chart topping songs at his young age. He quickly became the King of
Hip Hop also plays a very important role in modern culture and society of African-Americans. After the abolition of slavery, African-Americans
Berry combined multiple genres like Little Richard to create his tracks. Many people of all races came to listen to Berry play because everyone loved his music and his crazy moves despite his color. He was the first black artist to reach the top 10. The Beatles: Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
Cultural Impact of Rock and Roll Amidst the 1960’s Jimi Hendrix formerly stated, “Music doesn’t lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only happen through music.” A generation which was earnestly devoted to peace, protest, and revolution, the counterculture amongst the 1960’s yearned for change. Rock and roll was far beyond just a genre of music; it influenced lifestyles, protests, and attitudes, thus, kindling an awakening in the youth of American culture. The distinction between parental and youth culture was a persistent root of concern, considering that teens throughout the world found a sense of belonging in this style of music.
Music is not only used to capture peoples hearing but it is used to power peoples minds through the power of an individuals voice. Music served a critical role in the African American’s lives, as it was used to uplift their spirits as well as providing them with hope and strength to fight for civil rights and overcome segregation between white superiority and the unfair treatment of the inferior black. Music was defined as the voice of the people that lived through the oppression of the civil rights movement. During the civil rights movement, there were many different types of music genres sung, dependent on the culture, this included spiritual music; gospel and even folk music, which was performed by musicians, singers and even people of any musical talents. Through this, it brought about the uniting of people to join together and sing songs that helped them go through the oppression of the civil rights movement.