The Soul of Rock 'N Roll: A History of African Americans in Rock Music
Editorial Reviews
Book Description
The Soul of Rock 'N Roll follows the careers of top African American recording artist in the Rock music genre from 1950 to present.
African American musicians and singers invented Rock 'N Roll. Consequently, in the 1950s, pioneering artists like Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Ike & Tina Turner set the sound, style and performance standards for the next 50 years. In the 1960s, African American artists like Aretha Franklin, James Brown, and Jimi Hendrix continued to raise the bar of excellence and artistic discipline, while using their celebrity to further the cause of social justice.
In the 1970s, African American artists like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and The Jackson 5, took the spirit of social and economic empowerment and ascended to a whole new level of singing, songwriting and performance in contemporary music. So did multi-talented artist like Prince, Living Colour, and Run DMC in the 1980s; these highly progressive new-age artists toured the world in stadiums, and delivered the visual and sonic message of professional excellence to 50 thousand people at a time.
Most recently, 1990s and new millennium African American Rockers lead the way toward more cultural acceptance and diversity in rock music; artists like Janet Jackson, Lenny Kravitz, and Ben Harper are again blazing trail to a new frontier of racial and cultural inclusiveness in modern music and American society.
The Soul of Rock 'N Roll highlights and celebrates the powerful influence of African Americans in rock music, and this work is a "must read" for any person who considers themselves a serious fan of ROCK 'N ROLL!
About the Author
J. Othello, a scholar of Education, Theology and Political Science, resides in Oakland, California. A professional songwriter since 1990, he was the founder and leader of the all-Black rock bands "The Wanted" and "Othello's Revenge." In 1991 he performed on both the Lollapalooza and Gathering of the Tribes festival tours, as well as being featured in a MTV 30 minute News Special entitled "Racism: Points of View," which ran from 1991-1992. A tireless performer, he toured and traveled nationally and internationally throughout the 1990s, and in 2002 was nominated for a JPF Songwriter Award. Also in 2002, he signed a licensing deal with producers Bunim-Murray, to provide music for MTV shows like THE REAL WORLD and ROAD RULES. Recently, he was featured in a 2003 exhibit at the National Broadcast Museum, chronicling his work on MTV and his views on racism in the music industry. J. Othello holds a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership, and is a teacher, speaker, and advocate for social equity worldwide.
The Soul of Rock 'N Roll: A History of African Americans in Rock Music,J. Othello,Regent Press,1587901056,African American musicians,African American singers,Biography,General,History and criticism,Music,Rock music,United States
The Soul of Rock 'N Roll: A History of African Americans in Rock Music
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