Top 20 Elvis Songs
Elvis is the greatest singer of all time. Here are his top 20 best songs. First is my opinion top 20. The second is the top 20 best selling singles. I will add the album that they were first on and their single cover if possible. Without further ado, let's get started.
Opinion 20
20. I Washed My Hands in Muddy Water - Elvis Country (1971)
Like a lot of the songs on this opinionated list, this song just sounds cool to me, so it made #20 on this spot.
Like a lot of the songs on this opinionated list, this song just sounds cool to me, so it made #20 on this spot.
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19. If You Talk in Your Sleep - Promised Land (1975)
Another cool song. I like the trumpet part during this song. |
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18. Promised Land - Promised Land (1975)
This song just gives me nostalgia, because this song was in a video of the ETAs (Elvis Tribute Artists) that were in the 2011 Branson Elvis Tribute Artist Contest. This was the first ever Elvis Festival I ever went to. Here's a link to the video (Spoiler: It's really funny): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKKwX9yY7cw |
17. Early Mornin’ Rain - Now (1972)
This song is really nice. It hypes me up sometimes, for some reason....
This song is really nice. It hypes me up sometimes, for some reason....
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16. Tryin’ to get to You - Elvis Presley (1956)
Tryin' to Get to You is another nostalgic song, for some reason. I don't remember the exact reason. I guess I just grew up listening to it. |
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15. Dixieland Rock - King Creole (1958)
This song is a very upbeat song. It makes me hyped, like the majority of the songs on here, but that's just how it is. |
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14. Patch it Up - That’s the Way It Is (1970)
This is just another song I thought Sounded Cool. |
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13. I’ve Lost You - That’s the Way it Is (1970)
I like this song for many reasons. It sounds cool, and I like singing to it. |
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12. Don’t be Cruel - Elvis’ Golden Records (1958)
This is a classic song, that's about the only reason why I put it. |
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11. The Fool - Elvis Country (1971)
This is one of the songs I think sounds really cool. I'm not sure why, but it is super cool sounding. |
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10. Crying in the Chapel - How Great Thou Art (1967)
This is one of Elvis' Greatest gospel songs. That's all I have to say. |
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9. If I Can Dream - Elvis (1968)
This is a classic, classic, classic part of the 1968 Comeback show. It's the ending of the show and I really like it. |
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8. It’s Midnight - Promised Land (1975)
This is a nice, emotional ballad by Elvis. I tend to like these ballads a lot. |
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7. The Impossible Dream - As Recorded Live at Madison Square Garden (1972)
Another emotional ballad, but this one is more theatrical. However, I really like it. |
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6. My Boy - Good Times (1974)
I really like this song for reasons I can't explain. If I could pick a powerful, emotional Elvis ballad to listen to for the rest of my life, I would say this song. This has a great melody and a great instrumental. I really enjoy it. |
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5. I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry Over You - Elvis Presley (1956)
I love this song, because of how funny it is. That's really it. I probably shouldn't have put it this high, but it's so funny... I mean, it's not a bad song, it's actually really good. I find it funny, though because Elvis is talking about everything he's going to do if this girl breaks up with him. You would think, because of the title, it would be a slow, sad song, but it is very fast paced and it's very funny. |
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4. Heart of Rome - Love Letters from Elvis (1972)
This is a very nice song. It's like a mix between a rock song and a ballad. However, it's the greatest mix genre Elvis song I've ever heard. It's really nice. |
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3. Jailhouse Rock - Elvis’ Golden Records (1958)
I love this song, because it's a very popular song from a very popular movie. I really enjoy it. |
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2. Shake, Rattle and Roll - For LP Fans Only (1959)
I like this song because it's Elvis' opening song in the 1950s. Every time I hear it, I'm like "Here comes Elvis" Actually, This song is my Ringtone on my phone, because I like it so much. |
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1. Peace in the Valley - Elvis’ Christmas Album (1957)
This right here, is My favorite Elvis Gospel song. Not only that, My favorite Elvis song of all time. I love it very much. I like it because it's about the lord. I also like it, because it has a nice melody. This is my #1 best Elvis Song. |
Factual 20 (Also, if they were on the same rank for the same amount of weeks, they are then ranked by the release of single)
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20. Burning Love - Aloha From Hawaii via Satellite (1973)
This song's single went to #2. |
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19. Can’t help falling in love - Blue Hawaii (1961)
This song's single went to #2 |
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18. Suspicious Minds - Elvis In Person At The International Hotel (1969)
This song's single went to #1 for 1 week |
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17. Don’t - Elvis' Golden Records Volume 2 (1959)
This song's single went to #1 for 1 week |
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16. Good Luck Charm - Elvis' Golden Records Volume 3 (1963)
This song's single went to #1 for 2 weeks. |
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15. Surrender - Elvis' Golden Records Volume 3 (1963)
This song's single went to #1 for 2 weeks. |
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14. Hard Headed Woman - King Creole (1958)
This song's single went to #1 for 2 weeks |
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13. I Want You, I Need You, I Love You - Elvis' Golden Records (1958)
This song's single went to #1 for 3 weeks. |
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12. Too Much - Elvis' Golden Records (1958)
This song's single went to #1 for 3 weeks. |
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11. It’s Now or Never - Elvis' Golden Records Volume 3 (1963)
This song's single went to #1 for 4 weeks. |
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10. Stuck on You - Elvis’ Golden Records Volume 3 (1963)
This song's single went #1 for 4 weeks. |
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9. Are You Lonesome Tonight? - Elvis’ Golden Records Volume 3 (1963)
This song's single went to #1 for 7 Weeks. |
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8. A Big Hunk O’ Love - Elvis’ Golden Records Volume 2 (1959)
This song's single went to #1 for 5 weeks |
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7. Love Me Tender - Elvis’ Golden Records (1958)
This songs single went to #1 for 5 weeks. |
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6. Jailhouse Rock - Elvis’ Golden Records (1958)
This song's single went to #1 for 7 weeks. |
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5. Teddy Bear - Loving You (1957)
This song's single went to #1 for 7 weeks. |
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4. Don't Be Cruel - Elvis’ Golden Records (1958)
Both songs on this single went to #1 for 7 weeks, but since Don't Be Cruel was on the B side, it was Behind. |
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3. Hound Dog - Elvis’ Golden Records (1958)
Both songs on this single went to #1 for 7 weeks, but since Hound Dog was on the A side, it was ahead |
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2. Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis’ Golden Records (1958)
This song's single went to #1 for 7 weeks. |
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1. All Shook Up - Elvis’ Golden Records (1958)
This song's single went to #1 for 8 weeks. This is the only single of Elvis' to stay at #1 for 8 weeks. Therefore, it is the best. |
5 Essential Elvis Albums
You should get these 5 albums to get into the king's music.
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1. Elvis' Golden Records - 1958
This album, of course has the majority of Elvis' hits on it. Songs like "Hound Dog," "Don't be Cruel," and "All Shook Up" |
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2. How Great Thou Art - 1967
This album was the only album to win Elvis a grammy. This album is a gospel album. Elvis was influenced by gospel music, so this was Elvis at his roots. This album features songs like "How Great Thou Art," "Crying in the Chapel," and "Swing Down Sweet Chariot." |
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3. Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite - 1973
This is one of Elvis' most recognizable performances. Probably the most recognizable. This has many of the standard songs for Elvis' shows in the 1970s with "CC Rider," "Burning Love" and "Suspicious Minds." |
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4. Elvis - 1968
Another one of Elvis' recognizable performances. This performance is known as the 68 comeback and it marked Elvis' return to performing live in shows and ended his movie days. Some highlights from this album is "If I Can Dream," "Memories," and "Where Could I Go but to the Lord?/Up Above My Head/Saved." (Other wised known as the gospel medley) |
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5. That's the Way It Is - 1970
Last one of Elvis' most recognizable performances. This has more songs that aren't so well known, though. I would recommend getting #1 and work your way down this list and then go on to other albums. Anyway, songs on this album are, "You've Lost that Lovin' Feelin,'" "Bridge Over Troubled Water," and "Just Pretend." |
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Top 10 Underated Singers from The 50's, 60's, and 70's
You may know Elvis Presley and The Beatles. However, There are more singers and bands from that era that you may not know.
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Engelbert Humperdinck
Engelbert Hmperdinck's songs include "Release Me" "Quando Quando Quando" "A Man Without Love" and "After the Lovin'" |
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Ricky Nelson
Ricky Nelson's songs include "Poor Little Fool" "Travelin' Man" "Lonesome Town" and "Hello Mary Lou" |
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Paul Anka
Paul Anka's songs include "Put Your Head on my Shoulder" "Diana" and "Lonely Boy" |
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Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons (Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito, Nick Massi)
The Four Season's Hits include "Sherry" "Walk Like a Man" "Oh, What a Night" and "Big Girls Don't Cry" |
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Bobby Darin
Bobby Darin's songs include "Splish Splash" "Dream Lover" and "Mack the Knife" |
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Pat Boone
Pat Boone's songs include "Speedy Gonzalez" and "Love Letters in the Sand" |
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Frankie Avalon
Frankie Avalon's songs include "Venus" "Beauty School Dropout" and "Swingin' on a Rainbow" |
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The Rat Pack (Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., and Frank Sinatra)
Dean Martin's songs include "Sway" "That's Amore" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head" Sammy Davis Jr's songs include "Candy Man" and "Mr. Bojangles" Frank Sinatra's songs include "My Way" "Fly Me to The Moon" and "Come Fly With Me" |
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(The Day the Music Died) The Big Bopper, Buddy Holly, and Ritchie Valens
Ritchie Valens' songs include "La Bamba" "Donna" and "Come On, Let's Go" Buddy Holly's songs include "Maybe Baby" "That'll be the Day" and "Peggy Sue" |
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Fats Domino
Fats Domino's songs include "Ain't That a Shame" "Blueberry Hill" and "I'm Walkin'" |
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Singers that have Died in Plane Crashes
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I wouldn't call this "fun", because we are literally talking about death, but you know, it's music. Well, anyway, these are singers that have died in plane crashes. Ritchie Valens, Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper They Died in a charter plane called “American Pie” during their “Winter Dance Party” tour. Don Mcclean wrote the song “American Pie” about the incident. This famous plane crash is known as “The Day the Music Died” They crashed on February 3rd, 1959. The Big Bopper was 28. Buddy Holly was 22. Ritchie Valens was only 17. Patsy Cline Patsy Cline died on an PA-24 airplane near Camden, Tennessee with 3 others on March 5th, 1963. She was 30. Ricky Nelson Ricky Nelson died on his band’s aircraft. It was a Douglas DC-3. He and 8 others crashed on December 31st, 1985. Ricky Nelson was 45. John Denver John Denver’s Rutan Long-EZ aircraft crashed on October 12th, 1997 into Monterey Bay near Pacific Grove, California. He was the only person on the plane, so that means he was the pilot. He was 53. Jim Croce Jim Croce Died on September 20th, 1973 with 5 others at Natchitoches Regional Airport when their single-engine plane hit a tree on takeoff. He was 30. This list is too long.
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The Story of The Million Dollar Quartet
On December 4, 1956 at SUN Studios in Memphis Tennessee, Sam Phillips’ 4 best singers had an impromptu jam session. That night made music history. There’s even a play based on it. Here’s that story.
So, the 4 of the best singers were The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, The man in Black, Johnny Cash, The KIller, Jerry Lee Lewis, and The King of Rockabilly, Carl Perkins. Carl Perkins was the one who was just having a normal session trying to record a hit like “Blue Suede Shoes” Phillips’ hired an unknown Jerry Lee Lewis to play piano for that session. While they were recording, Elvis Presley walked into the studio and listened to them play. At that time, He was already signed to RCA and was there just to see what was going on. He was accompanied by his girlfriend, Marilyn Evans. At some point, Johnny Cash walked in and then the jam started. They played various gospel, country, and rock and roll songs. Here’s some recordings:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q02CRKkwAfQ - When the Saints Go Marching In
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB9kQclZDms - Just a Little Talk With Jesus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1b1onLwdJ88&list=RDrB9kQclZDms - Down by The Riverside
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VX5-wHkhRFE&list=RDrB9kQclZDms&index=47 - Unknown instrumental
They released the recording in the 90s. That was the story of the MIllion Dollar Quartet.
So, the 4 of the best singers were The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, The man in Black, Johnny Cash, The KIller, Jerry Lee Lewis, and The King of Rockabilly, Carl Perkins. Carl Perkins was the one who was just having a normal session trying to record a hit like “Blue Suede Shoes” Phillips’ hired an unknown Jerry Lee Lewis to play piano for that session. While they were recording, Elvis Presley walked into the studio and listened to them play. At that time, He was already signed to RCA and was there just to see what was going on. He was accompanied by his girlfriend, Marilyn Evans. At some point, Johnny Cash walked in and then the jam started. They played various gospel, country, and rock and roll songs. Here’s some recordings:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q02CRKkwAfQ - When the Saints Go Marching In
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB9kQclZDms - Just a Little Talk With Jesus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1b1onLwdJ88&list=RDrB9kQclZDms - Down by The Riverside
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VX5-wHkhRFE&list=RDrB9kQclZDms&index=47 - Unknown instrumental
They released the recording in the 90s. That was the story of the MIllion Dollar Quartet.
Elvis and Sam Phillips
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Johnny Cash, Elvis and Elvis' Girlfriend, Marilyn.
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Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley
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The 50's Dream Band
If there was a "dream band" that someone could have in the 50's. Here's how would be in it. We need to have legendary people in here, so people could get cut from the band.
Guitar: I can't narrow it down to one guitarist. There would be 3 great guitarists that could be in this band. Chuck Berry, Ritchie Valens, and Buddy Holly.
Chuck Berry could be in it, because he had a 64 year long career (1953-2017) and had many hits like "Johnny B. Goode", "Maybellene", "Roll Over Beethoven", "Sweet Little Sixteen", and "Rock and Roll Music" to name a few. He has won many awards. He won the "Grammy Hall of Fame Award" 3 separate times! Once in 1989 for Maybellene, once in 1990 for Roll Over Beethoven, and once in 1999 for Johnny B. Goode. He won the :Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award" in 1984. Finally, he won other various awards including the "American Music Award of Merit" in 1981 and the "Kennedy Center Honors" in 2000.
Ritchie Valens could be in this "dream band" because, even though his career was only 6 months long, he had a few hits like "La Bamba", "Donna" and "Come On, Let's Go!" He Also won the "Grammy Hall of Fame Award" in 1999 for "La Bamba."
Buddy Holly could also be our guitarist here, because, even though his career was cut short like Ritchie Valens due to a plane crash, (It was only from 1952-1959) He still had some hits like, "Peggy Sue", "That'll Be the Day", "Maybe Baby", and "Oh Boy!" Like the other two, he won the "Grammy Hall of Fame Award" in 1999 for "Peggy Sue". Surprisingly with his very short career, he still ended up winning the "Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award". in 1997.
Guitar: I can't narrow it down to one guitarist. There would be 3 great guitarists that could be in this band. Chuck Berry, Ritchie Valens, and Buddy Holly.
Chuck Berry could be in it, because he had a 64 year long career (1953-2017) and had many hits like "Johnny B. Goode", "Maybellene", "Roll Over Beethoven", "Sweet Little Sixteen", and "Rock and Roll Music" to name a few. He has won many awards. He won the "Grammy Hall of Fame Award" 3 separate times! Once in 1989 for Maybellene, once in 1990 for Roll Over Beethoven, and once in 1999 for Johnny B. Goode. He won the :Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award" in 1984. Finally, he won other various awards including the "American Music Award of Merit" in 1981 and the "Kennedy Center Honors" in 2000.
Ritchie Valens could be in this "dream band" because, even though his career was only 6 months long, he had a few hits like "La Bamba", "Donna" and "Come On, Let's Go!" He Also won the "Grammy Hall of Fame Award" in 1999 for "La Bamba."
Buddy Holly could also be our guitarist here, because, even though his career was cut short like Ritchie Valens due to a plane crash, (It was only from 1952-1959) He still had some hits like, "Peggy Sue", "That'll Be the Day", "Maybe Baby", and "Oh Boy!" Like the other two, he won the "Grammy Hall of Fame Award" in 1999 for "Peggy Sue". Surprisingly with his very short career, he still ended up winning the "Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award". in 1997.
Buddy Holly
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Chuck Berry
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RItchie Valens
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From Guitar, it's a little fuzzy. Here it is, sorta
Piano: Here, I don't really know. It depends what kind of sound we are going for. If we are going with rockabilly, Jerry Lee Lewis. If we are going for a more soul sounding group, Ray Charles.
Jerry Lee Lewis could be our pianist, because he still is performing. He has had a 72 year career and still going! With this long career, he has for sure had many great hits including "Wild One", "Great Balls of Fire", and "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On". He has won many awards including the "Grammy Hall of Fame Award" twice. Once in 1998 for "Great Balls of Fire" and once in 1999 for "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On." He won the "Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award" in 2005. He also won the "Academy of Country Music Award for Piano/Keyboards Player of the Year" in 1976.
Ray Charles could be here because he had a 57 year career. (1947-2004) He had many hits like "Hit The Road Jack" and "I got a Woman." He has also won many, many awards including "The Grammy Hall of Fame Award." He won 3 times! One in 2003, One in 2011 , And one in 2013. He also won the "Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award" in 1987. He won the "Kennedy Center Honors" in 1986. He has won many more awards. He has gotten the "Grammy Award for Record of the Year" for "Here We Go Again" in 2005 and the "Grammy Award for Album of the Year" for "Genius Loves Company", also in 2005.
Piano: Here, I don't really know. It depends what kind of sound we are going for. If we are going with rockabilly, Jerry Lee Lewis. If we are going for a more soul sounding group, Ray Charles.
Jerry Lee Lewis could be our pianist, because he still is performing. He has had a 72 year career and still going! With this long career, he has for sure had many great hits including "Wild One", "Great Balls of Fire", and "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On". He has won many awards including the "Grammy Hall of Fame Award" twice. Once in 1998 for "Great Balls of Fire" and once in 1999 for "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On." He won the "Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award" in 2005. He also won the "Academy of Country Music Award for Piano/Keyboards Player of the Year" in 1976.
Ray Charles could be here because he had a 57 year career. (1947-2004) He had many hits like "Hit The Road Jack" and "I got a Woman." He has also won many, many awards including "The Grammy Hall of Fame Award." He won 3 times! One in 2003, One in 2011 , And one in 2013. He also won the "Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award" in 1987. He won the "Kennedy Center Honors" in 1986. He has won many more awards. He has gotten the "Grammy Award for Record of the Year" for "Here We Go Again" in 2005 and the "Grammy Award for Album of the Year" for "Genius Loves Company", also in 2005.
Jerry Lee Lewis
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Ray Charles
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Now, it REALLY gets fuzzy.
Bass: There is only one famous bass player, but he wasn't known very well yet. Waylon Jennings was Buddy Holly's bass player in the 50's. Yeah, he was a part of The Crickets. He definitely changed his music in the 70s. Anyway, he was Buddy holly's bass player, so It sort of works. Waylon had a 52 year career from 1949-2001. After being Buddy Holly's bassist, he of course founded Outlaw country with Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash. In his most famous Outlaw Country days, he had many hits like "Only Daddy That'll Walk The Line", "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way", "Good Hearted Woman" , and "The Theme of Dukes of Hazzard (The Good Ole' Boys)". He also won various awards like "The Grammy Hall Of Fame Award" in 2007. He won " The Country Music Association Award for Male Vocalist of the Year" in 1975. He has won much more awards like "The Country Music Association Award for Single of the Year" in 1976 for "Good Hearted Woman" and "The Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal" in 1979 with Willie Nelson for "Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys."
Bass: There is only one famous bass player, but he wasn't known very well yet. Waylon Jennings was Buddy Holly's bass player in the 50's. Yeah, he was a part of The Crickets. He definitely changed his music in the 70s. Anyway, he was Buddy holly's bass player, so It sort of works. Waylon had a 52 year career from 1949-2001. After being Buddy Holly's bassist, he of course founded Outlaw country with Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash. In his most famous Outlaw Country days, he had many hits like "Only Daddy That'll Walk The Line", "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way", "Good Hearted Woman" , and "The Theme of Dukes of Hazzard (The Good Ole' Boys)". He also won various awards like "The Grammy Hall Of Fame Award" in 2007. He won " The Country Music Association Award for Male Vocalist of the Year" in 1975. He has won much more awards like "The Country Music Association Award for Single of the Year" in 1976 for "Good Hearted Woman" and "The Grammy Award for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal" in 1979 with Willie Nelson for "Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys."
Waylon Jennings in the 1950s as Buddy Holly's Bassist
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Waylon Jennings in the 1970s during the Outlaw Country days
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Drums: There really isn't any famous performers that would be the drummer. The only answer would maybe be Elvis Presley's drummer in the 50s, DJ Fontana. He never had any hit songs, of course. And he never won any awards, but he was a good drummer. If not DJ Fontana, I'm not sure who it would be.
DJ Fontana is, of course the drummer in the back behind Elvis
Now, We have all of the main instruments, We need basically a quartet of singers. A Lead, A Tenor, A Baritone, and a Bass.
For a lead singer, we have of course the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. Elvis' Career spanned over 23 Years (1954-1977) and of course had countless hits. Some of them are "Hound Dog", "Don't Be Cruel", "All Shook Up", and many, many, many more! He won many awards like "The Grammy Hall of Fame Award", He won it 7 times! "Hound Dog" in 1988, "Don’t Be Cruel" in 2002, "Are you Lonesome Tonight?" in 2007, "Jailhouse Rock" in 2017 and 3 others! He also won "The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award" in 1971, "American Music Award of Merit" in 1987, and so much more.
For a tenor singer, we got Paul Anka. He isn't really a tenor, but he is a legend. He has been singing for 66 years and still counting! He has had many hits like "Put Your Head on My Shoulder" , "Diana", "Lonely Boy", and many more. He hasn't won many awards. One notable award though is that he got into "The Canadian Music Hall of Fame" in 1980.
For a baritone, we have Bobby Darin. Like Paul Anka as a tenor, Bobby isn't really a baritone, but he is still a legend. He had a 17 year long career, so not as long as the others. He still had many hits like "Dream Lover", "Splish Splash", "Mack The Knife", and "Beyond the Sea". He has won many awards. He won "The Grammy Hall of Fame Award" in 1999 and "The Grammy Award for Record of the Year" in 1959, both for "Mack The Knife." He also won "The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award" in 2010.
And finally for a bass singer, We have Johnny Cash. The reason we have Johnny Cash here is because he is the bass singer with the most recognition. His career spanned from 1954 to 2003. That makes it a 49 year career. He has had many hits like "Ring of Fire" "Get Rhythm", "Hurt", "Folsom Prison Blues', and many more. He won the "Grammy Hall of Fame Award" about as many times as Elvis! He also won "Kennedy Center Honors" in 1996. He won "Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award" 1999. And a countless number of others.
For a lead singer, we have of course the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. Elvis' Career spanned over 23 Years (1954-1977) and of course had countless hits. Some of them are "Hound Dog", "Don't Be Cruel", "All Shook Up", and many, many, many more! He won many awards like "The Grammy Hall of Fame Award", He won it 7 times! "Hound Dog" in 1988, "Don’t Be Cruel" in 2002, "Are you Lonesome Tonight?" in 2007, "Jailhouse Rock" in 2017 and 3 others! He also won "The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award" in 1971, "American Music Award of Merit" in 1987, and so much more.
For a tenor singer, we got Paul Anka. He isn't really a tenor, but he is a legend. He has been singing for 66 years and still counting! He has had many hits like "Put Your Head on My Shoulder" , "Diana", "Lonely Boy", and many more. He hasn't won many awards. One notable award though is that he got into "The Canadian Music Hall of Fame" in 1980.
For a baritone, we have Bobby Darin. Like Paul Anka as a tenor, Bobby isn't really a baritone, but he is still a legend. He had a 17 year long career, so not as long as the others. He still had many hits like "Dream Lover", "Splish Splash", "Mack The Knife", and "Beyond the Sea". He has won many awards. He won "The Grammy Hall of Fame Award" in 1999 and "The Grammy Award for Record of the Year" in 1959, both for "Mack The Knife." He also won "The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award" in 2010.
And finally for a bass singer, We have Johnny Cash. The reason we have Johnny Cash here is because he is the bass singer with the most recognition. His career spanned from 1954 to 2003. That makes it a 49 year career. He has had many hits like "Ring of Fire" "Get Rhythm", "Hurt", "Folsom Prison Blues', and many more. He won the "Grammy Hall of Fame Award" about as many times as Elvis! He also won "Kennedy Center Honors" in 1996. He won "Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award" 1999. And a countless number of others.
Johnny Cash
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Paul Anka
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Bobby Darin
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Elvis Presley
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So, That is the 50's Dream Band.
How Some of My Favorite Bands Formed
This is how a few of my favorite bands were formed. These bands include The Bee Gees, The Beach Boys, and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. Let’s take a look at The Bee Gees first.
The Bee Gees consisted of three brothers, Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, and Maurice Gibb. As you can see, they met at birth, so that isn’t very interesting. They formed a band in 1958 called The Rattlesnakes with a few friends named Paul Frost and Kenny Horrocks. Frost and Horrocks left. Then, the Gibb brothers formed the group, Wee Johnny Hayes and The Blue Cats. Barry Gibb was Johnny Hayes. In 1960, they changed the name to BGs after a jockey that helped them out, Bill Gates. It also happened to align with Barry’s initials. Of course, they later changed it to The Bee Gees soon after. Contrary to popular belief, Bee Gees never stood for Brothers Gibb. The first single released by the band was “The Battle of the Blue and Grey,” with the B side, “Three Kisses of Love.” They released their debut album in 1965, “The Bee Gees SIng and Play 14 Barry Gibb Songs.” Their first hit was “Wine and Women”, which was on their debut album.
The Beach Boys consisted of 5 friends, Brian WIlson, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Al Jardine, and Mike Love. Brian, Carl, and Dennis were brothers. Mike Love was the WIlson Brothers’ Cousin. Al Jardine was a friend of the family. The Wilson Brothers used to watch their father, Murry, play piano. Brian used to love listening to nice harmonies like those of “The Four Freshmen.” When the band was in its very early stages, another member, David Marks, was with the band. He was another friend of The Wilsons. The first name the band had was “The Pendletones.” It was a pun on “Pendelton,” which was a popular type of shirt at the time. Dennis Wilson was a big fan of the southern californian surfer lifestyle, so he encouraged the band to write songs about that lifestyle. The first single by the band was called ”Surfin’,” with the B side, “Luau,” which would become the band’s first hit. Soon after “Surfin’ “ was released, the band changed their name to “The Beach Boys.”
Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons consisted of 4 members, Bob Gaudio, Nick Massi, Tommy Devito, and of course, Frankie Valli. Tommy Devito, Nick Massi, and Devito’s brother, Nick, formed a group called “The Variety Trio.” They first met Frankie Valli (At the time, Francis Castallucio,) somewhere in the early 1950s, Francis made the stage name, “Frankie Valley” and used that for the rest of his career (Later respelled Frankie Valli.) He released his first single, “My Mother’s Eyes” in 1953. When Valli joined the band, they renamed themselves many different names. The main one was “The Four Lovers.” The Four Lovers’ first single was “Apple of My Eye” with the B Side “The Girl of My Dreams.” Somewhere along the way, Nick Devito left the group and the group needed another member. They settled on Bob Gaudio, who was one of the founding members of “The Royal Teens.” In 1959, the band met producer Bob Crewe. He became the band’s producer from then on. In 1960, they changed their name to “The Four Seasons” after a bowling alley. The band’s first #1 hit was “Sherry” in 1962. Their First album was “Sherry and 11 others” in 1962.
That’s how some of my favorite bands, The Bee Gees, The Beach Boys, and The Four Seasons, formed. This idea came from the 7th grade Social Studies teacher, Mr. Mann. Thanks!
The Bee Gees consisted of three brothers, Barry Gibb, Robin Gibb, and Maurice Gibb. As you can see, they met at birth, so that isn’t very interesting. They formed a band in 1958 called The Rattlesnakes with a few friends named Paul Frost and Kenny Horrocks. Frost and Horrocks left. Then, the Gibb brothers formed the group, Wee Johnny Hayes and The Blue Cats. Barry Gibb was Johnny Hayes. In 1960, they changed the name to BGs after a jockey that helped them out, Bill Gates. It also happened to align with Barry’s initials. Of course, they later changed it to The Bee Gees soon after. Contrary to popular belief, Bee Gees never stood for Brothers Gibb. The first single released by the band was “The Battle of the Blue and Grey,” with the B side, “Three Kisses of Love.” They released their debut album in 1965, “The Bee Gees SIng and Play 14 Barry Gibb Songs.” Their first hit was “Wine and Women”, which was on their debut album.
The Beach Boys consisted of 5 friends, Brian WIlson, Carl Wilson, Dennis Wilson, Al Jardine, and Mike Love. Brian, Carl, and Dennis were brothers. Mike Love was the WIlson Brothers’ Cousin. Al Jardine was a friend of the family. The Wilson Brothers used to watch their father, Murry, play piano. Brian used to love listening to nice harmonies like those of “The Four Freshmen.” When the band was in its very early stages, another member, David Marks, was with the band. He was another friend of The Wilsons. The first name the band had was “The Pendletones.” It was a pun on “Pendelton,” which was a popular type of shirt at the time. Dennis Wilson was a big fan of the southern californian surfer lifestyle, so he encouraged the band to write songs about that lifestyle. The first single by the band was called ”Surfin’,” with the B side, “Luau,” which would become the band’s first hit. Soon after “Surfin’ “ was released, the band changed their name to “The Beach Boys.”
Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons consisted of 4 members, Bob Gaudio, Nick Massi, Tommy Devito, and of course, Frankie Valli. Tommy Devito, Nick Massi, and Devito’s brother, Nick, formed a group called “The Variety Trio.” They first met Frankie Valli (At the time, Francis Castallucio,) somewhere in the early 1950s, Francis made the stage name, “Frankie Valley” and used that for the rest of his career (Later respelled Frankie Valli.) He released his first single, “My Mother’s Eyes” in 1953. When Valli joined the band, they renamed themselves many different names. The main one was “The Four Lovers.” The Four Lovers’ first single was “Apple of My Eye” with the B Side “The Girl of My Dreams.” Somewhere along the way, Nick Devito left the group and the group needed another member. They settled on Bob Gaudio, who was one of the founding members of “The Royal Teens.” In 1959, the band met producer Bob Crewe. He became the band’s producer from then on. In 1960, they changed their name to “The Four Seasons” after a bowling alley. The band’s first #1 hit was “Sherry” in 1962. Their First album was “Sherry and 11 others” in 1962.
That’s how some of my favorite bands, The Bee Gees, The Beach Boys, and The Four Seasons, formed. This idea came from the 7th grade Social Studies teacher, Mr. Mann. Thanks!
The Bee Gees
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The Beach Boys
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Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons
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Woodstock (1969)
Woodstock was a music festival back in 1969. It lasted from August 15-18 of that year. It was at a dairy farm in Bethel, New York. 32 acts performed at the event.
On the first day, Ritchie Havens, Satchidananda Saraswati, Sweetwater, Bert Sommer, Tim Hardin, Ravi Shankar, Melanie, Arlo Guthrie. and Joan Baez performed in that order. On The Second Day, Quill, Country Joe McDonald, Santana, John Sebastian, Keef Hartley Band, The Incredible String Band, Canned Heat, Mountain, Grateful Dead, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin and The Kozmic Blues Band, Sly and The Family Stone, The Who, and Jefferson Airplane performed in that order. On the last two days, 10 acts performed non stop. The acts Joe Cocker and The Grease Band, Country Joe and The Fish (Country Joe’s second performance), Ten Years After, The Band, Johnny Winter, Blood, Sweat, and Tears, Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Sha Na Na, and Jimi Hendrix with the Gypsy Sun and Rainbows all performed in that order.
Despite the star studded list of performers already there, there were a lot of other acts that declined going. Those acts were The Beatles, The Jeff Beck Group, Blues Image, The Byrds, Chicago, The Doors, Bob Dylan, Free, The Guess Who, Iron Butterfly, Tommy Jones and the Shondells, Jethro Tull, Led Zeppelin, Lighthouse, Authur Lee and Love, Mind Garage, Joni Mitchell, The Moody Blues, Poco, Procol Harum, The Rascals, Raven, Roy Rogers, The Rolling Stones, Simon and Garfunkel, Spirit, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Zagger and Evans, and Frank Zappa with then The Mothers of Intervention. Just imagine what it would have been like if these acts performed at Woodstock.
For the original location of the event, they wanted to do it in the town of Woodstock itself. Since local residents disliked the idea, they changed it to Saugerties, New York. That didn’t work out, so they went with the now legendary Bethel, New York.
For some of the team behind Woodstock, there were a few people. For a sound engineer, there was Bill Hanley. For lighting, they had E.H. Beresford “Chip” Monck. Michael Lang hired him primarily as “The Master of Ceremonies,” because he forgot to hire one. His role did change though.
For media coverage for the event, very few reporters were there. The New York Times said, “"The dreams of marijuana and rock music that drew 300,000 fans and hippies to the Catskills had little more sanity than the impulses that drive the lemmings to march to their deaths in the sea. They ended in a nightmare of mud and stagnation ... What kind of culture is it that can produce so colossal a mess?"
There were a few albums and films released about the event. The first film was the documentary film “Woodstock”, directed by Michael Wadleigh. In 1994, “Woodstock: The Director's Cut” was released. Another film on Woodstock named “Taking Woodstock” was produced in 2009 by Taiwanese American filmmaker Ang Lee. There were 2 soundtrack albums released. The first was “Woodstock: Music from the Original Soundtrack and More.” It was a 3-LP (later 2-CD) album. A year later, “Woodstock 2” was released. It was a 2-LP album. In August 1994, a third album, “Woodstock Diary” was released. Also in August 1994, a 4-CD disc box set “Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace and Music” was released. In August 2009, a 6-CD box set titled Woodstock 40 Years On: Back To Yasgur's Farm was released. On 2 August 2019, the Rhino/Atlantic released “Woodstock – Back to the Garden: The Definitive 50th Anniversary Archive”, a 38-CD, 36-hour, 432-song completists' audio box set of nearly every note played at the original 1969 Woodstock festival (including 276 songs that were previously unreleased).
The aftermath of the festival was pretty normal for any big event. In the years immediately following the festival, Woodstock co-producers John Roberts and Joel Rosenman, along with Robert Pilpel, wrote “Making Woodstock”, a book about the goings-on behind the scenes during the production of the Woodstock Festival. Max Yasgur refused to rent out his farm for a 1970 revival of the festival, saying, "As far as I know, I'm going back to running a dairy farm." In 1984, at the original festival site, land owners Louis Nicky and June Gelish put up a monument marker with plaques called "Peace and Music". There were attempts made to prevent people from visiting the site. Its owners spread chicken manure, and during one anniversary, tractors and state police cars formed roadblocks. Twenty thousand people gathered at the site in 1989 during an impromptu 20th anniversary celebration. In 2013, Richie Havens’, the first performer at Woodstock, ashes were spread across the Woodstock venue.
That was the story of the Woodstock Music Festival. This was another topic suggested by the 7th grade Social Studies teacher, Mr. Mann. Thanks again!
On the first day, Ritchie Havens, Satchidananda Saraswati, Sweetwater, Bert Sommer, Tim Hardin, Ravi Shankar, Melanie, Arlo Guthrie. and Joan Baez performed in that order. On The Second Day, Quill, Country Joe McDonald, Santana, John Sebastian, Keef Hartley Band, The Incredible String Band, Canned Heat, Mountain, Grateful Dead, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin and The Kozmic Blues Band, Sly and The Family Stone, The Who, and Jefferson Airplane performed in that order. On the last two days, 10 acts performed non stop. The acts Joe Cocker and The Grease Band, Country Joe and The Fish (Country Joe’s second performance), Ten Years After, The Band, Johnny Winter, Blood, Sweat, and Tears, Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Sha Na Na, and Jimi Hendrix with the Gypsy Sun and Rainbows all performed in that order.
Despite the star studded list of performers already there, there were a lot of other acts that declined going. Those acts were The Beatles, The Jeff Beck Group, Blues Image, The Byrds, Chicago, The Doors, Bob Dylan, Free, The Guess Who, Iron Butterfly, Tommy Jones and the Shondells, Jethro Tull, Led Zeppelin, Lighthouse, Authur Lee and Love, Mind Garage, Joni Mitchell, The Moody Blues, Poco, Procol Harum, The Rascals, Raven, Roy Rogers, The Rolling Stones, Simon and Garfunkel, Spirit, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Zagger and Evans, and Frank Zappa with then The Mothers of Intervention. Just imagine what it would have been like if these acts performed at Woodstock.
For the original location of the event, they wanted to do it in the town of Woodstock itself. Since local residents disliked the idea, they changed it to Saugerties, New York. That didn’t work out, so they went with the now legendary Bethel, New York.
For some of the team behind Woodstock, there were a few people. For a sound engineer, there was Bill Hanley. For lighting, they had E.H. Beresford “Chip” Monck. Michael Lang hired him primarily as “The Master of Ceremonies,” because he forgot to hire one. His role did change though.
For media coverage for the event, very few reporters were there. The New York Times said, “"The dreams of marijuana and rock music that drew 300,000 fans and hippies to the Catskills had little more sanity than the impulses that drive the lemmings to march to their deaths in the sea. They ended in a nightmare of mud and stagnation ... What kind of culture is it that can produce so colossal a mess?"
There were a few albums and films released about the event. The first film was the documentary film “Woodstock”, directed by Michael Wadleigh. In 1994, “Woodstock: The Director's Cut” was released. Another film on Woodstock named “Taking Woodstock” was produced in 2009 by Taiwanese American filmmaker Ang Lee. There were 2 soundtrack albums released. The first was “Woodstock: Music from the Original Soundtrack and More.” It was a 3-LP (later 2-CD) album. A year later, “Woodstock 2” was released. It was a 2-LP album. In August 1994, a third album, “Woodstock Diary” was released. Also in August 1994, a 4-CD disc box set “Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace and Music” was released. In August 2009, a 6-CD box set titled Woodstock 40 Years On: Back To Yasgur's Farm was released. On 2 August 2019, the Rhino/Atlantic released “Woodstock – Back to the Garden: The Definitive 50th Anniversary Archive”, a 38-CD, 36-hour, 432-song completists' audio box set of nearly every note played at the original 1969 Woodstock festival (including 276 songs that were previously unreleased).
The aftermath of the festival was pretty normal for any big event. In the years immediately following the festival, Woodstock co-producers John Roberts and Joel Rosenman, along with Robert Pilpel, wrote “Making Woodstock”, a book about the goings-on behind the scenes during the production of the Woodstock Festival. Max Yasgur refused to rent out his farm for a 1970 revival of the festival, saying, "As far as I know, I'm going back to running a dairy farm." In 1984, at the original festival site, land owners Louis Nicky and June Gelish put up a monument marker with plaques called "Peace and Music". There were attempts made to prevent people from visiting the site. Its owners spread chicken manure, and during one anniversary, tractors and state police cars formed roadblocks. Twenty thousand people gathered at the site in 1989 during an impromptu 20th anniversary celebration. In 2013, Richie Havens’, the first performer at Woodstock, ashes were spread across the Woodstock venue.
That was the story of the Woodstock Music Festival. This was another topic suggested by the 7th grade Social Studies teacher, Mr. Mann. Thanks again!
The History of the Saxophone
This is the history of my favorite instrument, the Saxophone. The saxophone is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. There are many types of Saxophones. There is the Sopranissimo, Sopranino, Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass, Contrabass, and the Subcontrabass. Here’s now the history of this wonderful instrument.
The saxophone was designed around 1840 by Adolphe Sax, a Belgian instrument maker, flautist, and clarinetist. He started his musical business in 1842 in Paris. Before working on the saxophone, he made several improvements to the bass clarinet by improving its keywork and acoustics and extending its lower range. Sax was also a maker of the ophicleide, a large conical brass instrument in the bass register with keys similar to a woodwind instrument. His experience with various instruments allowed him to develop the skills he needed to make the first saxophones. For the saxophone, Sax wanted to make an instrument that had the projection of a brass instrument, but the agility of a woodwind instrument. Sax created an instrument with a single-reed mouthpiece and conical brass body. He wanted this instrument to overblow at the octave, unlike the clarinet, which rises in pitch by a twelfth when overblown. An instrument that overblows at the octave has identical fingering for both registers. Having constructed saxophones in several sizes in the early 1840s, Sax received a 15-year patent for the instrument on 28 June 1846. The patent encompassed 14 versions of the fundamental design, split into two categories of seven instruments each, and ranging from sopranino to contrabass. Early in the development of the saxophone the upper keyed range was extended to E, then F above the staff; 1880s era sheet music for saxophone was written for the range of low B to F. In 1887 the Buffet-Crampon company obtained a patent for extending the bell and adding an extra key to extend the range downwards by one semitone to B♭. This extension is standard in modern designs, with the notable exception of baritone saxophones keyed to low A. The upper range to F would remain the standard for nearly a century until a high F♯ key became common on modern saxophones. In the 1840s and 1850s, Sax's invention gained use in small classical ensembles as a solo instrument in France and Britain. These were military bands. Saxophone method books were published and saxophone instruction was offered in France, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, and Italy. By 1856 the French Garde Republicaine band included eight saxophones, making it the large ensemble that featured the instrument most prominently. The saxophone was used experimentally in orchestral scores, but never came into widespread use as an orchestral instrument. In 1853-1854 the orchestra of Louis Antoine Jullien featured a soprano saxophone on a concert tour of the United States. Europe’s interest in the instrument waned in the late nineteenth century. Saxophone teaching at the Paris Conservatory was suspended from 1870 to 1900 and classical saxophone repertoire stagnated during that period. However, it was during this same period that the saxophone began to be promoted in the United States. This was caused by the efforts of Partick Gilmore and Edward A. Lefebre. In the fall of 1873, Patrick Gilmore was reorganizing the 22nd Regiment band under the influence of the Garde Republicaine band and recruited Lefebre, who had established a reputation in New York as a saxophonist over the previous year. Gilmore's band soon featured a soprano-alto-tenor-baritone saxophone section, which also performed as a quartet. The Gilmore-Lefebre association lasted until Gilmore's death in 1892, during which time Lefebre also performed in smaller ensembles of various sizes and instrumentation, and worked with composers to increase light classical and popular repertoire for saxophone. Lefebre's later promotional efforts were extremely significant in broadening adoption of the saxophone. Starting towards the end of the 1880s he consulted with the brass instrument manufacturer C.G. Conn to develop and start production of improved saxophones to replace the costly, not very available, and mechanically unreliable European instruments in the American market. The early 1890s saw regular production of saxophones commence at Conn and its offshoot Buescher Manufacturing Company, which dramatically increased availability of saxophones in the US. Lefebre worked with the music publisher Carl Fischer to distribute his transcriptions, arrangements, and original works for saxophone, and worked with the Conn Conservatory to further saxophone pedagogy in the US. Lefebre's associations with Conn and Fischer lasted into the first decade of the twentieth century and Fischer continued to publish new arrangements of Lefebre's works posthumously.
While the saxophone remained marginal and regarded mainly as a novelty instrument in the classical music world, many new musical niches were established for it during the early decades of the twentieth century. Its early use in vaudeville and ragtime bands around the turn of the century laid the groundwork for its use in dance orchestras and eventually jazz. As the market for saxophones grew in the US, the manufacturing industry grew; the Martin Band Instrument Company started producing saxophones between 1905 and 1912, and the Cleveland Band Instrument Company started producing saxophones under contract to the H. N. White Company in 1916. The saxophone was promoted for the casual market with the introduction of the C-soprano and C-melody saxophones to play in key with pianos from the same sheet music. Production of such instruments stopped during the Great Depression. During the 1920s the saxophone came into use as a jazz instrument, fostered by the influences of the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra and the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Starting in the late 1920s and early 1930s, the modern era of classical saxophone was launched largely through the efforts of Marcel Mule and Sigurd Raschèr, and the classical repertoire for the instrument expanded rapidly. The use of the saxophone for more dynamic and more technically demanding styles of playing added incentive for improvements in keywork and acoustic design. Early saxophones had two separate octave keys operated by the left thumb to control the two octave vents required on alto and larger saxophones. A substantial advance in keywork around the turn of the century was the development of mechanisms by which the left thumb operates the two octave vents with a single octave key. Ergonomic design of keywork evolved rapidly during the 1920s and 1930s. The front F mechanism supporting alternate fingerings for high E and F, and stack-linked G♯ key action, became standard during the 1920s, followed by improvements to the left hand table key mechanisms controlling the G♯ and bell keys. New bore designs during the 1920s and 1930s resulted from the quest for improved intonation, dynamic response, and tonal qualities. The 1920s were also the era of design experiments such as the Buescher straight altos and tenors, the King Saxello soprano, the C.G. Conn mezzo-soprano saxophone keyed in F, and the “Conn-O-Sax” saxophone – English horn hybrid.
The modern layout of the saxophone emerged during the 1930s and 1940s, first with right-side bell keys introduced by C. G. Conn on baritones, then by King on altos and tenors. The mechanics of the left hand table were revolutionized by Selmer with their Balanced Action instruments in 1936, capitalizing on the right-side bell key layout. In 1948 Selmer introduced their Super Action saxophones with offset left and right hand stack keys. Thirty to forty years later this final Selmer layout was nearly universal on all saxophone models. The high F♯ key was also first introduced as an option on the Balanced Action model, although it took several decades for it to gain acceptance because of perceived deleterious effects on intonation in its early implementation. Marcel Mule established the study of the saxophone as a classical instrument at the Conservatoire de Paris from the 1940s. Larry Teal did the same in the United States at the University of Michigan a decade later. A number of other American institutions have since become recognized homes for the study of classical saxophone. They include Northwestern University, Indiana University, and the Eastman School of Music.
The saxophone first gained popularity in military bands. Although the instrument was initially ignored in Germany, French and Belgian military bands were quick to include the instrument in their ensembles. Most French and Belgian military bands incorporate at least a quartet of saxophones, comprising an E♭ baritone, B♭ tenor, E♭ alto and B♭ soprano. These four instruments have proved the most popular of all of Sax's creations, with the E♭ contrabass and B♭ bass usually considered impractically large and the E♭ sopranino insufficiently powerful. British military bands tend to include at minimum two saxophonists, on the alto and tenor. The saxophone was introduced into the concert band, which usually calls for an E♭ alto saxophone, a B♭ tenor saxophone, and an E♭ baritone saxophone. A concert band may include two altos, one tenor, and one baritone. A B♭ soprano saxophone is also used, in which case it is played by the first alto saxophonist. A bass saxophone in B♭ is used in some concert band music. Saxophones are used in chamber music, such as saxophone quartets and other chamber combinations of instruments. The classical saxophone quartet consists of a B♭ soprano saxophone, E♭ alto saxophone, B♭ tenor saxophone, and E♭ baritone saxophone. On occasion, the soprano is replaced with a second alto sax. A few professional saxophone quartets have featured non-standard instrumentation, such as James Fei's Alto Quartet. There is a repertoire of classical compositions and arrangements for the SATB instrumentation dating back to the nineteenth century, particularly by French composers who knew Sax. However, the largest body of chamber works for saxophone are from the modern era of classical saxophone initiated by Marcel Mule in 1928. Sigurd Raschèr followed as a soloist in orchestral works, starting in 1931, and also figured prominently in development of modern classical saxophone repertoire. The Mule quartet is often considered the prototype for quartets due to the level of virtuosity demonstrated by its members and its central role in the development of modern quartet repertoire. However, organized quartets existed before Mule's ensemble, the prime example being the quartet headed by Edward A. Lefebre , which was a subset of Patrick Gilmore's 22nd Regiment band between 1873 and 1893. In the 20th and 21st centuries, the saxophone found increased popularity in symphony orchestras. The instrument has also been used in opera and choral music. Musical theatre scores also can include parts for saxophone, sometimes doubling another woodwind or brass instrument.
Coincident with the more widespread availability of saxophones in the United States around the turn of the century was the rise of ragtime music. The bands featuring the syncopated Latin-American and African-American rhythmic influences of ragtime were an exciting new feature of the American cultural landscape and provided the groundwork for new styles of dancing. Two of the best known ragtime-playing brass bands with saxophones were those led by W. C. Handy and James R. Europe. Europe's 369th Infantry Regiment Band popularized ragtime in France during its 1918 tour. The rise of dance bands into the 1920s followed from the popularity of ragtime. The saxophone was also used in Vaudeville entertainment during the same period. Ragtime, Vaudeville, and dance bands introduced much of the American public to the saxophone. Rudy Wiedoeft became the best known individual saxophone stylist and virtuoso during this period leading into the "saxophone craze" of the 1920s. Following it, the saxophone became featured in music as diverse as the "sweet" music of Paul Whiteman and Guy Lombardo, jazz, swing, and large stage show bands. The rise of the saxophone as a jazz instrument followed its widespread adoption in dance bands during the early 1920s. The Fletcher Henderson Orchestra, formed in 1923, featured arrangements to back up improvisation, bringing the first elements of jazz to the large dance band format. Following the innovations of the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra, the Duke Ellington Orchestra and Jean Goldkette's Victor Recording Orchestra featured jazz solos with saxophones and other instruments. The association of dance bands with jazz would reach its peak with the swing music of the 1930s. The large show band format, influenced by the 1930s swing bands, would be used as backing for popular vocalists and stage shows in the post World War II era, and provided a foundation for big band jazz. Show bands with saxophone sections became a staple of television talk shows, such as the Tonight Show that featured bands led by Doc Severinsen and Branford Marsalis, and Las Vegas stage shows. The swing era fostered the later saxophone styles that permeated bebop and rhythm and blues in the early postwar era. Coleman Hawkins established the tenor saxophone as a jazz solo instrument during his stint with Fletcher Henderson from 1923 to 1934. Hawkins' arpeggiated, rich-toned, vibrato-laden style was the main influence on swing era tenor players before Lester Young, and his influence continued with other big-toned tenor players into the era of modern jazz. Among the tenor players directly influenced by him were Chu Berry, Charlie Barnet, Tex Beneke, Ben Webster, Vido Musso, Herschel Evans, Buddy Tate, and Don Byas. Hawkins' bandmate Benny Carter and Duke Ellington's alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges became influential on swing era alto styles, while Harry Carney brought the baritone saxophone to prominence with the Duke Ellington Orchestra. The New Orleans player Sidney Bechet gained recognition for playing the soprano saxophone during the 1920s, but the instrument did not come into wide use until the modern era of jazz. As Chicago style jazz evolved from New Orleans jazz in the 1920s, one of its defining features was the addition of saxophones to the ensemble. The small Chicago ensembles offered more improvisational freedom than did the New Orleans or large band formats, fostering the innovations of saxophonists Jimmy Dorsey on alto, Frankie Trumbauer on c-melody, Bud Freeman on tenor, and Stump Evans on baritone. Jimmy Dorsey and Frankie Trumbauer became important influences on tenor saxophonist Lester Young. Lester Young's approach on tenor saxophone differed from Hawkins', emphasizing more melodic "linear" playing that wove in and out of the chordal structure and longer phrases that differed from those suggested by the tune. He used vibrato less, fitting it to the passage he was playing. His tone was smoother and darker than that of his 1930s contemporaries. Young's playing was a major influence on the modern jazz saxophonists Al Cohn, Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Dexter Gordon, Wardell Gray, Lee Konitz, Warne Marsh, Charlie Parker, and Art Pepper. The influence of Lester Young with the Count Basie Orchestra in the late 1930s and the popularity of Hawkins' 1939 recording of "Body and Soul" marked the saxophone as an influence on jazz equal to the trumpet, which had been the defining instrument of jazz since its beginnings in New Orleans. But the greatest influence of the saxophone on jazz was to occur a few years later when alto saxophonist Charlie Parker became an icon of the bebop revolution that influenced generations of jazz musicians. The small-group format of bebop and post-bebop jazz ensembles gained ascendancy in the 1940s as musicians used the harmonic and melodic freedom pioneered by Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, and Bud Powell in extended jazz solos. During the 1950s, prominent alto players included Sonny Stitt, Cannonball Adderley, Jackie McLean, Lou Donaldson, Sonny Criss and Paul Desmond, while prominent tenor players included Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Dexter Gordon, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Lucky Thompson, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, and Paul Gonsalves. Serge Chaloff, Gerry Mulligan, Pepper Adams and Leo Parker brought the baritone saxophone to prominence as a solo instrument. Steve Lacy renewed attention to the soprano saxophone in the context of modern jazz and John Coltrane boosted the instrument's popularity during the 1960s. Smooth jazz musician Kenny G also uses the soprano sax as his principal instrument. Saxophonists such as John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Sam Rivers, and Pharoah Sanders defined the forefront of creative exploration with the avant-garde movement of the 1960s. The new realms offered with Modal, harmolodic, and free jazz were explored with every device that saxophonists could conceive of. Sheets of sound, tonal exploration, upper harmonics, and multiphonics were hallmarks of the creative possibilities that saxophones offered. One lasting influence of the avant-garde movement is the exploration of non-Western ethnic sounds on the saxophone, for example, the African-influenced sounds used by Sanders and the Indian-influenced sounds used by Coltrane. The devices of the avant-garde movement have continued to be influential in music that challenges the boundaries between avant-garde and other categories of jazz, such as that of alto saxophonists Steve Coleman and Greg Osby. Some ensembles such as the World Saxophone Quartet use the soprano-alto-tenor-baritone (SATB) format of the classical saxophone quartet for jazz. In the 1990s, World Saxophone Quartet founder Hamiet Bluiett formed the quartet Baritone Nation (four baritones). The "jump swing" bands of the 1940s gave rise to rhythm and blues, featuring horn sections and exuberant, strong-toned, heavily rhythmic styles of saxophone playing with a melodic sense based on blues tonalities. Illinois Jacquet, Sam Butera, Arnett Cobb, and Jimmy Forrest were major influences on R&B tenor styles and Louis Jordan, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Earl Bostic, and Bull Moose Jackson were major influences on alto. The R&B saxophone players influenced later genres including rock and roll, ska, soul, and funk. Horn section work continued with Johnny Otis and Ray Charles featuring horn sections and the Memphis Horns, the Phenix Horns, and Tower of Power achieving distinction for their section playing. Horn sections were added to the Chicago and West Coast blues bands of Lowell Fulson, T-Bone Walker, B.B. King, and Guitar Slim. Rock and soul fusion bands such as Chicago, The Electric Flag, and Blood, Sweat, and Tears featured horn sections. Bobby Keys and Clarence Clemons became influential rock and roll saxophone stylists. Junior Walker, King Curtis and Maceo Parker became influential soul and funk saxophone stylists, influencing the more technical jazz-fusion sounds of Michael Brecker and Bob Mintzer and pop-jazz players such as Candy Dulfer.
There is so much more to be said about the saxophone, but this is all I’m going to say. I hope you enjoy this instrument as much as I do.
Here’s a link to the source I got all of my information from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saxophone
The saxophone was designed around 1840 by Adolphe Sax, a Belgian instrument maker, flautist, and clarinetist. He started his musical business in 1842 in Paris. Before working on the saxophone, he made several improvements to the bass clarinet by improving its keywork and acoustics and extending its lower range. Sax was also a maker of the ophicleide, a large conical brass instrument in the bass register with keys similar to a woodwind instrument. His experience with various instruments allowed him to develop the skills he needed to make the first saxophones. For the saxophone, Sax wanted to make an instrument that had the projection of a brass instrument, but the agility of a woodwind instrument. Sax created an instrument with a single-reed mouthpiece and conical brass body. He wanted this instrument to overblow at the octave, unlike the clarinet, which rises in pitch by a twelfth when overblown. An instrument that overblows at the octave has identical fingering for both registers. Having constructed saxophones in several sizes in the early 1840s, Sax received a 15-year patent for the instrument on 28 June 1846. The patent encompassed 14 versions of the fundamental design, split into two categories of seven instruments each, and ranging from sopranino to contrabass. Early in the development of the saxophone the upper keyed range was extended to E, then F above the staff; 1880s era sheet music for saxophone was written for the range of low B to F. In 1887 the Buffet-Crampon company obtained a patent for extending the bell and adding an extra key to extend the range downwards by one semitone to B♭. This extension is standard in modern designs, with the notable exception of baritone saxophones keyed to low A. The upper range to F would remain the standard for nearly a century until a high F♯ key became common on modern saxophones. In the 1840s and 1850s, Sax's invention gained use in small classical ensembles as a solo instrument in France and Britain. These were military bands. Saxophone method books were published and saxophone instruction was offered in France, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, and Italy. By 1856 the French Garde Republicaine band included eight saxophones, making it the large ensemble that featured the instrument most prominently. The saxophone was used experimentally in orchestral scores, but never came into widespread use as an orchestral instrument. In 1853-1854 the orchestra of Louis Antoine Jullien featured a soprano saxophone on a concert tour of the United States. Europe’s interest in the instrument waned in the late nineteenth century. Saxophone teaching at the Paris Conservatory was suspended from 1870 to 1900 and classical saxophone repertoire stagnated during that period. However, it was during this same period that the saxophone began to be promoted in the United States. This was caused by the efforts of Partick Gilmore and Edward A. Lefebre. In the fall of 1873, Patrick Gilmore was reorganizing the 22nd Regiment band under the influence of the Garde Republicaine band and recruited Lefebre, who had established a reputation in New York as a saxophonist over the previous year. Gilmore's band soon featured a soprano-alto-tenor-baritone saxophone section, which also performed as a quartet. The Gilmore-Lefebre association lasted until Gilmore's death in 1892, during which time Lefebre also performed in smaller ensembles of various sizes and instrumentation, and worked with composers to increase light classical and popular repertoire for saxophone. Lefebre's later promotional efforts were extremely significant in broadening adoption of the saxophone. Starting towards the end of the 1880s he consulted with the brass instrument manufacturer C.G. Conn to develop and start production of improved saxophones to replace the costly, not very available, and mechanically unreliable European instruments in the American market. The early 1890s saw regular production of saxophones commence at Conn and its offshoot Buescher Manufacturing Company, which dramatically increased availability of saxophones in the US. Lefebre worked with the music publisher Carl Fischer to distribute his transcriptions, arrangements, and original works for saxophone, and worked with the Conn Conservatory to further saxophone pedagogy in the US. Lefebre's associations with Conn and Fischer lasted into the first decade of the twentieth century and Fischer continued to publish new arrangements of Lefebre's works posthumously.
While the saxophone remained marginal and regarded mainly as a novelty instrument in the classical music world, many new musical niches were established for it during the early decades of the twentieth century. Its early use in vaudeville and ragtime bands around the turn of the century laid the groundwork for its use in dance orchestras and eventually jazz. As the market for saxophones grew in the US, the manufacturing industry grew; the Martin Band Instrument Company started producing saxophones between 1905 and 1912, and the Cleveland Band Instrument Company started producing saxophones under contract to the H. N. White Company in 1916. The saxophone was promoted for the casual market with the introduction of the C-soprano and C-melody saxophones to play in key with pianos from the same sheet music. Production of such instruments stopped during the Great Depression. During the 1920s the saxophone came into use as a jazz instrument, fostered by the influences of the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra and the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Starting in the late 1920s and early 1930s, the modern era of classical saxophone was launched largely through the efforts of Marcel Mule and Sigurd Raschèr, and the classical repertoire for the instrument expanded rapidly. The use of the saxophone for more dynamic and more technically demanding styles of playing added incentive for improvements in keywork and acoustic design. Early saxophones had two separate octave keys operated by the left thumb to control the two octave vents required on alto and larger saxophones. A substantial advance in keywork around the turn of the century was the development of mechanisms by which the left thumb operates the two octave vents with a single octave key. Ergonomic design of keywork evolved rapidly during the 1920s and 1930s. The front F mechanism supporting alternate fingerings for high E and F, and stack-linked G♯ key action, became standard during the 1920s, followed by improvements to the left hand table key mechanisms controlling the G♯ and bell keys. New bore designs during the 1920s and 1930s resulted from the quest for improved intonation, dynamic response, and tonal qualities. The 1920s were also the era of design experiments such as the Buescher straight altos and tenors, the King Saxello soprano, the C.G. Conn mezzo-soprano saxophone keyed in F, and the “Conn-O-Sax” saxophone – English horn hybrid.
The modern layout of the saxophone emerged during the 1930s and 1940s, first with right-side bell keys introduced by C. G. Conn on baritones, then by King on altos and tenors. The mechanics of the left hand table were revolutionized by Selmer with their Balanced Action instruments in 1936, capitalizing on the right-side bell key layout. In 1948 Selmer introduced their Super Action saxophones with offset left and right hand stack keys. Thirty to forty years later this final Selmer layout was nearly universal on all saxophone models. The high F♯ key was also first introduced as an option on the Balanced Action model, although it took several decades for it to gain acceptance because of perceived deleterious effects on intonation in its early implementation. Marcel Mule established the study of the saxophone as a classical instrument at the Conservatoire de Paris from the 1940s. Larry Teal did the same in the United States at the University of Michigan a decade later. A number of other American institutions have since become recognized homes for the study of classical saxophone. They include Northwestern University, Indiana University, and the Eastman School of Music.
The saxophone first gained popularity in military bands. Although the instrument was initially ignored in Germany, French and Belgian military bands were quick to include the instrument in their ensembles. Most French and Belgian military bands incorporate at least a quartet of saxophones, comprising an E♭ baritone, B♭ tenor, E♭ alto and B♭ soprano. These four instruments have proved the most popular of all of Sax's creations, with the E♭ contrabass and B♭ bass usually considered impractically large and the E♭ sopranino insufficiently powerful. British military bands tend to include at minimum two saxophonists, on the alto and tenor. The saxophone was introduced into the concert band, which usually calls for an E♭ alto saxophone, a B♭ tenor saxophone, and an E♭ baritone saxophone. A concert band may include two altos, one tenor, and one baritone. A B♭ soprano saxophone is also used, in which case it is played by the first alto saxophonist. A bass saxophone in B♭ is used in some concert band music. Saxophones are used in chamber music, such as saxophone quartets and other chamber combinations of instruments. The classical saxophone quartet consists of a B♭ soprano saxophone, E♭ alto saxophone, B♭ tenor saxophone, and E♭ baritone saxophone. On occasion, the soprano is replaced with a second alto sax. A few professional saxophone quartets have featured non-standard instrumentation, such as James Fei's Alto Quartet. There is a repertoire of classical compositions and arrangements for the SATB instrumentation dating back to the nineteenth century, particularly by French composers who knew Sax. However, the largest body of chamber works for saxophone are from the modern era of classical saxophone initiated by Marcel Mule in 1928. Sigurd Raschèr followed as a soloist in orchestral works, starting in 1931, and also figured prominently in development of modern classical saxophone repertoire. The Mule quartet is often considered the prototype for quartets due to the level of virtuosity demonstrated by its members and its central role in the development of modern quartet repertoire. However, organized quartets existed before Mule's ensemble, the prime example being the quartet headed by Edward A. Lefebre , which was a subset of Patrick Gilmore's 22nd Regiment band between 1873 and 1893. In the 20th and 21st centuries, the saxophone found increased popularity in symphony orchestras. The instrument has also been used in opera and choral music. Musical theatre scores also can include parts for saxophone, sometimes doubling another woodwind or brass instrument.
Coincident with the more widespread availability of saxophones in the United States around the turn of the century was the rise of ragtime music. The bands featuring the syncopated Latin-American and African-American rhythmic influences of ragtime were an exciting new feature of the American cultural landscape and provided the groundwork for new styles of dancing. Two of the best known ragtime-playing brass bands with saxophones were those led by W. C. Handy and James R. Europe. Europe's 369th Infantry Regiment Band popularized ragtime in France during its 1918 tour. The rise of dance bands into the 1920s followed from the popularity of ragtime. The saxophone was also used in Vaudeville entertainment during the same period. Ragtime, Vaudeville, and dance bands introduced much of the American public to the saxophone. Rudy Wiedoeft became the best known individual saxophone stylist and virtuoso during this period leading into the "saxophone craze" of the 1920s. Following it, the saxophone became featured in music as diverse as the "sweet" music of Paul Whiteman and Guy Lombardo, jazz, swing, and large stage show bands. The rise of the saxophone as a jazz instrument followed its widespread adoption in dance bands during the early 1920s. The Fletcher Henderson Orchestra, formed in 1923, featured arrangements to back up improvisation, bringing the first elements of jazz to the large dance band format. Following the innovations of the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra, the Duke Ellington Orchestra and Jean Goldkette's Victor Recording Orchestra featured jazz solos with saxophones and other instruments. The association of dance bands with jazz would reach its peak with the swing music of the 1930s. The large show band format, influenced by the 1930s swing bands, would be used as backing for popular vocalists and stage shows in the post World War II era, and provided a foundation for big band jazz. Show bands with saxophone sections became a staple of television talk shows, such as the Tonight Show that featured bands led by Doc Severinsen and Branford Marsalis, and Las Vegas stage shows. The swing era fostered the later saxophone styles that permeated bebop and rhythm and blues in the early postwar era. Coleman Hawkins established the tenor saxophone as a jazz solo instrument during his stint with Fletcher Henderson from 1923 to 1934. Hawkins' arpeggiated, rich-toned, vibrato-laden style was the main influence on swing era tenor players before Lester Young, and his influence continued with other big-toned tenor players into the era of modern jazz. Among the tenor players directly influenced by him were Chu Berry, Charlie Barnet, Tex Beneke, Ben Webster, Vido Musso, Herschel Evans, Buddy Tate, and Don Byas. Hawkins' bandmate Benny Carter and Duke Ellington's alto saxophonist Johnny Hodges became influential on swing era alto styles, while Harry Carney brought the baritone saxophone to prominence with the Duke Ellington Orchestra. The New Orleans player Sidney Bechet gained recognition for playing the soprano saxophone during the 1920s, but the instrument did not come into wide use until the modern era of jazz. As Chicago style jazz evolved from New Orleans jazz in the 1920s, one of its defining features was the addition of saxophones to the ensemble. The small Chicago ensembles offered more improvisational freedom than did the New Orleans or large band formats, fostering the innovations of saxophonists Jimmy Dorsey on alto, Frankie Trumbauer on c-melody, Bud Freeman on tenor, and Stump Evans on baritone. Jimmy Dorsey and Frankie Trumbauer became important influences on tenor saxophonist Lester Young. Lester Young's approach on tenor saxophone differed from Hawkins', emphasizing more melodic "linear" playing that wove in and out of the chordal structure and longer phrases that differed from those suggested by the tune. He used vibrato less, fitting it to the passage he was playing. His tone was smoother and darker than that of his 1930s contemporaries. Young's playing was a major influence on the modern jazz saxophonists Al Cohn, Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Dexter Gordon, Wardell Gray, Lee Konitz, Warne Marsh, Charlie Parker, and Art Pepper. The influence of Lester Young with the Count Basie Orchestra in the late 1930s and the popularity of Hawkins' 1939 recording of "Body and Soul" marked the saxophone as an influence on jazz equal to the trumpet, which had been the defining instrument of jazz since its beginnings in New Orleans. But the greatest influence of the saxophone on jazz was to occur a few years later when alto saxophonist Charlie Parker became an icon of the bebop revolution that influenced generations of jazz musicians. The small-group format of bebop and post-bebop jazz ensembles gained ascendancy in the 1940s as musicians used the harmonic and melodic freedom pioneered by Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Thelonious Monk, and Bud Powell in extended jazz solos. During the 1950s, prominent alto players included Sonny Stitt, Cannonball Adderley, Jackie McLean, Lou Donaldson, Sonny Criss and Paul Desmond, while prominent tenor players included Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Dexter Gordon, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Lucky Thompson, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, and Paul Gonsalves. Serge Chaloff, Gerry Mulligan, Pepper Adams and Leo Parker brought the baritone saxophone to prominence as a solo instrument. Steve Lacy renewed attention to the soprano saxophone in the context of modern jazz and John Coltrane boosted the instrument's popularity during the 1960s. Smooth jazz musician Kenny G also uses the soprano sax as his principal instrument. Saxophonists such as John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Sam Rivers, and Pharoah Sanders defined the forefront of creative exploration with the avant-garde movement of the 1960s. The new realms offered with Modal, harmolodic, and free jazz were explored with every device that saxophonists could conceive of. Sheets of sound, tonal exploration, upper harmonics, and multiphonics were hallmarks of the creative possibilities that saxophones offered. One lasting influence of the avant-garde movement is the exploration of non-Western ethnic sounds on the saxophone, for example, the African-influenced sounds used by Sanders and the Indian-influenced sounds used by Coltrane. The devices of the avant-garde movement have continued to be influential in music that challenges the boundaries between avant-garde and other categories of jazz, such as that of alto saxophonists Steve Coleman and Greg Osby. Some ensembles such as the World Saxophone Quartet use the soprano-alto-tenor-baritone (SATB) format of the classical saxophone quartet for jazz. In the 1990s, World Saxophone Quartet founder Hamiet Bluiett formed the quartet Baritone Nation (four baritones). The "jump swing" bands of the 1940s gave rise to rhythm and blues, featuring horn sections and exuberant, strong-toned, heavily rhythmic styles of saxophone playing with a melodic sense based on blues tonalities. Illinois Jacquet, Sam Butera, Arnett Cobb, and Jimmy Forrest were major influences on R&B tenor styles and Louis Jordan, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Earl Bostic, and Bull Moose Jackson were major influences on alto. The R&B saxophone players influenced later genres including rock and roll, ska, soul, and funk. Horn section work continued with Johnny Otis and Ray Charles featuring horn sections and the Memphis Horns, the Phenix Horns, and Tower of Power achieving distinction for their section playing. Horn sections were added to the Chicago and West Coast blues bands of Lowell Fulson, T-Bone Walker, B.B. King, and Guitar Slim. Rock and soul fusion bands such as Chicago, The Electric Flag, and Blood, Sweat, and Tears featured horn sections. Bobby Keys and Clarence Clemons became influential rock and roll saxophone stylists. Junior Walker, King Curtis and Maceo Parker became influential soul and funk saxophone stylists, influencing the more technical jazz-fusion sounds of Michael Brecker and Bob Mintzer and pop-jazz players such as Candy Dulfer.
There is so much more to be said about the saxophone, but this is all I’m going to say. I hope you enjoy this instrument as much as I do.
Here’s a link to the source I got all of my information from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saxophone
History of Reggae Music
This is the history of reggae music. As you know, reggae came from Jamaica in the late 1960s. By the 1970s, it was an international style of music most popular in Britain, United States, and Africa. It was perceived as a voice of the oppressed. Some key people in reggae music are Ry Cooder, Wyclef Jean, Jimmy Cliff, Lee “Scratch” Perry, and probably the king of reggae, Bob Marley. According to an early version of The Dictionary of Jamaican English (released in 1980), “reggae is based on ska, an earlier form of Jamaican popular music, and employs a heavy four-beat rhythm driven by drums, bass guitar, electric guitar, and the “scraper,” a corrugated stick that is rubbed by a plain stick.” The dictionary further states that the chunking sound of the rhythm guitar that comes at the end of measures acts as an “accompaniment to emotional songs often expressing rejection of established ‘white-man’ culture.” Another term for this distinctive guitar-playing effect, skengay, is identified with the sound of gunshots ricocheting in the streets of Kingston’s ghettos: stating skeng is defined as “gun” or “ratchet knife.” Therefore, reggae expressed the sounds and pressures of ghetto life. It was the music of the upcoming “rude boy” (later to be known as gangster) culture.
In the mid-1960s, under the direction of producers such as Duke Reid and Coxsone Dodd, Jamaican musicians dramatically slowed the tempo of ska, whose energetic rhythms reflected the optimism that had heralded Jamaica’s independence from Britain in 1962. The musical style that resulted, rock steady, was short-lived but brought fame to such performers as the Heptones and Alton Ellis. Reggae evolved from these roots and bore the weight of increasingly politicized lyrics that addressed social and economic injustice. Among those who pioneered the new reggae sound, with its faster beat driven by the bass, were Toots and the Maytals, who had their first major hit with “54-46 (That’s My Number)” (released in 1968), and the Wailers, Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh, and reggae’s biggest star, Bob Marley, who recorded hits at Dodd’s Studio One and later worked with producer Lee (“Scratch”) Perry. Another reggae superstar, Jimmy Cliff, gained international fame as the star of the movie The Harder They Come (released in 1972). A major cultural force in the worldwide spread of reggae, this Jamaican-made film documented how the music became a voice for the poor and dispossessed. Its soundtrack was a celebration of the defiant human spirit that refuses to be suppressed. During this period of reggae’s development, a connection grew between the music and the Rastafarian movement, which encourages the relocation of the African diaspora to Africa, deifies the Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie I (whose precoronation name was Ras [Prince] Tafari), and endorses the sacramental use of ganja (marijuana). Rastafari advocates equal rights and justice and draws on the mystical consciousness of kumina, an earlier Jamaican religious tradition that ritualized communication with ancestors. Besides Marley and the Wailers, groups who popularized the fusion of Rastafari and reggae were Big Youth, Black Uhuru, Burning Spear (principally Winston Rodney), and Culture. “Lover’s rock,” a style of reggae that celebrated erotic love, became popular through the works of artists such as Dennis Brown, Gregory Issacs, and Britain’s Maxi Priest. In the 1970s reggae, like ska before it, spread to the United Kingdom, where a mixture of Jamaican immigrants and native-born Britons forged a reggae movement that produced artists such as Aswad, Steel Pulse, UB40, and performance poet Linton Kwesi Johnson. Reggae was embraced in the United States largely through the work of Marley—both directly and indirectly (the latter as a result of Eric Clapton’s popular cover version of Marley’s “I Shot the Sheriff” in 1974). Marley’s career illustrates the way reggae was repackaged to suit a rock market whose patrons had used marijuana and were curious about the music that sanctified it. Fusion with other genres was an inevitable consequence of the music’s globalization and incorporation into the multinational entertainment industry. The dancehall DJs of the 1980s and ’90s who refined the practice of “toasting” (rapping over instrumental tracks) were heirs to reggae’s politicization of music. These DJs influenced the emergence of hip-hop music in the United States and extended the market for reggae into the African American community. At the beginning of the 21st century, reggae remained one of the weapons of choice for the urban poor, whose “lyrical gun,” in the words of performer Shabba Ranks, earned them a measure of respectability.
In summary, reggae music is pretty cool. Special Thanks to Mr. Mann for picking this topic! This has been the history of reggae music.
Works Used: https://www.britannica.com/art/reggae
In the mid-1960s, under the direction of producers such as Duke Reid and Coxsone Dodd, Jamaican musicians dramatically slowed the tempo of ska, whose energetic rhythms reflected the optimism that had heralded Jamaica’s independence from Britain in 1962. The musical style that resulted, rock steady, was short-lived but brought fame to such performers as the Heptones and Alton Ellis. Reggae evolved from these roots and bore the weight of increasingly politicized lyrics that addressed social and economic injustice. Among those who pioneered the new reggae sound, with its faster beat driven by the bass, were Toots and the Maytals, who had their first major hit with “54-46 (That’s My Number)” (released in 1968), and the Wailers, Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh, and reggae’s biggest star, Bob Marley, who recorded hits at Dodd’s Studio One and later worked with producer Lee (“Scratch”) Perry. Another reggae superstar, Jimmy Cliff, gained international fame as the star of the movie The Harder They Come (released in 1972). A major cultural force in the worldwide spread of reggae, this Jamaican-made film documented how the music became a voice for the poor and dispossessed. Its soundtrack was a celebration of the defiant human spirit that refuses to be suppressed. During this period of reggae’s development, a connection grew between the music and the Rastafarian movement, which encourages the relocation of the African diaspora to Africa, deifies the Ethiopian emperor Haile Selassie I (whose precoronation name was Ras [Prince] Tafari), and endorses the sacramental use of ganja (marijuana). Rastafari advocates equal rights and justice and draws on the mystical consciousness of kumina, an earlier Jamaican religious tradition that ritualized communication with ancestors. Besides Marley and the Wailers, groups who popularized the fusion of Rastafari and reggae were Big Youth, Black Uhuru, Burning Spear (principally Winston Rodney), and Culture. “Lover’s rock,” a style of reggae that celebrated erotic love, became popular through the works of artists such as Dennis Brown, Gregory Issacs, and Britain’s Maxi Priest. In the 1970s reggae, like ska before it, spread to the United Kingdom, where a mixture of Jamaican immigrants and native-born Britons forged a reggae movement that produced artists such as Aswad, Steel Pulse, UB40, and performance poet Linton Kwesi Johnson. Reggae was embraced in the United States largely through the work of Marley—both directly and indirectly (the latter as a result of Eric Clapton’s popular cover version of Marley’s “I Shot the Sheriff” in 1974). Marley’s career illustrates the way reggae was repackaged to suit a rock market whose patrons had used marijuana and were curious about the music that sanctified it. Fusion with other genres was an inevitable consequence of the music’s globalization and incorporation into the multinational entertainment industry. The dancehall DJs of the 1980s and ’90s who refined the practice of “toasting” (rapping over instrumental tracks) were heirs to reggae’s politicization of music. These DJs influenced the emergence of hip-hop music in the United States and extended the market for reggae into the African American community. At the beginning of the 21st century, reggae remained one of the weapons of choice for the urban poor, whose “lyrical gun,” in the words of performer Shabba Ranks, earned them a measure of respectability.
In summary, reggae music is pretty cool. Special Thanks to Mr. Mann for picking this topic! This has been the history of reggae music.
Works Used: https://www.britannica.com/art/reggae
Bob Marley
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Ry Cooder
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Wyclef Jean
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Jimmy Cliff
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Lee "Scratch" Perry
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