Name______
34. Ray Charles (1930 – 2004)
Many musicians possess elements of genius, but only one — the great Ray Charles — so completely embodied the term that it was bestowed upon him as a nickname. Charles displayed his genius by combining elements of gospel and blues into a fervid, exuberant style that would come to be known as soul music. While recording for Atlantic Records during the Fifties, the innovative singer, pianist and bandleader broke down the barriers between sacred and secular music. The gospel sound he’d heard growing up in the church found its way into the music he made as an adult. In his own words, he fostered “a crossover between gospel music and the rhythm patterns of the blues.” But he didn’t stop there: over the decades, elements of country & western and big-band jazz infused his music as well. He is as complete and well-rounded a musical talent as this century has produced. At age six, he contracted glaucoma, which eventually left him blind. Charles studied composition and mastered a variety of instruments, piano and saxophone principal among them, during nine years spent at the St. Augustine School for the Deaf and the Blind.
Listen to: What’d I Say https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65FOQpQpSwc
As you listen to the music, answer the following questions. Short answers are fine.
· What are the instruments used to make the music? Name as many as you can.
· How does this music make me feel?
· Is there a singer? If yes, are they male or female?
· In what genre does this music best fit?
35. Little Richard (1932 – present)
Born Richard Wayne Penniman in Macon, Georgia, Little Richard helped define the early rock ‘n’ roll era of the 1950s with his driving, flamboyant sound. With his croons, wails and screams, he turned songs like “Tutti-Frutti” and “Long Tall Sally” into huge hits and influenced such bands as the Beatles. Little Richard was the third of 12 children. Two of his uncles as well as his grandfather were preachers, and Richard was involved with the church as much as anyone in his family, singing gospel and eventually learning to play the piano. Upon moving out of his family’s home, Richard was taken in by a white family who owned a club in Macon, where Richard eventually began performing and honing his talent. In September of 1955, Richard stepped into the recording studio and pumped out “Tutti-Frutti,” an instant Billboard hit that reached No. 17. Richard’s success didn’t stop there. Over the next year and a half, he churned out several more rock hits, including “Long Tall Sally,” “Good Golly Miss Molly” and “Send Me Some Lovin’.” With his blood-pumping piano playing and suggestive lyrics, Little Richard, along with the likes of Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis, established rock as a real musical form and inspired others, most notably the Beatles, to make a go of it.
Listen to: Long Tall Sally https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqxNSvFMkag
As you listen to the music, answer the following questions. Short answers are fine.
· What are the instruments used to make the music? Name as many as you can.
· How does this music make me feel?
· Is there a singer? If yes, are they male or female?
· In what genre does this music best fit?
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