Blues | Musicosity

Blues

Mavis Staples

Mavis Staples (born July 11, 1940 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American rhythm and blues singer. Most of her career has been as lead singer for The Staple Singers. She first recorded solo for the Stax subsidiary Volt in 1969. Subsequent efforts included a Curtis Mayfield-produced soundtrack on Curtom, a nod to disco for Warner Bros. Records in 1979, a stab at electro-pop with Holland-Dozier-Holland in 1984, and a collaboration with Prince in the late 1980s and early 90s (producing the two solo albums Time Waits for No One in 1989 and The Voice in 1993, and various other collaborations).

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Alvin Youngblood Hart

Alvin "Youngblood" Hart (born 1963 in Oakland, California) is an American musician. Influenced in early childhood by the Mississippi Country Blues performed by older relatives, Hart is known as one of the world's foremost practitioners of that genre. Hart is also known as a faithful torchbearer for the 60's & 70's guitar rock of his youth, as well as Western Swing and vintage Country. His music has been compared to a list of diverse artists ranging from Leadbelly, Spade Cooley to Led Zeppelin and Thin Lizzy.

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Sky High

Swedish blues/rock band similar to Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. After numerous line-up changes over the years, and the only constant member, guitarist/singer Clas Yngström in front, the band Sky High continues to perform powerful bluesrock. Formed in Gothenburg, Sweden in 1978, Clas Yngström & Sky High released albums all through the 80's, and the most commersial sucessfull album to date, Humanizer in 1987.

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Endless Boogie

"Meet Endless Boogie, the best-kept secret in New York's rock scene. They have the best name (taken from John Lee Hooker's 1971 album), the best onstage vibe and the best head-nodding jams. In a sea of derivative and freshly outfitted young bands, Endless Boogie -- with a combined age of 169 and members who count Canned Heat as one of their influences -- doesn't have a big agenda. They just want to rock with you, preferably all night long.

Fabulous Thunderbirds

Taken from their web-pages (www.fabulousthunderbirds.com)
For the past 30 years, The Fabulous Thunderbirds have been the quintessential American band. The group's distinctive and powerful sound, influenced by a diversity of musical styles, manifested itself into a unique musical hybrid via such barnburners as "Tuff Enuff" and "Wrap It Up". Co-founder Kim Wilson, the sole original member, still spearheads the group as it evolves into its newest incarnation.

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The Black Keys

The Black Keys are a two-man blues-rock group from Akron, Ohio, United States which formed in 2001, consisting of singer and guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney. The band name was inspired by a schizophrenic artist and friend in Akron, who used the term "black keys" to describe things he disliked or people he did not trust. The Black Keys have roots in traditional blues and psychedelic rock stylings.

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Ruthie Foster

Ruthie Foster is an American singer/songwriter of blues and folk music. She is from Gause, Texas and from a family of gospel singers. She studied music at McLennan Community College and then worked in the US Navy, where she started performing. Her debut was released in 1997 and she has performed in North America, Europe and Australia. She has often been compared to Ella Fitzgerald and Aretha Franklin.

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C.W. Stoneking

C.W. Stoneking is an Australian blues musician. Stoneking was born in Katherine to Californian hippie parents who had met at a music festival. His parents separated, and he was brought up by his father, a teacher in the Aboriginal community of Papunya. His interest in the blues was sparked while a student at Sydney's Balmain High School. He stumbled across some of his father's blues tapes. At this time one of his classmates was Alex Lloyd, also a blues fan, and they sometimes jammed together.

Dallas Frasca

It's no surprise that "Not For Love Or Money", the debut album by Aussie roots/rock powerhouse Dallas Frasca has a sense of exhilaration and dynamics throughout. That's because Frasca and her partner in crime, Jeff Curran (guitarist) wrote the tracks during a heavy-duty bout of touring. "It was recorded in five studios around the country over an 18 month period - and was basically written to have an empowering impact on the listener," reveals Frasca.

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The Preatures

To compare Sydney newcomers The Preatures to any musical acts would be unfair. Not that they don’t have their influences (Think <a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Patti+Smith" class="bbcode_artist">Patti Smith</a> and <a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Wolfman+Jack" class="bbcode_artist">Wolfman Jack</a> with a dash of <a href="http://www.last.fm/music/Fleetwood+Mac" class="bbcode_artist">Fleetwood Mac</a>) but their live show is more reminiscent of a religious cult. From the howling voodoo high priest Gideon Bensen to the Magdeline-esque passion of Isabella Manfredi, the voices in this band stir up a religious fervor that makes you want to drink the kool aid and wait for the spaceship.