University of Wisconsin
State of Wisconsin Blue Book: Wisconsin State Symbols
A listing of the symbols of the state of Wisconsin.
Scott Alexander
Alberta Hunter
This site contains an article on the singer and composer Alberta Hunter. It also includes audio clips of some of her most famous songs. Excellent resource.
South Carolina Educational Television
Etv: Gullah Net: Gullah Music
Explore aspects of African music as reflected in the songs and music of slaves who lived in coastal South Carolina.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Janis Joplin
Explores comprehensive biographical details on superstar blues and soul musician, Janis Joplin, a 1995 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key events, recommended reading list, and essential songs.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Ma Rainey
Offers interesting biographical details on "Mother of the Blues", Ma Rainey, a 1990 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key events and essential songs list.
National Humanities Center
National Humanities Center: Toolbox Library: 1913: Fifty Years, Making of African American Identity: V. 2
A poem, an address, and a blues song that express black life in the first fifty years after the Emancipation Proclamation. The texts examine whether the true meaning of the proclamation carried forward to the lives African Americans.
Other
David Holt: The Roots of Mountain Music
This is a short history of the major influences that have combined to create mountain music, one of which is minstrel music. Provides a good decription of minstrel music in general. Includes names and descriptions of specific songs,...
Other
Old Time Victrola Music: Blackface Minstrel Music
This website from Old Time Victrola Music, which sells victrola recordings of minstrel music from 1918, provides samples of several minstrel songs in Real Audio format.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: b.b. King
Provides complete biographical details on the "King of the Blues", musician B.B. King, a 1987 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key events, essential songs, and recommended reading list.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Willie Dixon
Presents comprehensive biographical details on "the father of modern Chicago blues" Willie Dixon, a 1994 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key events, essential songs, and recommended reading list.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Big Joe Turner
Features complete biographical details on blues musician Big Joe Turner, a 1987 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key events, essential songs, and recommended reading list.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Howlin' Wolf
Offers excellent biographical details on blues musician Howlin' Wolf, a 1991 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key events and essential songs list.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Bessie Smith
Read detailed biographical information on the "Empress of the Blues", Bessie Smith, a 1989 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key events and essential songs list.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Bonnie Raitt
Covers biographical details on Grammy winning blues singer Bonnie Raitt, a 2000 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key events and essential songs list.
University of Calgary
University of Calgary: Biography of Cynthia Voigt
This profile of Cynthia Voigt reveals her life and work, including her many awards for her children's and young adult books. Among these awards were the Newbery Medal for Dicey's Song and, in 1990, the California Young Reader's Award for...
Georgia Humanities Council and the University of Georgia Press.
New Georgia Encyclopedia: Ray Charles (1930 2004)
Brush up on the life of legendary soul musician, Ray Charles, who was declared legally blind at age seven and because of this wore dark glasses that would become his trademark. The song most associated with him, "Georgia on My Mind",...
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: John Lee Hooker
Offers comprehensive biographical details on the father of boogie music John Lee Hooker, a 1991 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes an essential songs list.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: The Drifters
Considered one of the greatest vocal groups of the 1950s and 1960s, The Drifters were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988 and have three songs on the list of the top 500 most influential songs.
University of Toronto (Canada)
University of Toronto: Selected Shakespeare Poems
Not only is Shakespeare famous for his plays, but for his sonnets and songs, as well. View his poems here, including "The Phoenix and the Turtle", "Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day", and other sonnets.
Other
Famous Singers
Biographical profiles of famous singers in major musical genres. Includes photo and links to snippets of their songs.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Bill Monroe
Offers interesting biographical background details on "the father of bluegrass music", Bill Monroe, a 1997 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key events, recommended reading list, and essential songs.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Billie Holiday
Biographical details on jazz singer Billie Holiday, a 2000 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key life events, essential songs list, and recommended reading.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Chuck Berry
Presents comprehensive biographical details on rock musician and legend Chuck Berry, a 1986 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key events and essential songs list.
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Rod Stewart
Features comprehensive biographical details on legendary rock and roll musician, Rod Stewart, a 1994 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Includes a timeline of key events, recommended reading list, and essential songs.