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Encyclopedia Britannica: Guide to Black History: Beyonce
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica's Guide to Black History features Beyonce, an American singer-songwriter and actress who achieved fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of the R&B group Destiny's Child and then launched a...
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, an American vocal group that helped define the Motown sound of the 1960s and was led by one of the most gifted and influential singer-songwriters in...
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Huey Smith
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Huey Smith, an American pianist, bandleader, songwriter, and vocalist, a principal figure in the 1950s rock and roll that became known as the New Orleans sound.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: R. Kelly
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features R. Kelly, an American singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist who became one of the best-selling rhythm-and-blues (R&B) artists of the 1990s and early 21st century....
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Abbey Lincoln
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Abbey Lincoln, an American vocalist, songwriter, and actress born Aug. 6, 1930, Chicago, Ill.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Al Green
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Al Green, an American singer-songwriter who was the most popular performer of soul music in the 1970s. By further transforming the essential relationship in soul music between the sacred...
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Alicia Keys
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Alicia Keys, an American singer-songwriter, pianist, and actress, who achieved enormous success in the early 2000s with her blend of R&B and soul music.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Allen Toussaint
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Allen Toussaint, a songwriter, pianist, and producer, Toussaint was responsible for national hits by Ernie K-Doe, Chris Kenner, Jessie Hill, Aaron Neville, Irma Thomas, and the Showmen,...
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Big Mama Thornton
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Big Mama Thornton, an American singer and songwriter who performed in the tradition of classic blues singers such as Bessie Smith and Memphis Minnie. Her work inspired imitation by Elvis...
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Blind Lemon Jefferson
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Blind Lemon Jefferson, an American country blues singer, guitarist, and songwriter, one of the earliest black folk-blues singers to achieve popular success.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Brownie Mc Ghee
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Brownie McGhee, an American blues singer, guitarist, pianist, songwriter, and longtime partner of the vocalist and harmonica player Sonny Terry.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Donna Summer
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Donna Summer, an American singer-songwriter considered the "Queen of Disco" but also successful in rhythm and blues, dance music, and pop.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Herbie Hancock
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Herbie Hancock, an American keyboard player, songwriter, and bandleader, a prolific recording artist who achieved success as an incisive, harmonically provocative jazz pianist and then...
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Leadbelly
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Leadbelly, an American folk-blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist whose ability to perform a vast repertoire of songs, in conjunction with his notoriously violent life, made him a legend.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Lloyd Price
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Lloyd Price, an American singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. Price made his mark in rock music history with his exuberant tenor and his flair for recasting rhythm and blues as...
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Lonnie Johnson
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Lonnie Johnson, a prolific black American musician, singer, and songwriter, one of the first major blues and jazz guitarists.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Marvin Gaye
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Marvin Gaye, an American soul singer-songwriter-producer who, to a large extent, ushered in the era of artist-controlled popular music of the 1970s. Gaye's father was a storefront...
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Nas
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Nas, an American rapper and songwriter who became a dominant voice in 1990s East Coast hip-hop. Nas built a reputation as an expressive chronicler of inner-city street life.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Willie Dixon
This entry from Encyclopedia Britannica features Willie Dixon, an American blues musician who, as record producer, bassist, and prolific songwriter, exerted a major influence on the post-World War II Chicago style.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Luther Vandross
Summarizes the life and career of Luther Vandross, an American soul and pop singer, songwriter, and producer whose widespread popularity and reputation as a consummate stylist began in the early 1980s.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Snoop Dogg
Learn about the life of American rapper and songwriter, Snoop Dogg, who became one of the best-known figures in gangsta rap in the 1990s and was for many the epitome of West Coast hip-hop culture.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Stevie Wonder
A brief biographical sketch of Stevie Wonder, an African-American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, a child prodigy who developed into one of the most creative musical figures of the late 20th century.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: T Bone Walker
Biographical information on African-American musician and songwriter T-Bone Walker, a major figure in modern blues. He was the first important electric guitar soloist in the blues and one of its most influential players.
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Encyclopedia Britannica: Sly and the Family Stone
Read about Sly and the Family Stone, the American rock and funk band that became widely popular in the late 1960s with a string of anthem like pop singles, stirring socially relevant albums, and memorable live performances. As a...
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