Enlightened Free Thinking Nubian Kings And Queens

Contemporary gospel's preeminent group, the Mighty Clouds Of Joy carried the torch for the traditional quartet vocal style throughout an era dominated by solo acts and choirs; pioneering a distinctively funky sound that over time gained grudging acceptance even among purists, they pushed spiritual music in new and unexpected directions, even scoring a major disco hit entitled, "Mighty High".  More importantly, they were the first group to add bass, drums, and keyboards to the standard quartet accompaniment of solo guitar, resulting in a sound that horrified traditionalists but appealed to younger listeners -- so much so, in fact, that the Mighty Clouds became the first gospel act ever to appear on television's Soul Train. Joe Ligon formed the group in 1955 during his high school days in Los Angeles, CA. He spent his childhood in Alabama, then moved west to live with his uncle. He found several other young men from the South in his Watts neighborhood, including, ...

Andre Watts is the subject of one of the more memorable stories in American music. In 1963, the 16 year old high school student won a piano competition to play in the New York Philharmonic’s Young People’s Concert at Lincoln Center, conducted by Leonard Bernstein.  Within weeks of the contest the renowned conductor tapped Watts to substitute for the eminent but ailing pianist Glenn Gould, for a regular performance with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. The performance was televised nationally, with Watts playing Liszt’s E-flat Concerto, and his career was launched. From this storied beginning, Watts went on to become the first internationally famous black concert pianist. Watts was born in Nuremburg, Germany on June 20, 1946 to an African American soldier, Herman Watts, who was stationed in Germany, and a piano-playing Hungarian refugee mother, Maria Alexandra Gusmits. His early childhood was spent on military bases, until at the age of eight his family moved to Philadelphia....

The Burke family was an attractive looking, talented Black family. Father Clarence Sr. and mother Betty had 6 children. The Five Stairsteps consisted of 6 kids...sweet Alohe, (born in 1948), charismatic Clarence Newton Jr. (born 1948), sincere James Marcellus (born 1950), vibrant Dennis (born 1952), smooth Kenneth (born 1953), and charming Cubie (born 1964). They were born and raised in Chicago by their parents Clarence and Betty Burke they attended Bennett and Harlan High School. You could say they were born into music, music was in their blood. Before they could walk they belted out melodies even if the words weren't understood. The 5 were singing together as young kids. They would line up on the couch singing to TV commercial or records on the record player; they would out-sing the TV and records...loud and clear. Their father was a detective/cop and mother watched the kids. Alohe, Clarence, James, Dennis, Kenneth, and Cubie were brought up in a household full of love, encou...

Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. was born on April 2, 1939 in Washington D.C. to Marvin Gay, Sr., a preacher, and Alberta Gay, a housewife and school teacher. Gaye was the second eldest of Gay Sr.'s children and the third overall of six. He had two sisters: Jeanne and Zeola, and three brothers: Michael Cooper, Frankie Gaye, and Antwaun Gay. Michael Cooper was from his mother's previous relationship while Antwaun was born as a result of his father's extramarital affairs. Marvin Gaye’s childhood can be characterized by developing an early love of music in the face of an abusive relationship with his father. Marvin Gaye’s introduction to music began by singing in his father’s church choir when he was only three years old. He expanded his musical abilities by learning how to play the piano and drums. Gaye was encouraged to pursue a professional music career after a performance at a school play at age 11, singing Mario Lanza's, 'Be My Love'. His home life consisted of ...

Rosetta Tharpe was a groundbreaking, profoundly impacting American music history pioneer by pioneering the guitar technique that would eventually evolve into the rock and roll style played by Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, and Eric Clapton. However, despite her great popularity and influence on music history, Sister Rosetta Tharpe was first and foremost a gospel musician. Born Rosetta Nubin on March 20, 1915, in Cotton Plant, Arkansas. Although the identity of her father is unknown, Tharpe's mother, Katie Bell Nubin, was a singer, mandolin player and evangelist. At the encouragement of her mother, Tharpe began singing and playing the guitar from a very young age, and was by all accounts a musical prodigy. She began performing onstage with her mother from the age of four.  By age six, she had joined her mother as a regular performer in a traveling evangelical troupe - before audiences all across the American South. By the mid-20s, Tharpe and her mother had settled in Chicago, Illi...