On June 9th, in 1934, pioneering soul musician, dancer, songwriter, R&B performer, singer and multi-label recording artist-Jackie Wilson (Jackie Leroy Wilson Jr.) was born in Detroit, Michigan. TOV covered the artist’s death on the January 21st post. Please refer to it for more information. Jackie Wilson is one of the few male vocalists during the 50s, that helped transform R&B and jump blues into soul music. The major difference between the two is that soul utilizies the phrasing and feeling of gospel music. R&B/jump blues is more like pop music-straight ahead singing with less improvised phrasing. Soul music tends to discuss ‘touchy’ topics, and has an inexplicable way of speaking directly to the individual listener-it makes your hair stand up on the back of your neck or gives you the chills. R&B/jump blues tends to be more of a group music that is utilizes ‘good feeling’ lyrics for speaking to large crowds, not so much individuals (dance/everybody party/be happy etc). Jackie
Wilson, along with Sam Cooke, are probably the two most important male vocalists of the era that helped birth soul music. Wilson was also a major inspiration for artists like James Brown and Michael Jackson, raising the standard for what a true performer should have in their arsenal. His dancing style and nickname-Mr Excitement coerced them and other urban musicians to incorporate dancing as a regular-and integral component of their performances. He started off singing in the church, and became a member of the Ever Ready Gospel Singers (teens). He formed the Falcons in his late teens with future Four Tops lead singer-Levi Stubbs. He was discovered by Johnny Otis and signed to Dizzy Gillespie’s Dee Gee Records under the name Sonny Wilson. His career took off in the late 50s. He was 49 when he passed.
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On June 9th, in 1943, jazz musician, pianist, sideman, composer, arranger, younger brother of tenor saxophonist-Bill Barron, bandleader, co-founder of Sphere and the Classical Jazz Quartet-Kenny Barron was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He’s most known for his post-bop jazz piano innovations. He began playing when he was very young and continued throughout his teens. In the late 50s/early 60s, he moved to New York during the height of the jazz era. He started his professional career with Dizzy Gillespie’s band and later joined Art Farmer and Benny Golson’s band called-the Jazztet (1962). He made his recording debut in 1967-You Had Better Listen (Atlantic Records).
He signed to Muse Records in 1972 and released his follow up album shortly after-Sunset to Dawn (1973). In 1974, he released his third LP-Peruvian Blue (Muse Records), followed by two more in 1975-Lucifer and In Tandem. His playing style on his first 5 albums can be categorized as standard jazz or post-bop, with 1975's Lucifer having elements of fusion and funk. In the mid 70s, he enrolled at Empire State College. He graduated in 1978, signed to Wolf Records and released another album that stayed true to his post-bop roots-Innocence. Later that year, he signed to Denon Records and released another album with jazz pianist Tommy Flanagan-Together. He returned to Muse in the 1980, releasing one album before moving on to Xanadu Records in 1981. He released a total of 16 albums during the 80s. His discography continues into the 2000s. He’s 75 today.
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On June 9th, in 1913, pioneering electric guitarist, multi-genre icon, luthier (repairs stringed instruments), songwriter, recording artist, solid body electric guitar inventor and one of the few men to have a guitar named after them (Gibson Les Paul)-Les Paul (Lester William Polsfuss) was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Not enough can be said about Les Paul and the innovations he made to modern recording. He’s one of the first musicians to perfect the technique of overdubbing-recording over an existing recording two or more times. This technique gave everyone involved with recording sound (film, TV, radio, music, stage)-the ability to add to existing things they’d created without losing the sound/integrity/quality of the original recording. Aside from that, he also pioneered multi-track recording, effects (phase & delay) and tape delay.
The guitar was his primary instrument and he also contributed to it heavily. His chording sequences, guitar licks (repetitive pattern/phrase), fretting style and trills (alternating between two notes one octave apart) inspired hundreds if not thousands of musicians from all genres and instruments. He also invented the neck-worn harmonica player which allowed musicians to play it hands free. He came up with this invention when he was 13. He started out as a guitarist/harmonica player that sang country and what would today be considered-rockabilly. He was one of the first to try to amplify his guitar in the late 20s when he took a record player needle and rigged it to his guitar. Even after he broke his arm when he was an adult, he made the doctor set it at an angle so he could continue to play. He was 94 when he passed.
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HONORABLE MENTION: On June 9th, in 1929, soul musician, singer, songwriter and Memphis Soul innovator-Johnny Ace (John Marshall Alexander Jr.) was born in Memphis, TN. He’s most known as the front-man for the Beale Streeters who were once B.B. King’s band before he moved to L.A., CA. Ace took over as lead singer after King left and Bobby Bland went to the Army. He also took over B.B. King’s radio show on WDIA. He recorded his first single for Duke Records-My Song (1952). It was his first major hit that was covered by Aretha Franklin on her See Saw single in 1968. Ace also was a good friend and tour companion of Big Mama Thornton (Hound Dog). He shot himself accidentally when he was 25.
On June 9th, in 1978, the innovative rock ‘n’ roll band-The Rolling Stones released their first LP with Ronnie Wood as an official member-Some Girls. It has a pop art cover where the sleeve insert has different pictures of band members in make-up. The album was recorded at Pathe Marconi Studios in Paris, France. The Glimmer Twins served as producers and it hosts several genres of music. It has classic rock cuts like Far Way Eyes and Lies, with a cover of the soul classic-Just My Imagination, and the infamous funk/disco cut-Miss You. The Latter is what sold me on the LP. The album is 40 minute 45 seconds long.
On June 9th, in 1993, the seminal singer, dancer, and rock ‘n’ roll mogul-Tina Turner had her life story depicted on the screen in the film-What’s Love Got to do With It. It starred Angela Bassett as Tina Turner and Laurence Fishburne as Ike Turner. It made it’s UK debut on June 9th (1993), although the film debuted in Los Angeles, CA 3 days prior (June 6th). It didn’t make it’s nationwide debut until June 25th. Both Bassett and Fishburne played their parts very well. I especially enjoyed Fishburne’s role as Ike and how he would rule the band with an iron fist, demanding that everyone work hard/consistently. The film shows how powerful cocaine was and how it led to Ike's demise.
On June 9th, in 1994, singer, rapper, actress and member of the urban music trio T.L.C.-Lisa Left-Eye Lopes burned down the mansion of her then significant other-Atlanta Falcons wide receiver-Andre Rison. As the story goes, Lisa got mad at Andre and placed some of his shoes in the bathtub. She poured lighter fluid over them and set them on fire. It quickly spread out of control and melted the shower door. It ignited the frame of the house which subsequently burned down. She was charged with 1st degree Arson, mandated to pay a $10,000.00 fine and given five years probation.
For more information on any musician or event reviewed in posts, or for additional information on The Wandering Eyes Blog overall, use the search bar and search the artist or event using keywords. It’s like a Google search for the site. A wide variety of information, covering several topics exists on this site going back to 2013 when it was created. PEACE