Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Walter Page
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Walter Page, a black American swing-era musician, one of the first to play "walking" lines on the string bass. A pioneer of the Southwestern jazz style, he was a star of the Count Basie...
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Jamie Foxx
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Jamie Foxx, an American comedian, musician, and actor, who became known for his impersonations on the television sketch-comedy show In Living Color and later proved himself a versatile...
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Jimmy Reed
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Jimmy Reed, an American singer, harmonica player, and guitarist who was one of the most popular blues musicians of the post-World War II era.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Jimmy Smith
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Jimmy Smith, an American musician who integrated the electric organ into jazz, thereby inventing the soul-jazz idiom, which became popular in the 1950s and '60s.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Johnny Dodds
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Johnny Dodds, an African-American musician noted as one of the most lyrically expressive of jazz clarinetists.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Meade Lewis
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Meade Lewis, an American musician, one of the leading exponents of boogie-woogie.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Milt Jackson
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Milt Jackson, an African-American jazz musician, the first and most influential vibraphone improviser of the postwar, modern jazz era.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Sammy Price
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Sammy Price, an American pianist and bandleader, a jazz musician rooted in the old rhythm and blues and boogie-woogie traditions who had a long career as a soloist and accompanist.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Willie King
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Willie King, an American musician born March 8, 1943, Prairie Point, Miss.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Will Smith
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Will Smith, an American actor and musician whose charisma, clean-cut good looks, and quick wit helped him transition from rap music to a successful career in acting.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Archie Shepp
Learn about the life of Archie Shepp, African American tenor saxophonist, composer, dramatist, teacher, and pioneer of the free jazz movement.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Ike Turner
Biographical account of Ike Turner, the American rhythm-and-blues and soul performer, and producer who was best known for his work with Tina Turner.
Other
Famous Singers
Biographical profiles of famous singers in major musical genres. Includes photo and links to snippets of their songs.
Songwriters Hall of Fame
Songwriters Hall of Fame: Chuck Berry
This resource provides information about Chuck Berry.
Scott Alexander
Red Hot Jazz: Ferdinand Jelly Roll Morton
Red Hot Jazz offers a biography of jazz great, Ferdinand "Jelly Roll" Morton, with selections of Morton's compositions and arrangements in Real Audio format.
Smithsonian Institution
National Museum of American History: History Wired: Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington
Learn about the great big band leader Duke Ellington at this informative website. This site highlights his life and career in a well written article.
PBS
Pbs American Masters: Sarah Vaughan
An informative biography of jazz singer Sarah Vaughan (1924-1990 CE) is presented highlighting her long musical career.
Other
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum: Charley Pride
Provides the life story of African American country music superstar, Charley Pride, a 2000 inductee into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Click on the arrows to listen to him singing three songs.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Prince
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Prince, a singer, guitarist, songwriter, producer, dancer, and performer on keyboards, drums, and bass who was among the most talented American musicians of his generation. Like Stevie...
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Big Joe Turner
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Big Joe Turner, a black American blues singer, or "shouter," whose records were imitated by white musicians in the early days of rock and roll.
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Dorothy West
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Dorothy West, an American writer who explored the aspirations and conflicts of middle-class African Americans in many of her works and was one of the last surviving members of the...
Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia Britannica: Lonnie Johnson
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Lonnie Johnson, a prolific black American musician, singer, and songwriter, one of the first major blues and jazz guitarists.
Other
Alligator Records: Koko Taylor
Biographical information about Koko Taylor. Links to pages with information about each of her albums.
Other
Koko Taylor Talks About Her Subjects
Article and interview first published in Clockwork Review about Koko Taylor's, "Queen of the Blues", career.