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R&B Artists and Songs


Catherine

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The music teacher at my college warns against us using the term "R and B" when referring to Rhythm And Blues, as this is a different style to the modern type of "R and B", styled "Rhythm and Bass". Personally, I don't see why the two can't be utilized for both terms - though sometimes, I hear an R and B track on the radio and think "Where's the blues in that."

It would make more sense to me personally if Rhythm and BASS was designated for R and B, permanently, and Rhythm and Blues, was... maybe given a different name. Rhythm and purples? Rhythm and yellows?

Time to change my Songfacts background, methinks!

Love and mercy

Matt

I've always wondered, what does R&B stand for? I heard it was Rythym&Blues but I've also heard Rythym&Bass. The first one makes more sense.

What does it stand for? :help:

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The music teacher at my college warns against us using the term "R and B" when referring to Rhythm And Blues, as this is a different style to the modern type of "R and B", styled "Rhythm and Bass". Personally, I don't see why the two can't be utilized for both terms - though sometimes, I hear an R and B track on the radio and think "Where's the blues in that."

It would make more sense to me personally if Rhythm and BASS was designated for R and B, permanently, and Rhythm and Blues, was... maybe given a different name. Rhythm and purples? Rhythm and yellows?

Time to change my Songfacts background, methinks!

Love and mercy

Matt

I'll adjust to today's evolution of categories and terminology from Rhythm and Blues to Rhythm and Bass...

thanks

:)

here's more history...

reference

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I'll take a look at that allmusic link, see what they believe concerning the matter.

Thanks for the link.

Love and mercy

I'll adjust to today's evolution of categories and terminology from Rhythm and Blues to Rhythm and Bass...

thanks

:)

here's more history...

reference

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"... The term "Rhythm and Blues" was coined in 1947 by Jerry as a replacement for the terms "race music" "sepia music" and "Harlem Hits Parade" during a reorganization of the Billboard charts ... Race records were born when recording companies realized there was money to be made marketing music by black artists to black consumers. ..."

See these pages about R & B and race records.

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Even today "R & B" seems to be a catch-all record chart codeword for music by Black artists, from Luther Vandross to Ludacris. (The term "Urban" is a more recent alternative.)

But I think of R & B (rhythm and blues) as that part of traditionally Black music that was mixed and melted in to early rock 'n' roll.

"I got the rockin' pneumonia

I need a shot of rhythm and blues...

Well early in the mornin'

I'm givin' you my warnin'

Don't you step on my blue suede shoes ...

Roll over Beethoven, dig these rhythm and blues" - from Roll Over Beethoven by Chuck Berry

"Well grandpa done got rhythm

And he threw his crutches down

Oh, the old boy done got rhythm and blues

And he threw that crutches down

Grandma he ain't triflin'

Well the old boy's rhythm bound ...

Rock, bop, rhythm and blues

Rhythm and Blues, it must be going 'round" - from Boppin' the Blues by Carl Perkins

Carl Perkins, who wrote Blue Suede Shoes (< click), was first and foremost a rockabilly artist*. But it's clear to see how he and Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis and other early rockers were influenced by Black music. Chuck Berry's reference to Blue Suede Shoes demonstrated that there was a "whole lotta shakin' goin' on" musically at that time.

Oh, and a few of my R & B favorites are

Big Boss Man by Jimmy Reed

Turn On Your Love Light by Bobby "Blue" Bland

Baby, Scratch My Back by Slim Harpo

* Remarkably, Blue Suede Shoes caused Perkins to show up on R & B charts in 1956.

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Another major label from the '50's and '60's was Atlantic Records with artists like:

Ruth Brown

the Clovers

the Drifters

Ray Charles

Ben E. King

Wilson Pickett

Eddie Floyd

Clarence Carter

the Spinners

and

ARETHA Franklin

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Atlantic Rhythm and Blues 1947 - 1974 (8 cd box set)

allmusic.com/atlantic

(scroll down for chronological track listings)

there's some crossover with the Stax/Volt box set because of a distribution deal back then between the two labels

::

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I think what you consider to be "R & B" is a factor how old you are.

Elwood Blues (Dan Akroyd) called the Blues Brothers show a "Rhythm and Blues Review". Most folks well over 30, like me, would agree that the best of what the Blues Brothers do is honest-to-goodness R & B.

Today, what's named "R & B" seems to be Hip-Hop and some soulful romantic ballads.

correction: It was Jerry Wexler (< click) great innovative producer of "immaculate funk" who coined the term "rhythm and blues" (in 1947 by one account, 1949 by another)

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Etta James ('61 Chess Records) and Wynonie Harris (King Records '47-'54)

d574426k3b8.jpgd6136180q95.jpg

Fontella Bass and Modern Records label with artists like:

Ike & Tina Turner / Jesse Belvin / Lowell Fulson and Roscoe Gordon

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Ike ('50's) and Tina Turner ('66 with Phil Spector and his Wall of Sound production) albums:

e83343q3334.jpgf05808q69vp.jpg

::

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Hank Ballard and the Midnighters - Greatest Jukebox Hits '58

Jackie Wilson - Higher and Higher '67

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Ray Charles

The Birth of a Legend

and

Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music '62

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Junior Walker - Shotgun '65

Otis Redding - Pain in My Heart '64

e00364axe89.jpgc4745975cg3.jpg

Best of Jerry Butler

The Chordettes - Mainly Rock and Roll

d67110nr30t.jpgc5194232f99.jpg

:D

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More R & B favorites:

Wang Dang Doodle - Koko Taylor. Written by Willie Dixon, and also performed by Howlin' Wolf. Later covered by the Pointer Sisters. Koko Taylor is called "Queen of the Blues".

I Thank You and Wrap It Up - Sam and Dave. Thank you was written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter. It was covered by ZZ Top. Wrap It Up was covered by the Fabulous Thunderbirds.

I'm Blue - The Ikettes. The Ikettes were Ike & Tina Turner's back-up singers. This song is also known as the "gong-gong song". It was used in the excellent John Waters movie "Hairspray".

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Johnny Otis (< click) used to live in my local area, and performed on a regular basis. Seven or eight years ago, I was privileged to see the Johnny Otis Show, a fantastic Rhythm & Blues Review with numerous performers, as the finale to one of the annual outdoor Red Beans & Rice Music Festivals that Otis organized.

albumrbdance.jpgalbumdapper.jpg

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more Johnny Otis Show '71 with -

Esther Phillips

Eddie Vinson

JoeTurner

Ivory Joe Hunter

Roy Milton

Roy Brown

Pee Wee Crayton

most in the sunset of their careers...

and

Shuggie Otis

then

Sam Cooke '64

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James Brown - Night Train '61 and 40th Anniversary Collection

f187708purw.jpgc81259u7wff.jpg

LaVern Baker - Soul on Fire

and

Little Anthony and the Imperials

d135419njx6.jpgf62005dwslv.jpg

:)

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Tybalt,

You're exactly right about The Who -

Rock,rock,rock all the way...

Can you expand a bit more on Ernie K-Doe

and

Is Benny Spellman the original 'Fortune Teller' ?

Thanks...

:coolio:

by the way... Rhino IS the best Re-issue label with all their complete licensing of copyrights,etc. from many labels into an overview of a career into 1 or 2 cds or 1 box set... imo

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The late Ernest Kador, Jr. , "Emperor of the World", was a performer and club owner in New Orleans. His biggest record was Mother-In-Law (1961). See k-doe.com, the official website.

I'm finding a lot of connections between artists (especially around the New Orleans music scene). Benny Spellman , indeed the originator of Fortune Teller (covered by the Rolling Stones), was a background vocalist on K-Doe's Mother-In-Law. Before that, he was with Huey "Piano" Smith and His Clowns [Don't You Just Know It, (Well I'll Be) John Brown, etc.]

B0000060ID.01._PE_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg

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Sounds like I need to check out Johnny Otis.

I'm a huge fan of '70s R&B, especially the uptempo stuff. My favorites are The Spinners, LTD, Bill Withers and Earth, Wind & Fire.

Once we get into the '80s, I really like Jodeci and Mint Condition.

The R&B I hear on the radio these days doesn't do it for me. It seems whiny and contrived.

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